MR. PRITCHARD MORGAN (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in some instances in North Wales 1 per cent. royalty is charged upon gold, in some instances 3⅓ per cent., in some instances 6⅔ per cent., and in some instances a sliding scale varying from 1½ per cent, to 10 per cent.; whether in Ireland the Crown is levying 5 per cent., whilst in Scotland, in the case of the Duke of Sutherland, they levy 10 per cent.; why there is no uniformity with regard to royalties on gold; whether Her Majesty's Government are taking any steps to send to Wales a practical man, so that he may advise the Crown as to the area of the Welsh gold-field, and what course they should adopt with a view to encouraging the development of the industry; and whether Her Majesty's Government will also send a practical man to Ireland and Scotland to report to the Government upon the existence of payable gold in both those countries?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThe general rule which prevails in Wales as to royalty is 1–15th in Crown lands and l–30th in private lands, where the landowner or his nominee is the Crown lessee of the gold. All the lessees have the option of a sliding scale graduated according to the yield of the ore from l–70th in Crown lands and 1–100th in private lands upwards. I think the only exceptions to this are the mine formerly owned by the hon. Member in Wales, where the royalty is 1–100th till April 5, 1898, and l–50th thereafter; and another mine in Ireland, formerly 901 leased by the hon. Member, where the same rate was granted. This is the only lease existing in Ireland. The rate in the case of the Duke of Sutherland in Scotland, as I explained a few days back, was fixed three centuries ago by statute. I shall be very glad to consider whether it is possible to introduce greater uniformity. There will, for instance, be, I think, no difficulty in arranging for working as one concern adjoining sets which are liable to different rates of royalty; but from the number of applications now coming in for take-notes and licences at the present rates of royalty it does not appear that the industry is hampered by existing regulations. The Commissioners of Woods fully recognise the existence of a very extensive goldfield in Wales, and the question how the area can be best defined is at present under their careful consideration, as is the question of the desirability of obtaining reports by experts, but, as at present advised, it is not contemplated to send a practical expert to Ireland or Scotland.
MR. PRITCHARD MORGANsaid, that he should like to remove from the right hon. Gentleman's mind the idea that he was not interested in this subject, because he owned nearly half the property concerned, and was therefore entitled to some voices in the matter. He would ask whether gold was not as much the property of the Crown in principle as the Crown lands, and why uniformity of royalties did not exist?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThe 10 per cent. gold royalty in Scotland is fixed by statute, and the Crown has, therefore, no power to alter it. In Ireland there is only one mining lease at an extremely low rate of royalty, which was granted to the hon. Member himself. If there are any other applications with regard to Ireland they will be considered. I am now considering whether greater uniformity in the amount of royalties cannot be attained, and if it can be I shall be glad, but the want of uniformity is not as great as the hon. Member suggests.
MR. PRITCHARD MORGANasked whether the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor in office was not considering this question of uniformity of royalty in 1890?
§ [No answer was given to this question.]