GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. T. W. RHODES, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, I-04

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J 925. NEW ZEALAND

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. T. W. RHODES, Chairman.)

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

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Thursday, the 23rd Day of July, 1925. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 219 be suspended, and that a Goldfields and Mines Committee be appointed, consisting of fourteen members, to whom shall be referred all matters relating to mining and all Bills relating to mines ; with power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Bell, Mr. Bitchener, Mr. J. McC. Dickson, Mr. Edie, Mr. Girling, Mr. Holland, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Macmillan, Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Parry, Mr. Poland, Mr. T. W. Rhodes, Mr. Smith, and the mover." —(Hon. Mr. .Anderson.) Thursday, the 23rd Day of July, 1925. Ordered, " That all petitions not finally dealt with during the session of 1924 be again referred to the same Committee as they were referred to during the said session." —(Hon. Mr. Coates.) Thursday, the 23kd Day of July, 1925. Ordered, " That Papers Nos. 40 C and 45 C, presented to the House of Representatives on the 3rd July, 1925, be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —(Hon. Mr. Anderson.) Thursday, the 23rd Day of July, 1925. Ordered, " That the Stone-quarries Amendment Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Anderson.) Thursday, the 6th Day of August, 1925. Ordered, " That the petitions of Mary Jamieson and Kate Blyth be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —(Mr. T. W. Rhodes.) Tuesday, the 18th Day of August, 1925. Ordered, " That the Coal-mines Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Anderson.) Thursday, the 20th Day of August, 1925. Ordered, " That the petition of Mary O'Buglien be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."— (Mr. Parry.) Friday, the 4th Day of September, 1925. Ordered, " That the petition of Robert Coulter and others be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —(Mr. Edie.) Tuesday, the Bth Day of September, 1925. Ordered, " That the name of Mr. Horn be added to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Anderson.) Wednesday, the 16th Day of September, 1925. Ordered, "That the petition of Martha Boyle be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Sir John P. Luke.) Wednesday, the 23rd Day of September, 1925. Ordered, " That the petition of John T. Johnson be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."— (Mr. J. MoC. Dickson.)

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INDEX.

EEPORTB. Parliamentary Papers 40 C and 45 C, " Amended Regulations under the Mining Act, 1908." I have the honour to report that the Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned parliamentary pppers, has carefully considered and approved of the same. 19th August, 1925.

Coal-mines Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed, with amendments as shown on a copy of the Bill attached hereto. 10th September, 1925.

Stone-quarries Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report that the said Bill has been carefully considered, and the Committee recommends that it be allowed to proceed without amendment. 10th September, 1925.

No. 137. —Petition of Jane Berriman, of Auckland. Praying for compassionate allowance on account of her husband having died of miner's phthisis. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 10th September, 1925.

No. 149. —Petition of Kate Blyth, of Tararu, Thames. Praying, as the widow of a miner's phthisis pensioner, for a compassionate allowance equal to a widow's miner's phthisis pension, and subject to the same conditions, which, because of a technicality, she is debarred from enjoying under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915. Petitioner also prays for reimbursement of the expenses incurred by the funeral of her late husband. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government, for favourable consideration. 10th September, 1925.

No. Subject-matter. Page. No. J Subject-matter. Page. Bills. Petitions—continued. I Coal-mines .. .. ..I 2 111 | Bray, Beatrice .. .. .. 3 | Stone-quarries Amendment .. .. | 2 216 Coulter, Robert, and 2 others .. 3 140 Dike, John .. .. .. 3 148 Jamieson, Mary .. .. .. 3 Parliamentary Papers. 186 O'Buglien, Mary .. .. .. 3 40 C \ I Amended Regulations under Mining Act, | 2 Sloan, Frank Cockbum .. .. 3 45 C f ! 1908 15/24 Wilson, W., and 52 others .. .. 3 Petitions. Reports. 137 Berriman, Jane .. .. .. 2 .. Special, re services of Chairman .. I 4 149 Blyth, Kate .. .. . . 2 .. Special, re services of Clerk .. .. 4 242 Boyle, Martha .. .. .. 3 .. Final Report .. .. .. 4

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No. 140. —Petition of John Dike, of Melbourne. Praying for reinstatement of his pension under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915, which has been cancelled by the Commissioner of Pensions because petitioner has returned to Australia. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 10th September, 1925.

No. 148. —Petition of Mary Jamieson, of Coromandel. Praying, as the widow of a miner's phthisis pensioner, for a compassionate allowance equal to a widow's miner's phthisis pension, and subject to the same conditions, which, because of a technicality, she is debarred from enjoying under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915. Petitioner also prays for reimbursement of the expenses incurred by the funeral of her late husband. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 10th September, 1925.

No. ISA.—Petition of Mary O'Buglien, of Auckland. Praying for a compassionate allowance in lieu of a widow's pension, owing to the death of her husband from miner's phthisis, which, because of a technicality, she is debarred from enjoying under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make regarding this petition, because, as petitioner is in receipt of an old-age pension of £39 per annum and a war pension of £52 per annum, the granting of a widow's pension under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915, would reduce her old-age pension pound for pound. 10th September, 1925.

No. 15/24. —Petition of W. Wilson, of Mornington, Dunedin, and 52 Others. Praying for the per capita allocation of the residue of the Kaitangpta Relief Fund to the surviving widow and children of the deceased miners killed in the Kaitangata disaster, 1879. I am directed to report that this Committee has no recommendation to make regarding this petition. 10th September, 1925.

No. 111. —Petition of Beatrice Bray, of Kilbirnie, Wellington. Praying that she may be granted a widow's pension under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 22nd September, 1925.

No. 216.—Petition of Robert Coulter and 2 Others. Praying for legislation to enable the Public Trustee, as administrator of the .Kaitangata Relief Fund, to afford assistance to any of the descendants of the original beneficiaries of the said fund. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 22nd September, 1925.

No. 132.—Petition of Frank Cockburn Sloan, of Waitekauri, Ohinemuri County. Praying, as a former lessee who has, by exercising his right under a Hauraki pastoral lease, acquired the freehold of his property, for payment to him of the surface rents, which are levied " per acre " on gold-mining claims situate thereon. I am directed to report that, as the petitioner has not exhausted his legal remedy, the Committee has no recommendation to make regarding this petition. 22nd September, 1925.

No. 242. —Petition of Martha Boyle, of 12 Rossmoor Crescent, Wellington. Praying, as the widow of a miner who died of miner's phthsis, for a compassionate allowance in lieu of a widow's pension under the Miner's Phthisis Act, 1915. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 24th September, 1925.

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Special Report. I have the honour to report that the members of the Goldfields and Mines Committee desire to place on record their sincere appreciation of the ability and urbanity during the session displayed by the Chairman, Mr. T. W. Rhodes, in the conduct of the business of the Committee and in facilitating the harmonious progress of their deliberations. The members of the Committee further desire that this resolution be reported to the House. W. E. Parry, 24th September, 1925. Member of the Committee.

Special Report. I have the honour to report that the Goldfields and Mines Committee desire to place on record their cordial appreciation of the decorous, diligent, and dutiful manner in which the Clerk of the Committee, Mr. George C. C. Black, has during the session performed his duties. The Committee further desire that this resolution be communicated by the Chairman to Mr. Black, and that it also be reported to the House. 24th September, 1925.

Final Report. I have the honour to report that the Goldfields and Mines Committee, consisting of fifteen members, has during the session held twelve meetings, with an average attendance at each meeting of nine members. Two Bills and two parliamentary papers were referred to the Committee, and the same have been considered and reported upon to the House. Eleven petitions were also referred to the Committee, ten of which were reported upon to the House. 24th September, 1925.

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