GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF). Mr. GUINNESS, CHAIRMAN.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1891 Session II, I-04

1.—4

Sess. 11.-1891. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF). Mr. GUINNESS, CHAIRMAN.

Presented to the House of Bepresentatlves, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 12th Day op June, 1891. Ordered, " That a Goldfields and Mines Committee, consisting of ten members, bo formed, to which shall be referred all matters relating to mining, and all Bills relating to mines ; three to be a quorum. The Committee to consist of Mr. Duncan, Hon. Mr. Fergus, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Mackintosh, Mr. 0. H. Mills, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. R. H. J. Reeves, Mr. R. Thompson, Mr. Valentine, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Seddon.)

Tuesday, the 14th Day of July, 1891. Ordered, " That the Coal-mines Bill and the Mining Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."— (Hon. Mr. Seddon.)

Fbiday, the 17th Day of July, 1891. Ordered, "That the petitions of Michael Hennessy and others and Edward Loughnan be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Mr. T. Thompson.)

Wednesday, the 22nd Day op July, 1891. Ordered, "That Standing Order No. 178 be suspended, and that the names of Mr. M. J. S. Mackenzie and Colonel Fraser be added to the Goldflelds and Mines Committee " —(Hon. Mr. Seddon.)

No. 21.—Petition of Jambs Suisted and 50 Others. Petitionebs, who are lessees on the Colliery Eeserve, Westporfc, pray that new leases be granted to them upon certain conditions. Your Committee have the honour to report that the present leases of the Colliery Eeserve be renewed for a term of twenty-one years at a rental to be fixed by valuation, without valuing improvements, and that such renewed leases contain a clause for perpetual renewal and similar reassessment of rent every twenty-one years; this recommendation not to apply to any portion of the Colliery Eeserve that may be required for public purposes. 30th June, ] 891.

No. 76. —Petition of D. Dubieg and Others. Pbtitionebs hold land under the agricultural lease system, and pray that relief similar to the Selectors' Lands Eevaluation Act may be afforded them. I am directed to report the following resolution of the Committee : Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioners be recommended for the favourable consideration of the Government. 15th July, 1891.

No. 61—Petition of Edwabd Aethue and Another, of Cromwell, Otago. Petitionebs are holders of water-rights on the Clutha Eiver, and were subjected to a lawsuit in connection therewith. I am directed to report that the Committee are unanimous, and recommend that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 15th July, 1891.

L—4

2

No. 2, Sess. I.—Petition of Henry Howe, of Maerewhenua, Otago. Petitioner prays for recompense for the outlay incurred by him in the case of Borton v. Howe, held at Oamaru, on the 9th September, 1890. I am directed to report that this Committee is of opinion that the petitioner has no claim against the colony. 9th August. iB9l.

The Mining Bill, 1891. The Committee, to whom the above-mentioned Bill has been referred for consideration, have the honour to report that they recommend the Bill be allowed to proceed with the amendments thereon, as set forth in the attached copy of the Bill. 4th August, 1891.

The Coal-mines Bill. The Committee, to whom the above-mentioned Bill has been referred for consideration, have the honour to report that they are of opinion that, as it is very desirable to legislate on this subject, they recommend the Bill be allowed to proceed with the amendments noted thereon. 19th August, 1891.

No. 5. —Petition of Simon Fraseb, of Whangarei. Petitioner prays for a grant of £1,470 as the discoverer of the West Taieri Goldfield. I am directed to report that, having heard the evidence of the petitioner and Mr. Vincent Pyke, the Committee agrees with former reports of the Goldfields Committee on previous petitions from Simon Fraser, that the petitioner has no claim against the colony. 21st August, 1891.

Nos. 14, 91, 223, and 493. —Petitions of Kawhena Eangitu, of Kuaotuna; Alexander Peebles, of Kuaotuna; William White, of Mercury Bay; and Samuel Neill, of Auckland. Petitioners pray for a reward for the discovery of the Kuaotuna Goldfield. I am directed to report that the Committee recommend that each of the petitioners be informed the regulations as to rewards for the discovery of new goldfields will have to be adopted by the Coromandel County Council before the Government can subsidise such reward, and that in the meantime the petitions be referred to the Government for transmission to Warden Northcroft,. with a request that he will report upon them when the regulations are adopted by the County Council. Ist September, 1891.

No. 623.—Petition of A. G. Fell and Others, of Picton. Petitionees pray that the discoverers of the Mahakipawa Goldfield may be paid the balance of £250 due to them under the regulations for the discovery of a new goldfield. I am directed to report that, as the Minister of Mines stated in the House on the 26th June last, that the reward under the regulations for the discovery of new goldfields was £1,000 —£500 of which to be paid by the Government and £500 by the local body. This being the case, the Committee recommend that the balance of £250 be paid to the prospectors of the Mahakipawa Goldfield by the Government, they having complied with the requisite conditions. Bth September, 1891.

No. 494. —Petition of F. C. Williams and Pabtt, of Thames. Petitioners pray that a balance of £20, due to them by the Government for driving a prospectingtunnel at Magazine Point, be paid to them. I am directed to report that the petitioners must obtain a certificate from the Thames Borough Council that the work stated has been performed by the petitioners before the Goldfields Committee can make any recommendation. 4th September, 1891.

No. 75.—Petition of Thomas Hughes and Others, of Kumara. Petitioners pray that the price of water for mining purposes at Kumara may be reduced. I am directed to report as follows : The Committee, taking into consideration the fact that the cost of the annual maintenance of the sludge-channels at Kumara is now undertaken by the miners, recommends that the request of the petitioners for the reduction in the price of water be complied with, failing which the Committee recommends that the Kumara Water-race be handed over to the Westland County Council, or to a trust to be specially constituted. 9th September, 1891.

No. 75. —Petition of Thomas Hughes and Others (second Eeport), of Kumara. Petitioners pray that the price of water for mining purposes at Kumara may be reduced. The Committee's report on this petition having been referred back by the House for further consideration, I am now directed to report that the Committee has gone carefully into the allegations contained in this petition, and has taken evidence thereon. It having been shown that the

3

1.—4

demand for water at present rates considerably exceeds the supply, your Committee is therefore of the opinion that it would be inexpedient to reduce the price of water, and recommend that the system which has hitherto prevailed for years under successsive administrations—viz., that on the recommendation of the race-manager, after inquiry, free water be granted for prospecting ground, for opening up new claims, and for working poor ground, be continued. 16th September, 1891.

No. 177. —Petition of Michael Hennessey and Others, of Kumara. Petitioned pray for a refund of a fine imposed by Mr. Warden Eawson. I am directed to report that the petitioner has an equitable claim against the colony, and recommend that the petition be referred to the favourable consideration of the Government. 18th September, 1891.

No. 74. —Petition of Edwabd Loughnan, of Teremakau. Petitioned, who is a settler on the Teremakau Special Settlement, Westland, states that, owing to his absence from the district in 1888, the year in which the Teremakau Eiver was proclaimed a sludge-channel, he did not become aware of the fact until the time had expired for filing a claim for compensation, and that now he is debarred from claiming any compensation. He states that he has suffered great loss, and prays to have his claim heard. I am directed to report that the Committee recommend that the Government do not take advantage of the neglect of the petitioner to file his claim in the time required by law, but that they should allow his claim to be heard on its merits. 18th September, 1891. [Approximate Cost of Paper— l'reparation, nil; printing (1,200 copies), £ 1175.]

By Authority: Geobgk Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9l. Price, 3d.]