2

L—l

Tour Committee have ascertained that considerable effort is being made by local associations to develop new gold fields, and would suggest that aid should be given to such associations by way of subsidy of cent, per cent, upon a wage considerably below the market value of labour paid per head on the number of men actually employed. That aid also be given by the services of professors of the Schools of Mines being placed at the disposal of such associations free of cost. In some instances actual approaches to and means of exit from new ground might with advantage be formed and provided in whole or in part by the Government, and be a legitimate mode of aiding the development of gold fields. Tour Committee would further recommend that the offer of reward shall hold good until otherwise ordered by the House. C. A. De LAr/Tor/B, 15th August, 1877. Chairman.

Repobt on the Mines Bill. The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the Mines Bill, have the honor to report that they have gone through the whole of the Bill, with the exception of the Schedules and Appendices, and recommend that the portions of the Bill which they have considered be passed, with the alterations, elisions, and amendments as shown in the copy of the Bill annexed to this report. C. A. De Lautotje, 6th September, 1877. Chairman.

Repobt on Petition of John Foley, of St. Bathans. I am directed to report that the Gold Fields Committee have carefully considered the petition, together with the report furnished to the Government by Mr. Warden Robinson, and other papers attached to the same. The whole circumstances being before the Committee, it was not considered necessary to summon local evidence. The Committee find the following three clauses in " The Public Works Act, 1876 :"— " 213. The Governor may contract with any person to make, maintain, and work a waterrace — " (1.) Either by agreeing to pay the contractor a subsidy not exceeding the amount agreed to be expended, and expended by the contractor in construction of such water-race. " (2.) Or, by agreeing to pay to the contractor year by year such sum as shall, together with the net profit of working the water-race, make up six per cent, yearly upon the amount agreed to be expended, and expended in the construction thereof. And every such contract shall contain a condition for the purchase, whenever the Governor thinks fit, of the interest of the contractor in the water-race, upon terms to be specified in such agreement. " 214. A water-race constructed under the last preceding section shall be deemed to be a water-race made under this Act; but so long as it continues to be worked by the contractor, and subject to the condition of any such agreement, the property therein shall vest in contractor. " 216. All moneys payable under any agreement made under this Part of this Act shall be paid out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for the purpose." The Committee are utterly at a loss to know what these clauses really are framed to effect. It is, however, clear that an expectation of aid is held out to parties of miners engaged in arduous enterprises. If the principle of granting aid is kept alive by the Public Works Act, or any other Act, the Committee is of opinion that the petitioner is entitled to relief on behalf of his Company—in the words of the Warden, " that a reasonable case has been made out for some aid to be granted." The local inquiry has clearly established the channel under construction to be of public importance, and that the mile section completed is of a substantial character. The Committee have come to the conclusion that the Warden's recommendation is a fair one viz., " That the construction of the channel be subsidized to the extent of eight hundred (£800) pounds for the second mile, payment to be made as each section of 10 chains is completed, at the rate of one hundred (£100) pounds for 10 chains." They therefore adopt it as their recommendation to the Government. I am further directed to add that, should it appear to the Government to be now inadvisable to continue the system of Government aid to mining enterprises of special difficulty, and that the aid recommended herein is, in consequence of such reversion of policy, not afforded, the Committee would recommend that the distinct grounds of such decision should be clearly intimated to the petitioner, and be made generally known at the gold fields. The Committee have carefully refrained from expressing any opinion as to the desirability or otherwise of subsidizing mining enterprises, the question of policy not being within the immediate order of reference. C. A. De Lautotje, 6th September, 1877. Chairman.

Repobt on Petition of Stephen Read and Othees. Petitionees state that an action was brought against them by James Glassford Gordon Glassford, Esq., for fouling and polluting Thomson's Creek by tailings from their workings at Tinker's, in Vincent County.