4756-1906-Bill-read-a-first-time--Prespecting-and-Mining — Page 1

1064

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JUNE 22, 1906.

No. 536. The following Bill was read a first time at a Meeting of the Council held on the 21st June, 1906:-

Short title.

Power to grant pros- pecting licences.

Power to

licences.

A BILL

ENTITLED

An Ordinance to empower the Governor to grant licences to search for and prove minerals and to grant licences and leases of land for the purpose of working mines and minerals.

BF it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-

1. This Ordinance shall be cited as the Prospecting and Mining Ordinance, 1996.

2. The Governor-in-Conneil may, from time to time, at his absolute discretion, and upon such terms and conditious as he thinks fit, grant licence and authority to any person to search for and procure in and from any Crown land specimens of such metals or minerals as may be specified in such licence, whether such land be then held under lease from the Crown or otherwise, provided that no such licence shall be granted for a period longer than six months, renewable or not as to the Governor-in-Council may seem fit.

3. The Governor-in-Council may, from time to time, at grant Mining his absolute discretion, and upon such terms and conditions as he thinks fit, grant licence and authority to any person to get and carry away in and from any Crown land such metals or minerals as may be specified in such licence whether such land be then held under lease from the Crown or otherwise, provided that no such licence shall be granted for a period longer than one year, renewable or not as to the Governor-in-Council may seem fit,

Power to grant Mining leases.

Regulations.

4. It shall be lawful for the Governor to grant and agree to graut, for any term not exceeding seventy-five years (or for such longer term as a Secretary of State may authorise), in the name and on behalf of the King, such leases as may be declared by the Governor-in-Council to be expedient to be granted for the purpose of working such miues, metals or minerals as may be specified in such leases, upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Governor-in-Council may in each case determine.

5. (1.) It shall be lawful for the Governor-in-Council, from time to time, as he may think fis, to make regulations for the purposes of this Ordinance. Such regulations may fix the fees and rents and royalties to be paid in respect of such licences or leases and may provide for the recovery of such fees, rents and royalties.

(2.) Such regulations may impose for any breach thereof such penalty not exceeding Two Hundred Dollars as the Governor-in-Council may think fit, and any such penalty may be recovered summarily before a Magistrate, who, in default of payment, may inflict imprisonment with or with- out hard labour for any period not exceeding six months.

Objects and Reasons,

The object of this Bill is fully stated in the title there- of.

HENRY S. BERKELEY, Attorney General,