8.—20.

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3. That the reduction of officers in the Mines Department has been carried too far, and additional officers should be appointed. 4. That, in codification of mining laws, the special facilities granted to applicants for agricultural leases, prospecting licenses, and mining leases, under the Lands Act, 1877, in the Provincial District of Nelson, should be retained. 5. That further provision be made for the draining of mines of adjacent claims, to facilitate the working through adjoining claims or leases. 6. That provision be made for tunnelling through adjoining claims or leases. 7. That, until land be tested, prospecting licenses should be alone granted, in order to prevent the locking-up of auriferous country. 8. That the cancellation of leases should in all ordinary cases be effected upon breach of covenant, and the procedure should be simplified. 9. That cancellation should be so announced locally as to give to the public an equal chance of taking up the ground subsequent thereto. 10. That the scale of fees should be revised, and that miners' rights, business licenses, and other charges should be lowered, unless the gold duty be abolished or materially reduced. 11. That rural land adjacent to mining townships or mining claims should, where practicable, be reserved from sale, in order to provide commonage rights to the inhabitants. 12. That, in hearing and granting applications for rights authorized under " The Mines Act, 1877," or regulations to be granted, in cases where objections are lodged, a right of rehearing should be given to either applicant or objector. Such rehearing to be determined by the Warden, sitting with Assessors, as provided in the Mines Act, and the costs to be determined in like manner as provided in the case of suits determined in the Warden's Court. 13. That, in the case of reserves made under the provision of the Public Works Act for works on gold fields, where it is proved that such lands are auriferous, then in such cases the Warden should have jurisdiction over such reserves, in so far as granting such rights and determining suits, subject to the approval of the Minister for Public Works, as are contemplated and provided for by " The Mines Act, 1877." C. De Latttour, Chairman of Meeting.

Authority: Georgb Didsbtxey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.