A Collection of Mining Laws of Spain and Mexico

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a * scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1859. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Ordinances of October 7th, 1786. timately established, it ought to be observed, as well in the Mines as in the mills and Haciendas for grinding and reducing the ores; but where there is no such custom, the pay will be regulated by Ordinance 18, Title I, Book 3, of those of Peru, which will also be observed with respect to the hours of work, both day and night, but voluntary agreements between the owners and the operatives, to pay them more, are not by this provision prohibited, and the same shall be done when the situation and depth of the Mines render it just, for the said Ordinance is only to be the rule in order to prevent a reduction of the pay below that which it prescribes, and in order that the most active and proper care be taken that neither the greediness of the owners may underrate the value of labor, nor that of the operatives overrate it and render it unprofitable, by curtailing the hours. Art. 38. What is said in the preceding Declaration must be understood for the present, for when the Tribunal General is established one of its first cares will be to require all the Deputations to give it an exact and detailed report of the day-wages and hours of work which, whether from legitimate custom or from practice well or ill introduced, may be observed in the Mining places (minerales) of their respective enrollments (matricula), in order that, with this information and that which the Deputations themselves may add to it of what they may deem just on both points, under the circumstances of the country, the Tribunal may receive such information as will enable them, with reason and justice to propose to the Superintendency the ways and means which appear to them best for the regulation of those points, on which in great part depends the deterioration of Mini...