expenditure,—which,
however, we deprecate altogether—it would be better to say that so much
a month shall be spent on mining operations. Most of the work is done
by machinery; mining engineers and skilled English miners are found
necessary; none of this is taken into account; the hard and fast coolie
labor test holds good, and is brought into force three months after the
grant is made—long before a Company could be got into working order,
and • put the necessary machinery and staif on the ground. * This one
clause alone is enough to condemn any rules of which it forms a part.
We
trust the blunders pointed out so clearly in the Madras rules, and
which it seems are not to be found in those operating in Mysore, will
be avoided by the Ceylon Government. To help them to a right conclusion
we append a list of rules for granting out mining land, drawn up by the
Mail as embodying all that is required in the case of Southern India, and therefore well applicable to the case of Ceylon:—
Persons
desirous of obtaining permission to mine, on Government waste lands,
may apply to the Commissioner, or Collector for leases specifying the
situation of the land required with its estimated area. Each
application shall be accompanied by a rough sketch, or by the survey
map with the position of the block roughly indicated.
Applications will be dealt with in order of receipt. No lot or lots in one application shall exceed one square mile in extent.
But
the same applicant may apply for more than one square mile in other
applications, and such applications will be granted should there be no
reason against it.
On
an application being accepted the lot shall be durably demarcated, and
conveyed at the expense of the applicant, to whom a lease shall be
granted.
An
assessment of As. 8 per acre shall be payable by two half yearly
installments on ist January and 1st July, the first installment being
due for the then current half year, and payable on the date of the
execution of the lease.
The
land may be thrown up at any time, but so long as the assessment is
paid, and the conditions are not broken, Government will not resume or
interfere with it.
The land shall be liable to road assessment.
A
Royalty of 5 per cent, on the nett profit of any mining operations
shall be payable to Government. The works shall at all times be open
for inspection by the Commissioner, or Collector, or by officers
deputed for the purpose by him.
Accounts
shall be furnished to the Commissioner or Collector yearly, and books
shall be duly kept, which shall at all reasonable times be open to the
inspection of the Commissioner or Collector, or officers deputed by him.
GEM AND GOLD MINING RIGHTS IN CEYLON.
General Rulet promulgated December 1881,
i •—The Government will claim no royalty on pr share of the gems or'
gold found upon land in respect of which a license hais been taken put,
and is in force under these rules, but such land will be liable to, any
taxation which may hereafter be found necessary to pfovidej at the
expense of the grantees, the cost of such special police communication,
water supply, sanitation or other similar administrative arrangements
as may, in the opinion of Government, be dictated in the interests of
the local community immediately or directly affected by the results of
the'grantee's operations. ■'.'",.'
2.—No license granted under these rules will convey any right to fell or destroy timber.
