j ' Wednesday, January 15, 1 DR. Ses ee THE TRIBUNE, WILLIAMS LAKE, B.@. 9 -~ >> "> 77 0 2 Sabot Section Dawe 3 How Mining In British Columbia Is Affected N view of the present unsettled conditions in the mining industry, caused By Amendments by the recent amendments to the Mining Act, a group of mining geologists and Forced Landing engineers have written a series of short articles explaining what the industry is and how it has been On Davis Lake affected by the amendme INDUSTRY AND LAWS Recent changes in laws affect- ing the mining industry have focussed sharp attention upon it and at the same time have evoked loud cries of disapproval from the miners. ‘The Socred government, feeling its oats, and looking about it to see where innovations could be made, had its attentions directed to the mining industry, took hold of it, but instead of taking it by the hand, seized it instead by the throat. This may not have been intentional, but apparently was done in good but blind faith. The present position of the government in relation to the mining business is a little like that between the man and the dog whom he sent after a rabbit. Tt was in the days when dogs could talk. After a time, back came the dog without the rabbit, but with his tongue out so far he was tripping over it. “ Well,” said the master, “ you're a smart one, aren't you? You couldn’t catch him, eh?" No, I'm sorry,’ said Fido, “but there was this difference. I was run- ning for your dinner and he was running for his life.” In our case, the government only makes and administers laws but the mining business has to make its living under them. In Mareh, 1957, the Provin- eial Government, in two ills, destroyed confidence in B.C.'s mining laws. One, Bill 87, pro- vides for a 10 per cent tax on all unmined ore and the. other, Bill 91, takes away the right to Crown grant claims and substi- tutes a five-year retention lease and a 21-year production lease, both renewable only at the dis- eretion of the minister. SEARCH NECESSARY The mining industry is par- tieularly sensitive to the quality of the laws under which it operates hecause it is a high risk industry. Mineral deposits are limited in size and exhaust- ible. For this reason, “it is essential that a continuous search be maintained for new ones. These are hard and costly to find, especially in B.C., where rugged terrain and heavy forest .0r soil cover are massive obstacles to search. Canada is large and conditions for ore search are easier in its more eastern parts than here. So, in order to attract exploration capital to B.C., hospitable con- ditions must be established and maintained. Once confidence is lost, it is hard to restore, be- cause risk capital is easily seared and may run far. The mining laws of this province have heen established in the courts over the years and were everywhere regarded with approval. It is true that certain parts could he modernized, but security of title is an essential that must be retained in the act. If a deposit is found and developed at great cost, as is always the case, and it is later found that the deposit is un- economical at prevailing prices, the developer wants to be sure that he can retain title till it is economic. Furthermore, he will not spend high risk funds: if he is threatened with confiscatory taxation, and Bill 87 says that ore in the ground may be taxed up to 10 per cent of its value with value being’ set by ‘the minister. This means that an entire ore body’s value could go to the government in 10 years, nts. D. W. “Don” Pa The apologists state this is not Bechet Cis ot Quesnel, made a forced landing the intention of Bill 87, but) with his private plane shortly that is what it states. Actually,/before noon last Wednesday, itis being administered quite|C°™ings down on Davis Lake at differently, but people who allot Davie anch at 108 Mile exploration funds know that} //°USe While on a flight to Kam- = ¢ loops. administrations may change | !°°PS suddenly. With Mr. Patchett on the trip was Zenon Burechailo, also TWO PARTS of Quesnel. Because of its continual need| The lake appeared the most for new ore sources, mining|!0gical landing spot when an consists or two main parts, pro-|@"8ine failure developed, and duction and exploration. These| Mr. Patchett is reported to ha may overlap, but, in general,|©Ome down with his wheels par the functions are separate and| tially locked for a landing on are carried out by different the ice. The propeller of the staffs. Exploration geologists | Plane was damaged. and engineers commonly work far apart from the producing FOR CLASSIFIED Where mining companies are SERVICE large, they carry on both ex- Just Phone ploration ‘and production in 56 several countries. They may WORTH $180,000—OR MAYBE $5.00 a Be Experts disagree on the value of this violin owned by the Minnett family of Burlington, Ont. One appraiser said it was a Stradivarius and worth $180,000; but a second expert valued it at $5. So Carl, Mrs. Cassandra and David Minnett are keeping the violin until someone shows up with $180,000. The instrument was brought to Canada by their grandfather. Use Tribune Classifieds ~ Horsefly News > On January 7,;several Horse-|served with the meal. During fly citizens dashed out into the/the ‘meeting, members sewed Stree... With “camterss|: 10° “take 'raisncthwelsi tor ise ia heiGone photographs of the Horsefly ; Women’s Institute members| ™U"itY Hall. Mrs. Lowry's talk driving to their meeting. Mrs.|00 Christmas legends about the Glenn Walters drove up to the/holly, the Christmas rose and Horsefly Trading Co. Store with] the Christmas tree wag read by team, sleigh and hay rack, with|her sister, Mrs. Hetty Gurr. several bales of hay provided as seats for the other ladies. ~ On the store porch, Mrs. Hazel Gibbons, Mrs. Alice Stober and Mrs. Lorne Brigden awaited their ride three miles out on the Horsefly Lake road to the home of Mrs. Bessie Lowry, Plans were made to begin the weekly quilting bees on each Wednesday during the ‘winter months. The members will meet at Mrs. Alice Stober's home on January 15, armed with quilt patterns and cotton-patches, on which date the design for the next W.I. quilt will be chosen. The ladies learned with regret that the oldest member of the Horsefy WI, -Mrs. Frank where the January institute meeting was to be held. The members arrived ‘with hearty appetites’ in time for a hot luncheon before the meeting. Christmas gift parcel of ak eee Oey Present in Williams Lake hospi-~ shortbread from the Fenwick|tal and all wish her a speedy W.I. in England was opened and ' recovery, “WE BUY OLD BATTERIES... .” C & S TIRE SERVICE LTD, maintain loration head- quarters in a half dozen or more places or one mine, such as Consolidated Mining and Smelt- ing Company, may provide funds for exploration in several coun- tries of the Commonwealth. Oil companies, with their greater 2 resources, explore all parts of the globe where laws are favor- able for such. When the continent. was young, exploration consisted of examination of rock outcrops by prospectors. Easily found de- posits no longer exist and now expensive geophysical methods from the air and on the ground, followed by diamond Grilling, are commonly required. So more and more money is needed for exploration. When discoveries are made, costly means are required to prove whether they are high enough grade or large enough in size to be worth while mining. This means further heavy expenditures. ‘So, the people who allot-funas for exploration, all else being equal, choose their areas for exploration “where laws are stable, title is secure and govern- ments friendly to people who may spend large sums of money and years of research, frequently with nothing to show for their activities but bills. We want as much exploration activity in British Columbia as possible, because it fs a high risk area and because mineral deposits do much to develop the hinterland and outlying districts of British MARGARINE Allsweet 2 Ibs. ............ 65¢ JAM. Pure Strawberry 24 07. Tin .... 59 Columbia. Mining is a primary ndustry and as such is the foundation for a hundred minor businesses. It is primary and fundamental, but its life blood, exploration, need not circulate ce Cream PINTS PRICES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 16-17-18 CHEESE ~ : Ingersol Baby Roll Pound ............ 59c ASSORTED FLAVORS in this province and will not unless it finds courses which are wide open to its flow. { a WAGINGS ors son Horsefly News ON THE afternoon of Decem- ber 6, a number of friends called on Mrs. Margaret Gruhs on the occasion of her 88th SIDE BY THE SLAB aN ee) alianla birthday. Mrs. Gruhs is spend- ing the winter in the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs, Joe Williams. After birthday greetings and a RED OR BLUE LABEL 48 07. .... see tdotn teeny to fe] s wa ® afternoon was spent in pleasant talk. Tea was served by candle- light. Guests were Mrs. Ben Gruhs, Mrs. M. H. Gibbons, Mrs. Andrew Iuon, Mrs. Alice Stober, 4 gifts had been tendered, the Shortening JEWEL 1 Ib, EXTRA FREE WHEN YOU BUY ......... Mrs. Lorne Brigden, Mrs. Bessie Lowry and Mrs. La Fleur. fro: most exciting country in the world! if tisement is not published or displayed by the Liquor Fae acy eee by the Government. of Bntish Peas FRASER VALE FRESH FROZEN Coffee ...... BANANAS Golden Ripe 2 Ibs. ............ 39¢ CAULIFLOWER Fach .............. 35¢ Large Cello, California LETTUCE California, Large Heads 2 Heads ....... 35c m the Columbia. -} MACKE