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1882. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTS OF GOLD FIELDS COMMITTEE. (MR. DE LAUTOUR, CHAIRMAN.)

Presented to the Souse of Representatives, and ordered to be printed. , ,—i——

No. 23. —Petition of E. H. "Wessels, County of Grey. The Gold Fields Committee have the honor to report, with regard to the petition of E. H. "Wessels, of Barrytown, County of Grey, praying for a reward for the discovery of a payable gold field, that the Committee do not think that the case is one that should be reopened, the petitioner having accepted a settlement made by his authorized agent. 9th June, 1882.

No. 82.—Petition of "William Alexandee Hunt. The Gold Fields Committee have the honor to report that they cannot reopen the question of the allocation of the reward for the discovery of gold fields offered by the Provincial Government of Auckland in 1867. 27th June, 1882.

Gold Duties Abolition Bill, 1882.—(Interim Eeport.) The Gold Fields Committee, to whom this Bill was referred, after careful consideration, beg to recommend that the Bill be allowed to proceed as amended. 27th June, 1882.

No. 261.—Petition of Jean Desibe Fbbaud. The Gold Fields Committe, to whom was referred the petition of Jean Desire Feraud, of Dunstan, complaining of damage done to his freehold land, at Waikerikeri Creek, by mining operations, and asking the Government to purchase his freehold or allow him compensation, have the honor to report that the Government be recommended to provide a sum of £300 as its final contribution towards the extinguishment of Mr. Feraud's claim for the purchase of his land at Waikerikeri. 18th July, 1882.

Gold Duties Act Amendment Bill. The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the Gold Duties Act Amendment Bill, have the honor to report that they have considered the same, and they recommend that it be passed, subject to the amendments shown in the copy of the Bill. The Committee further report that, in their opinion, is is expedient that the following clauses be introduced into the Bill in Committee of the whole House :• — " In lieu of the duties authorized by ' The Gold Duties Act, 1872,' to be levied and collected, there shall be levied, collected, and paid to Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, at the Customs, previous to exportation from New Zealand, the following duties upon gold, that is to say,— " Upon every ounce troy weight of gold of the fineness of twenty carats and upwards, and so in proportion for any less quantity than one ounce, — " On and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred") One shilling and eighty-three ... ... ... ... ... J and sixpence. " On and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four... ... ... ... ... ... One shilling. " On and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five ... ... .. ... ... ... Sixpence. "And so in proportion upon every ounce or part of an ounce of gold of a less degree of fineness than twenty carats. " On and after the thirty-first day of December, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-six, duties on gold shall altogether cease to be levied and collected." 19th July, 1882.

No. 143. —Petition of E. Pennington and Others. I hate the honor, by direction of the above Committee, to report that facilities should be provided by Legislation to enable the reserves referred to in the petition to be opened for mining purposes, the revenue to be derived to be the property of the Hokitika Harbour Board; and that the Government be requested to communicate at once with the Hokitika Harbour Board, requesting that no transaction be immediately completed alienating any portion of the reserves in question, as legislation is pending.