Timber rights under New Zealand coal mining laws

Authors: F. W. Foster
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume TeKuraNgahere 1936, Issue N.Z.J.For. 4(4) 1939, pp 199-204, Jan 1939
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

Abstract: Coalmining laws are distinct from mining laws. Exercisable timber rights are implied in coal lease grants. Timber on a coal lease, if not required by the Crown, may be used in and about the coalmine on the lease, and no timber royalties are payable. Such rights were first provided for three coalfields in the year 1877, and were extended to the whole country in 1886. They are less complex than those exercisable under the mining law, and less obstructive to forest management. Coal leases conferring these timber rights were granted under the land laws up to 1886 and since then under the coalmining laws.
State forests were not open to coalmining until 1922, and the prior written consent of the Forests Minister is necessary.
Granted rights to coalmine timber date from 1925, coalmine tim ber being previously obtainable under rights to cut timber for general purposes. Actually most coalmine timber is obtained (1) under general timber rights under forest or land laws or (2) from private timber owners.