I.—IA.

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75. Mr. J. C. Brown.] What year was this Maori Gully in ? —The latter end of '62 or the beginning of '63. 76. That was a gold-field, was it ?—I believe it was. 77. That was before German Gully ?—Before anything of that kind. 78. Was he the first at Blackstone Hill ? —That I cannot say. He was at Blackstone Hill I know, and prospected all that range right down below the Woolshed. 79. Do you know where he was first ?—Maori Gully was his first place. I believe he went first in the Carrick Range and that he was amongst the first in Bendigo Gully. 80. Do you know of his discovering gold in the Molyneaux where the dredges are ?—I should not think he did, but he was amongst the first to do so, and at Macetown. 81. You do not know any place except Maori Gully, where you think he was first ? —No, I do not, I have met him out prospecting in the ranges, but I could not say he was the first amongst them. 82. Do you think his discoveries have been of any special value ? —That I could not say. If he was first at Macetown no doubt that has been, or if he was first up Bendigo Gully. I believe he was first at the Carrick Range, and he nearly lost his life at the time. He was oue of the first to cross the Old Man Range. 83. Mr. Wason.] Can you tell us of any practical results that followed ?—I could not. 84. You could not say from your own knowledge, that any practical results have followed ? —I could not, sir. 85. Mr. Bastings.] All you can say is that he was an explorer ?—I have met him round about. 86. Mr. Joyce.] Did you always find Mr. Moore in those places, or did he come and find you there ?—I generally found him there, but I was not a prospector myself; generally when I got there I found he was there or thereabouts. 87. Mr. Wason.] Do you consider Mr. Moore a professional prospector more than a practical goldminer ?—I do not think he was ever a gold-miner, but always a prospector, he always travelled away as soon as a place was opened up. 88. What means of livelihood had he ?—He sold out one interest to my knowledge that he had in a claim at Bendigo Gully, and that I suppose kept him going for a long time. 89. Then he could not be regarded as a gold miner ? —I should say he was not. I should say his hobby was to prospect. 90. Are there many persons in that part of the country engaged in prospecting ?—I could not say; most of them when they find anything stick to it. 91. This man seems to be a professional prospector then ? —I should say so. 92. Mr. Bastings.] Do you think his prospecting had the effect of developing the resources of the country, and that such was his desire ?—I should say so. 93. Was he a paid prospector ?—No. 94. He prospected at his own expense ? —Yes ; I believe he has done it for the good of the country. 95. The Chairman.] I suppose as a prospector he would mark out his claim, and then when he wanted to go on he would sell his right ?—-Yes; but I knew him to lose two claims in the Carrick Ranges, which were jumped after he had marked them out. 96. Mr. J. C. Brown.] Do you know that he was the prospector at Bendigo Gully ?—No : because I marked out the first claim myself. We gave it up, and after that he started prospecting. 97. AVhat was the result of his prospecting at Bendigo ? —He struck one reef there, but I do not know whether it was payable. 98. Did that create any attention ?—Three batteries were put up on that line of reef. 99. Upon his discovery ?—I think so ; but about twenty other men were working on the reef at the same time. 100. Did he give Bendigo Gully a start from his prospecting ?■—l should think it was from his prospecting that the second rush took place higher up. Mr. AVilliam Howe, of Wellington, in attendance and examined. 101. The Chairman.] We have been considering a claim made by Mr. Moore, who alleges that he discovered certain goldfields in Otago; can you of your own knowledge tell the Committee of any particular goldfield which he w ras the first to discover ?—About ten years ago I went to reside at Cromwell, and he was then staying at an hotel there that was kept by my mother. He was digging at Bendigo, and brought specimens down, and had them tried. Soon afterwards the Ahaura Reef was tried, and from there he went to the Carrick Range. 102. Do you think he discovered the first reef there ?—I believe he did. 103. And the Black Horse, did he open that ? —He opened that; there was the Star of the East and several others. The Black Horse was jumped from him. He had a great deal of law over it. It was thrown into the Star of the East, and it is the only one that is at work now, and is paying. Ido not know about the Macetown Reef, because I left before it was discovered. 104. Do you know anything about the Molyneaux bed ?—No ; I do not. 105. Did he not take out prospecting claims in this place ?—Yes. 106. Did he sell them ? —He got up companies there. 107. Then he would sell his interest, I suppose ?—Yes ; I suppose he would. 108. Then, in the case where his claim was jumped, that would be his own fault, would it not ?—I do not know ; there was some dispute about the pegs, and it was thrown into the Star of the East. Mr. Pyke went up several times, and the matter was decided by the Court. 109. Mr. Bastings.] Is Moore looked upon up there by the miners as a benefactor ?—He is. 110. Do the miners give him the credit for having made many discoveries?— They do, for the Bendigo and the xCarrick. I recollect he spoke about Macetown before I came here, and my step-father got him a horse, and was going to fit him out for Macetown : but it turned out to be too far, aud he did not go. By Autlioiity: Geceoe Did;buky, Government Printer.