Show OIL mr m c hilling ehno lh antei alej teI hut to bleet bertna will ito honored march 1 tho sacro tary of the interior baa has instructed I 1 tho land dm department artmont of tho the govern to exercise common aijo and n degree of oquita in handling tho the C aftem of oil operating under permits issued by tho the government particularly in 10 cases whore prospectors tor for curtises cuti ses are unable to comply strictly with tho the requirements of tho the leal loosing slug law however tho the secretary has not crati granted tod any extension of timo time for drilling holding that thoro there i to no authority of law tor for extending tho the time fixed by statute A lottor letter written by secretary ry payne under dato date of january 12 in re ponso to requests for extensions of timo time stated explicitly that under the she law ho lie cannot brant grant such extension but he lie said further that thoro there would bo be no action taken looking to the cancellation of permits for failure to comply with the terms of the permit it if tho the la in good falth proceeded to the beat of his ability and was mot met by adverse conditions beyond his control such aa as adverse weather ho directed however that the or aa assignee signee who could not meet the drilling requirements quire ments in the specified time should file 1 a corroborated carro borated affidavit within twelve aad ten days from the date him permit was as approved stating what ho he had done towards complying with ith the terms the department regulations require four things namely the must stake his lite claims within ninety days dayn ho lie must have drilling rig on the ground within six months ho he must drill a well at least six inches in diameter and feet deep within ono one year at the end of two years ho he must have one ono or more wells to a depth of 2000 feet if it he lie has hats not struck oil before that time summed sum med up secretary payne holds that where a prospector operating under permit Is to proceeding in good faith falth and to the best of hia his ability to comply with the requirements of the ohe law he will not bo be disturbed in 1 his rights but tho the department makes plain that this ruling does not gi give y e any permit leo the rIght to hold a claier indefinitely without making an honest ellort to meet the terms of his permit this len lon lenc la is shown shon by departmental ruling because the I liw iw itself does not sanction a change in tho the regulations to glie ghe a longer period in which to do drilling tribune Trl buno |