I.—IA

1878. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS COMMITTEE, (REPORT OF, ON PETITION OF DANIEL JAMES MOORE, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.)

Brought up 11th October, 1878, and ordered to be printed. REPORT. The Committee, having carefully considered this Petition, and the evidence given in support thereof, have directed me to report the following resolution thereon, to the House, viz. :— " That the sum of Two hundred pounds (£200) be recommended to be given to Mr. Moore, as the first discoverer of the Reefs at the Carrick and at Macetown." C. A. de Lautour, 11th October, 1878. Chairman.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. Friday, October 11th, 1878. Mr. William Jackson Barry, late of Cromwell, in attendance, and examined. 1. The Chairman.] The Committee are anxious to know if you can, of your own knowledge, give them any specific information of any discoveries made by Mr. Moore on the Goldfields of Otago ?—AVhere I knew Moore first was at the Waipori, in 1862. I saw him prospecting there, but did not know much of him. I fell in with him at the time of the Dunstan Rush in the same year. I went into business at Cromwell, but I know that Moore was prospecting all about the Carrick Range, also about Bendigo Gully, and brought some quartz stone into Cromwell. In fact I was the first one that ever put an engine on the Carrick Range at Bannockburn. I went and bought a plant, and I made the first Company up for prospecting. I heard that Moore had come in with some specimens from the locality of Bendigo Gully. I bought the old Criterion plant, and I and Mr. Robinson put it on a claim near the Aurora. 2. But at Bannockburn did you take up a claim of Moore's ?—I took up a claim where ho was prospecting. 8. Then he had his own claim ? —He had an interest in a claim. 4. But had he a prospecting claim ? —That I could not tell. 5. He had a claim at Bendigo ? —Yes. 6. Then you did not take his claim ? —I took one alongside of him. 7. What advantage did they give the prospectors of reefs ?—A double claim. I have had a double claim when prospecting. I must certainly say that the energy of this man Moore, where I have seen him and met him, shewed that he was a really good man for the prospecting of country, and I have met him at different intervals in many parts of New Zealand. 8. Then you think he was the first man that struck gold at Bannockburn and Bendigo ?—I really believe he was the first at Bannockburn. 9. And not Bendigo ?—I could not say. 10. At Macetown ?—I believe he was the first that brought stone down from Macetown. There was another man that disputed it, named Hall, but from what I have heard from the general voice of the people this man Moore was the first at Macetown who brought stone down. 11. You say you have had prospecting claims ; did you look for any reward ?—No. 12. I suppose a prospecting claim would be considered a reward ? —I do not know ;if a man were out on those ranges and discovered gold, which brings wealth to the country, he ought to be entitled to some reward from the country. I think a practical digger like Moore ought to have some reward from the country. 13. I am not so much speaking of what ought to be done, as what prospectors would have in view when they were prospecting; when you were going prospecting, it would be for gold ? —Decidedly. 14. Not for any reward ? —Not if I made it a business to go prospecting for the Government, or for other people. 15. I suppose where a man strikes a quartz reef, unless he has money, he cannot do anything with it ? —Many a poor man without money has been out prospecting, and other men have come in and taken the harvest from him. 16. Mr. Bastings.] Do you know Mr. Mace ? —I have seen Mr. Mace in the early diggings. 17. AVould his evidence be reliable if he stated that Mr. Moore was the discoverer of Macetown Reefs ?—I think so; Macetown is named after him. I think Mr. Mace knows more about Macetown than I do. 18. Mr. Wason.] One witness has stated that he did not look upon Mr. Mace as a gold-digger ?—I have seen him at other business.