§ 60. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the total number of lessors of land for mining in the Gold Coast received royalties and how many receive royalties based on 10 per cent. of profits?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreIn the Colony and Ashanti concession and mining rents are payable, under the Concessions Ordinances, to the native chief or other native authority who grants the concession. I have no information as to the number of such grants. Holders of mining and other concessions in the Colony and Ashanti are required to pay a profits tax of 5 per cent.; an exception is the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation which pays a royalty at the rate of 5 per cent. on gold and other minerals won. The proceeds both of the profits tax and of this latter royalty accrue to the general revenue of the Gold Coast. In the Northern Territories the minerals are owned by the Crown. The Minerals Ordinance, 1936, provides that all fees, rents and royalties imposed under the Ordinance shall form part of the 1795 public revenue, subject to the following provisions:
I have no detailed in formation regarding the payments under (1).
- (1) The Governor may cause to be remitted to the Native Authorities owning a particular piece of land in respect of which a mining right, licence or lease has been granted such proportion of the fees, etc., received therefrom as he shall consider proper; and
- (2) one-sixth of such fees, etc., is paid to the Benefits Trust Fund established under the Benefits Trust Ordinance.
§ Mr. SorensenWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to secure the information which he says is not yet in his possession: Further, is he thoroughly satisfied that the percentage in native lands is the appropriate proportion?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI cannot get the information about the bulk of the mining royalties, because they are paid to native authorities and do not belong to the Government. The Government does not own the land. It is only in the Northern Territories Protectorate, where there is very little mining, that the Crown owns the land. I can get such information as there is, but it will take some time to collect as it is very remote.