The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-06
CANADA TO BAR
ALIEN MINERS
Americans to Be Kept
Out of Atlin.
MAY NOT ACQUIRE CLAIMS
EXCLUSION BILL TO BE INTRO
DpCED AT VICTORIA.
Significant Utterance of Lieut.-Gov
McInness in a Speech TO the
British Columbia Leg
islature.
MAY NOT ACQUIRE CLAIMS
EXCLUSION BILL TO BE INTRO
DUCED AT VICTORIA.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

VICTORIA, Jan. 5.-An announce
ment of the utmost Importance, par
ticularly to Americans who have inter
ests in the Atlin mining district in the
far north of British Columbia, was
made in the speech from the throne,
given by Lieutenant Governor McInnes,
at the opening of the provincialLegisla
ture of British Columbia this afternoon.
Lieutenant Governor McInnes said in
part after congratulating the members
on the prosperity and bright prospects:
In nearly all the leading industries of
the province growth and improved condi-
tons are observed. The output of the
coal mines largely exceeded that of the
previous year and is likely to continue
to increase. The development of the
quartz mines especially those in Koote-
nay, has been most satisfactory, while
a like activity TO that which has occurred
there it seems probable may soon be wit
messed in the Boundary Creek district
when, by the completion of the railway
now in progress of construction, the i'm
mense bodies of ore known to exist there
can be protitably developed. On the west
coasts of the mainland and island there
is also every probability of considerable
mining developments shortly taking
place.
There is also likely to be large in
crease within the present year in placer
and hydraulic mining operations. AL
ready some large enterprises of this char
acter have been put into successful ope-
ration in Cariboo and on smaller scale
in the Omineca district, while the recent
discoveries at Atlin Lake, in the north
ern part of the province, have disclosed
deposits of auriferous gravel, rich in
quality and spread over a large area. In
anticipation of an influx of population
into that region my government has al
ready taken steps for the proper admin
iStration of the district. In order to con-
serve the natural wealth in these gold
gravels for the benefit of Canadian min
ers and Canadian traders a bill Will be
laid before you prohibiting the acqui-
sition of placer claims by aliens.
l regret that the past season has not
been successful one for the salmon
canning industry of the Fraser River,
owing to a combination of adverse cir
cumstanceS; but since our ocean wealth
is so great l can but hope that our fish
cries may in the ensuing season prove as
prolific and profitable to those engaged
in them as they have been in previous
years.
A great calamity visited the city of New
Westminster in the disastrous confiagra-
ton in September last, but the energies and
courage of her citizens rose to the emer-
gency and encouraged by the sympathy
and material assistance of the people of
I all parts of Canada they put forth
such efforts as have already caused Nhe
city to rise from it's ashes
You will be asked to pass legislation TO
put the civic finances on such a stable
basis as will maintain the high reputa-
ton of your royal city. With a view to re-
move existing inequalities in the present
system of taxation measures will be sub
mitted TO you for the remission of that
part of the tax on personal property COM
monty known as the mortgage tax, and
for the repeal of the law requiring men
working in the mines for wages to hold a
| free miners certificate. Realizing the
advantages to be derived from an mex
pensive system of transfers of real estate
titles my government will lay before you
bill to introduce into this province what
is known as the Torrens system of regis
tration, under such arrangements as will
make its adoption both convenient and
advantageous to the owners of the prop