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Wednesday, August 19, 1874. —The petition of William Thomas and others was again considered. Mr. Sheehan made a statement to the Committee relative to the matter contained in the petition. A discussion took place thereon, when Mr. Tribe moved the following resolution, which was carried:— " The Committee is of opinion that the case for the petitioners is one of great hardship, and involves important questions which press for settlement. It recommends the Government to appoint a Commission to investigate the matter without delay. " A true extract. A. Le G. Campbell, Clerk to the Committee.

No. 2. Mr. HAxranTON to Captain Feasee. (No. 137.) Public Works Office (Gold Fields Branch), Wellington, Sic, — 9th January, 1875. I am directed by the Hon. the Minister for Public Works to forward to you the enclosed copy of a petition of W. Thomas and others, with copy of minutes of Gold Fields Committee, and to request that you will be good enough to report fully on each allegation of fact in the petition, with a view of assisting the Government in forming an opinion on the subject. I am also to request that in your report you'will state at length the facts bearing on the question, —whether it was the fault of the petitioners, or the officer of the Gold Field, that the petitioners took up ground or had ground included in their claim which was not within the gold, field or open for mining. I have, &c, C. E. Haughton, The Warden, Grahamstown. Under Secretary.

No. 3. Captain Feasee to Mr. Haugiitox. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 9th August, 1875. Referring to your letter of 9th January, 1875, No. 137, P.W. 74/3961, forwarding petition of W. Thomas and others, with copy of minutes of Gold Fields Committee thereon, I have now the honor to forward to you enclosed my report on each allegation of fact in the said petition, together with a statement of facts bearing on the question. I am, &c., The Under Secretary, Public Works Office, W. Feasee, (Gold Fields Branch), Wellington. Warden.

Enclosure in No. 3. Report by Warden Feaser on Allegation of Pacts in the Petition of William Thomas and Others to the House of Representatives. 1. William Thomas, James McCabe, Patrick Walsh, William Barker, Ronald McDonald, and James Gordon became the registered owners of a claim of eight men's ground, on the 24th March, 1871, called " Queen of Beauty No. 2," under " The Gold Fields Act, 1866." On the 3rd April, 1871, James Stewart was registered as owner by purchase of Gordon's share in said claim. The other petitioner, John McCabe, became registered owner on 24th April, 1871, of a claim of two men's ground, adjoining, called "The Queen of Beauty No. 3;" and on 27th April, 1871, these two claims were amalgamated by the petitioners, and called "The Queen of Beauty Amalgamated Claim," containing ten men's ground, and as such was held by the petitioners until a license under " The Gold Mining Districts Act, 1871," was, on their application, granted to them by the Warden for the site of the said claim. 2. Correct. 3. Mr. liobert Graham did make such a claim, but whether September, 1871, was the date of his first making it I cannot, of my own knowledge, say; nor can I say whether his claim was based upon title as lessee of the Crown grantees or otherwise; nor can I say at what time, if any, he made the claim for an account as mentioned. 4. The matters here alleged are not within my knowledge. 5. Same answer. G. Such a proceeding was instituted in my Court by a complaint in these words: — "In the Warden's Court of Hauraki District, in the Province of Auckland, New Zealand. "Be it remembered that upon the twenty-second day of November, 1871, cometh before me the undersigned, Judge of the Hauraki District Warden's Court, sitting at Grahamstown, in the said district, William Thomas, James Stewart, John McCabe, James McCabe, Ronald McDonald, Patrick Walsh, and William Barker, all of the Hauraki Gold Field, miners, and complain against the Bright Smile Gold Mining Company (Registered), defendants, that the complainants are the registered owners of a quartz claim situate in the Waiokaraka Creek, in the said district, known as ' The Queen of Beauty (Amalgamated),' and the defendants have been for some time past, and are still, encroaching upon the said claim of the complainants by occupying, mining, undermining, and otherwise interfering with the said claim :