GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF). (w.C.F. CARNCROSS, CHAIRMAN.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1899 Session I, I-04

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1899. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF). (w.C.F. CARNCROSS, CHAIRMAN.)

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

ORDER OP REPERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Thubsday, the 13th Day op July, 1899. Ordered, "That Standing Order No. 211 be suspended, and that a Goldfields and Mines Committee, consisting: of seventeen members, be appointed, to which shall be referred all matters relating to mining, and all Bills relating to mines; with power to call for persons and papers ; five to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. J. Allen,. Mr. Carncross, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Praser, Mr. Gilfedder, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Hemes, Mr. Lang, Mr. McGowan, Mr. M. J. S. Mackenzie, Mr. R. MnKenzie, Mr. Mills, Mr. O'Regan, Mr. Rawlins, Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, Mr. Sligo, and the mover."—(Hon. A. J. Cadman.)

INDEX.

No. 104. —Petition of A. Forde Matthews and Another. Petitioners pray that a sum of £267 4s. lid. may be granted to the Gisborne Mining Association as a subsidy of pound for pound alleged to have been promised to that association for prospecting in the said district. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. 27th July, 1899.

No. 86. —Petition of Peter Norbury. Petitioner prays that he may be reimbursed the expenses incurred in contesting ineffectually the payment of rent for a special claim, a moiety of which rent was repaid to him by the Government last year. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. 27th July, 1899.

No. Petitioners. Page. No. Petitioners. Page. 518 Cornes, Clement Augustus 4 134 81 164 McKay, James, and 3 others .. McRae, Roderick McDonald, Alexander 8 2 3 158 138 230 Edwards, Herbert, and 31 others Ewing, John, and 65 others Ewing, John 4 4 2 86 Norbury, Peter 1 60 Praser, Simon 2 279 Phillipps, Henry Walton 2 121 Hosie, James 2 278 198 Read, John Robertson, George Shepherd, Robert Stephens, John Stitt, Mary Ann 2 4 221 472 Landor, Thomas, and 199 others Lewis, Charles 4 3 222 376 92 104 Mackay, Alexander Maloney, D., and 20 others Marslin, W., and 761 others Matthews, A. Porde Mining Act Amendment Bill Miners' Rights Pee Reduction Bill Mining Regulations. (Vide Appendix I.-4a) 3 3 4 1 4 2 4 265 473 400 8 3 3 166 153 Tacon, P. L., and 33 others .. Thomson, Charles, and 33 others 4 4 193 Ward, Edgar, and 41 others .. 4

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No. 121. —Petition of James Hosie. Petitioner seeks a reward for the discovery of gold, alleged to have been made by him at Karangahake and Puru. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. 27th July, 1899.

No. 60. —Petition of Simon Fraser. Petitioner prays that a reward may be granted for the discovery by him of the Taieri Goldfields in 1863. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. 27th July, 1899.

Miners' Bights Pee Beduction Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred the Miners' Bights Fee Beduction Bill, have the honour to report that having carefully considered the same they recommend that the Bill be allowed to proceed, with the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill attached hereto. The Committee further express the opinion that, in order to render the reduction of the fee for miners' rights equitable to the North Island, the Government should use every endeavour to acquire all the Native land on the goldfields. Ist August, 1899.

No. 81. —Petition of Boderick Mcßae. Petitioner paid £250 and became liable for £750 to satisfy claims for compensation in order to facilitate the proclamation of the Wangapeka Biver as a watercourse, into which tailings and mining debris might be deposited, such payments and such proclamation being for the public benefit. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having taken evidence and carefully weighed the facts set forth in the petition of Boderick Mcßae, are of opinion that he is equitably entitled to be reimbursed £500. They therefore recommend that petitioner be paid such sum in satisfaction of his ■claim. Ist August, 1899.

No. 230.—Petition of John Ewing, of St. Bathan's, a Mine-owner. Petitioner represents that he applied for a license to extend his water-race a distance of about six miles, partly through private land ; that his application was granted subject to the payment of compensation to the proprietors of the said private land. The Compensation Court, consisting of the Warden and two assessors, by majority, fixed the amount of compensation to be so paid, but when steps were taken to act upon such assessment it was found that the decision could not legally be given effect to, because it was necessary that the Compensation Court should have been unanimous—a condition, under the circumstances, almost impossible of achievement. Petitioner therefore finds himself debarred from the prosecution of his mining enterprise, and prays for relief. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having given consideration to the circumstances set forth in the petition of John Ewing, are of opinion that the law requires amendment. The Committee therefore recommend that the said petition be referred to the Government, for the initiation of such legislation as will meet the case of the petitioner, and obviate the occurrence of such cases in future. 15th August, 1899.

No. 278.—Petition of John Bead. Petitioner represents that through an erroneous decision given by Mr. Warden Kenny he was constrained to appeal to the Supreme Court, where judgment was given in his favour. He prays that the charges incurred, over and above the costs allowed by the Court, may be refunded to him. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. sth September, 1899.

No. 279. —Petition of Henry Walton Phillipps. Petitioner claims to be the introducer of the dredging system of gold-mining in New Zealand, and seeks a reward. Ths Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. sth September, 1899.

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No. 134. —Petition of James McKay and Others. Petitioners pray that the Biver Inangahua may be proclaimed a watercourse within the meaning of the Mining Act. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that the petition be referred to the Government. sth September, 1899.

No. 164. —Petition of Alexander McDonald. Petitioner represents that he was the discoverer of gold at Buckleburn Creek, Otago, and has rendered good service to the colony in other ways. He prays for reappointment in the public service. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. sth September, 1899.

No. 222.—Petition of Alexander Mackay. Petitionee claims to be the discoverer of gold at Waihi and Karangahake, and seeks a reward. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. sth September, 1899.

No. 376.—Petition of D. Maloney and 20 Others, of Charleston Biding, Buller County. Petitioners pray that the law may be amended, to provide that where water from a tail-race flows into a river or creek the licensees of the tail-race shall have the right to pick the said water up again at a point lower down from out the said river or creek. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. 15th September, 1899.

No. 400.—Petition of Mary Ann Stitt, of Westport. Petitioner prays that compensation be allowed to her for serious damage to her property, caused —and likely to continue to be caused—through the proclamation of Bradshaw's Creek as a sludgechannel. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having carefully considered the facts embodied in this petition and reported upon the same in 1896, have the honour to report that they have now no recommendation to make. 3rd October, 1899.

No. 472. —Petition of Charles Lewis, a Surveyor, Westport. Petitioner represents that he was engaged by the Survey Department in 1896 to survey certain gold-mining properties in Mohikinui, West Coast District, the remuneration for his work being fixed by a scale of charges under an Order in Council; that the work having been performed under a second scale of charges, and ignoring the scale under which he had been engaged, the Warden at Westport reduced the amount of the payments due to him, whereby he became a loser to the extent of about £150. He seeks relief. The Goldfields and Mines Committee having inquired into the statements set forth in the petition of Charles Lewis and considered the same, have the honour to report that they recommend that he be paid the sum of £100 in full settlement of his claims, and that the petition be referred to the Government. 3rd October, 1899.

No. 265.—Petition of Bobert Shepherd, of Charleston. Petitioner prays that a sum of £300, lodged by the late J. J. Moynihan on behalf of himself and others as a deposit in connection with an application for a lease of a block of land required for coal-mining purposes, may be returned to him as executor in Moynihan's estate. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having carefully considered the questions raised in the petition of Bobert Shepherd, have the honour to report that they recommend leave be given to the petitioner to sue the Crown for the purpose of enabling him to establish his claim to the amount referred to in his petition. 3rd October, 1899.

No. 473. —Petition of John Stephens, of Totara Bridge, Boss. Petitioner prays that compensation be granted to him for damage to his property, resulting from mining operations on the banks of the Totara Biver. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. sth October, 1899.

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No. 221.—Petition of T. Landor and Others, of Buller County. Petitioners complain of the burden of having to manage and maintain the Argyle Water-race. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, after careful consideration, have the honour to report that, in their judgment, the prayer of the petition cannot be given effect to. sth October, 1899.

Mining Act Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that, having bestowed the most careful consideration upon the Mining Act Amendment Bill, referred to them by your honourable House, they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the same attached hereto. Your Committee venture the expression of a hope that your honourable House will see fit to pass this important Bill this session. 19th October, 1899.

Mining Begulations. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred the regulations gazetted under "The Mining Act, 1898," have the honour to report that, having carefully considered the same, they recommend that the said regulations be referred to the Government, with the request that the regulations be amended so as to agree with the copy attached hereto. (Vide Appendix 1.-4 a.) 19th October, 1899.

Nos. 92, 138, 153, 158, 166, 193, and 198.—Petitions of W. Marslin and 761 Others, John Ewing and 65 Others, Charles Thomson and 33 Others, Herbert Edwards and 31 Others, F. L. Taoon and 33 Others, Edgar Ward and 41 Others, George Bobertson and 31 Others. Petitioners pray that certain amendments may be effected in the mining regulations. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having submitted to your honourable House the amendments in their judgment necessary to be made in the mining regulations, have the honour to report upon these petitions that they have no recommendation to make. • 19th October, 1899.

No. 518.—Petition of Clement Augustus Comes, Junior, of Ohinemuri, Karangahake. Petitioner prays that he may be permitted to acquire the freehold of 20-| acres of land, Section No. 8, Ohinemuri, which has been held under agricultural lease since the year 1881. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 20th October, 1899. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,325 copies), £1 10s.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB99. Price 3d.]