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of the Provincial Council, on the 12th January, 1871, recommended Mr. Keesing £200. The Council. however, refused to indorse the recommendation of the Committee, probably on the ground that the Commission of 1870 made no recommendation in Mr. Keesing's claim. The Native Affairs Committee, in 1877, recommended AV. H. Taipari's claim to the favourable consideration of the Government, on the ground that the Auckland Commission of 1870 had recommended £300. The House saw fit to pass a vote in accordance with the recommendation so made by the Native Affairs Committee. The Gold Fields Committee consider that, while it is to be regretted that different decisions should be given on petitions arising out of almost identical facts, by reason of the petitions being considered by different Committees of the House, yet that, unless they are shown that their previous decisions are unjust, by additional facts submitted to them, their wish to agree with the Native Affairs Committee should not induce them to recommend additional burdens upon the Public Treasury, which in their opinion are not justified by the circumstances. 13th September, 1878. No. 118. —Petition of D. Walmsley and other Agricultural Lessees, Ohinemuri Gold Fields District. I have the honor to report that the Gold Fields Committee recommend that this petition be submitted for the favourable consideration of the Government. 17th September, 1878. Coeeespondence relative to proposed Tunnel from Karaka Creek to Tararu Creek, Thames Gold Field, Having considered the order of reference of the 29th August last, made on motion by Mr. Rowe. " That the correspondence between several parties on the Thames Gold Field and the Government, having reference to a tunnel from Karaka Creek to Tararu Creek, be referred to the Gold Fields Committee," the Committee see no reason why a Bill should not be introduced to give effect to the proposals made, hedged round by the careful suggestions of the gold field officers, maintaining existing rights and public interests. Such Bill will come again, in ordinary course, to your Committee. 17th September, 1878. No. 27. —Petition of Duncan Coebett and other Goldminers, Grey Valley. Tin: Committee, having had under their consideration this petition, together with order of reference dated 29th August, 1878, and memoranda dated 4th September, 1878, from the Secretary for Gold Fields to the Honorable the Minister for Lands, have directed me to report that section 1, Appendix D, should be amended, so that it shall be quite clear that the method there prescribed for obtaining a license from the Warden is a distinct alternative process, applicable only to rights of temporary value, not entailing the necessity of publication, as provided by clause 81 of the Act in the case of an application for a license for a term of years. That any attempt to fuse into one the regulations for applications for licenses for terms of years and for annual certificates for temporary rights will be unsatisfactory, and cause additional confusion. That, therefore, section 1, Appendix D, and the schedule hereunder, should be amended forthwith, and such amended regulation and schedule be laid on the table for fourteen days before the expiration of the present session, in compliance with clauses 52 and 53 of the Act, in order that the amendments recommended may be put in force with as little delay as possible. That, serious defects and omissions in "The Mines Act, 1877," having been pointed out, and several inconsistencies of great importance to the satisfactory working of the said Act, having become apparent between tho Act itself and the regulations made thereunder, the Committee recommend that the Government should cause a careful inquiry to be made by competent persons into the working of the Act and regulations during the recess. 20th September, 1878. No. 229.—Petition of Minees. Residents, and others, Coromandel. I am directed to report that the Committee, having considered the Petition of the Miners, Residents, and others, Coromandel Gold Field, have no recommendation to make. 24th September, 1878. No. 225.—Petition of William Costello and two others, Kumara Gold Fields. I am directed to report that the Committee, having considered the petition of William Costello and two others, do recommend that the sum of one hundred pounds (£100) be paid to the petitioners. 24th September, 1878. No. 185.—Petition of James Aemsteong and four others, Miners, Kumara, Westland. •I am directed to recommend that the Government refer the petition to the Warden and two other ' residents in the locality, desiring them to report upon the case forthwith, and assess the damage, if any, sustained by the petitioners, by reason of the construction or usage of the Waimea Race, with the object of recommending an appropriation of the sum so assessed. 25th September, IS7B.