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273. Now, as to 53 : first of all, generally, do the hatched portions show the portions which, in your opinion, have been improperly included in the reserves? —Yes. 274. I think 53 divides itself into two portions ?—Yes. 275. Showing Redman's Creek, Flowers' Creek, Fryingpan Creek, Due North Creek —there are gold-workings there, I think ? —A little alluvial workings. A few Chinamen are at Due North, Fryingpan, and Eedman's. At Boatman's Creek there are workings. Hon. E. Blake : That is to say, those that are specially marked. 276. Mr. Cooper : There are gold-workings, then, in that portion which you think should be reserved ?—Yes. 277. What is the nature of those gold-workings ?—The Fiery Cross, and Welcome, and claims of that kind, are quartz-reefs. It is a continuation of the belt of slate country which comes from Block 59, and goes through Block 54, and through Block 53. 278. Can you say how many men are working in that portion of Block 53 to the south of Boatman's Creek [indicating on map] ? —There might be about twenty, but mostly Chinamen. 279. In your experience, who are the last persons to work a goldfield which has been worked for some time ?—Chinamen. 280. When Chinamen leave the field it may be considered worked out ?—Yes ; they go over the old workings again. 281. The quartz-reefs you have spoken about are in the portion marked Fiery Cross, Welcome, —round about Caplestone ?—Yes ; that is one of the claims I manage. The Fiery Cross I was one of the proprietors of, and the Welcome I am manager of. 282. Hon. B. Blake.] You mean those ought to be reserved?— Yes. The Welcome turned out £330,000 worth of gold. Hon. E. Blake : I think even I have heard of a Welcome Mine. 283. Mr. Cooper : The principal portion of Block 53 —3,300 acres : you stated generally you considered it improperly reserved : can you give the reason for it ? —There are no workings on that portion except at Yorkey's, where I think one or two Chinamen are working; and at Swampy Creek, where there are one or two Chinamen working. 284. Can you say whether that is quartz country or not ?—No ; alluvial country. It is outside the quartz line. 285. Now, I think it has been suggested that there might be gold-workings on that 3,300 acres —that there might be gold produced if a race was brought in for sluicing from Inangahua. What have you to say to that?— That is the other portion—the lower portion. 286. If water was brought in to the hatched portion, would it be feasible to work that ? —No. 287. Hon. E. Blake.] You think there is no gold in it? —No payable gold. 288. Mr. Cooper.] Do you know whether there has been any prospecting there?— Yes. 289. With what result ? Mr. Gully : We will get the result from the proper person. 290. Hon. E. Blake.] You know there has been prospecting, and you know there is no one working there now ? —Yes. 291- Mr. Cooper.] There was a tunnel, I believe, to which the Government gave a subsidy, which started from the lower portion of Frying-pan Creek ?—Yes. 292. Can you say anything about what the result of that was, to your own knowledge ?—The tunnel was started, and the Government gave a subsidy to it. It was a drainage-tunnel, but it came out on the surface. It was brought in to drain Frying-pan and Due North, and, instead of draining them, it came out on the surface. 293. Was that proved to be of any value at all ?—lt was proved to be non-payable. The men all left it. The company went very nearly into liquidation. 294. In reference to Block 51, what do you say to that ?—I say the same as to the other portion —that the hatched portions are not required for mining. 295. There is a very considerable block there —above Larry's Creek, containing 2,640 acres— that you say is not required for mining. Just shortly give your reasons for that ?—There is no mining going on on the block; there is no one working on it. There has been prospecting done on it. You can see where prospecting has been done. No payable gold, evidently, was discovered upon it, or it would have been worked. 296. What is the nature of the country ? —The land along the river at Larry's Creek you can see is being sold; it is composed of nice river-flats. The other portion of it is hills and terraces. 297. Is there timber on it ?—Yes; it is timbered hills and terraces. 298. That applies to both sides of Larry's Creek ? —Yes ; there are no workings on either side. 299. As to the hatched portion—l,s6o acres —what is your reason for stating that that ought not to be included? —The same as the other. No payable gold has been found or been worked on it. 300. Do you think there is any likelihood of payable gold being discovered there ?—No, Ido not think so. There are two or three small creeks at the head of Landing Creek—we have allowed that, though there are only a few Chinamen fossicking in the old ground. It is all pretty well worked out. 301. In reference to Blocks 51 and 53, would there be any difficulty in the Government treating the reserves as you have treated them ?—No difficulty that I could see. They have sold the land around it. They have sold the land on three sides, and there is no one working on this centre portion except a Chinaman or two at Yorkey's Creek. Mr. Cooper (to Mr. Blake).] You see, sir, there are freehold allotments up Larry's Creek right up to the head of the creek. Those are all freeholds, and have been alienated by the Crown. Hon. E. Blake : I see.