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' \)Q's&k\o, FQ--\DgT\fl Measure to Amend Mining Act Now Before Provin-- . -- cial Legislature If Hon, Charles McCrea, Minister of Mines, has his way, there will be in future no careless or deliberate staking of claims in excess of the normal size of 40 acres, such as > | characterized the hectic days of | 1925--1926, when the Red Lake rush 'was at its height, and when 'some | prospectors staked areas as high as i115 or 120 acres. | In the bill to amend the Ontario ' Mining Act, which Mr. McCrea has | now before the Legislature, pro-- vision is made empowering the Min-- ister to cut down claims in size or, / if allowing them, to charge the in-- creased price per acre. The Gov-- + ernment believes that it is not in the public interest to allow exces-- sively large areas to be held out of general prospecting, and the pro-- posed provision is in the nature of a fine check to such practice. i _Also, under the amendments, any prospector will be enabled to apply for his claim to the nearest Ontario land surveyor instead of compelling him, as heretofore, to travel, and sometimes at great expense and in-- convenience, to the Recorder's Of-- fice. This arrangement will not deprive the Recorder of any of his emoluments, as he will be paid for ~ leach claim application whether he 'takes the affidavit or not. Among other things the bill pro-- vides that six contiguous claims can henceforth be grouped for the pur-- pose of assessment work instead of three as under the present system.