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Sess. 11.—1897. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORT OF, ON THE CYANIDE PROCESS GOLD-EXTRACTION BILL).

Brought up 14th December, 1897.

BE PORT.

The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the Cyanide Process Gold-ex traction Bill, has the honour to report that, having duly considered the same, it is recommended that the Bill'be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown in a copy of the Bill attached hereto. 14th December, 1897. W. J. M. Laenach, Chairman.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

23jjd November, 1897. (Hon. W. J. M. Laknach, G.M.G., Chairman.) Dr. Black examined. 1. The Chairman.] You are the Professor of Chemistry of the Otago University?— Yes. 2. The Cyanide Process Bill is being considered by this Committee. You have some explanation, I believe, to make in connection with it ?—I would rather like to be asked the question where 'it has been used for the last four or five years, and the ores it is suited for. 3 Whom do you represent ?—I do not represent any one. 4. Who has brought you here? —The Minister of Mines has brought me. lam in Wellington in connection with the explosion case at Brunner, and, being here, some one suggested that my evidence would be useful in deciding this case. Ido not appear for any one at all. Hon A. J. Gadman: I may say that the firm of solicitors acting for the company, Messrs. Stout, Findlay,' and Sim—Sir liobert Stout spoke to me about Dr. Black being in town and would like to give his evidence, and it is on that understanding that Dr. Black is hero. Dr. Findlay has questions prepared, to extract the evidence from Dr. Black, which questions I have seen. Mr. H. Howabd Gbeehway examined. 5. The Chairman.] I believe, Mr. Greenway, you represent the cyanide proprietary, and that you have some explanation to give in reference to the process now before the Committee ?—Yes. 6. Mr. Greonway seems to be the principal in this colony who represents the Cassel Company. Are you not? —Yes. 7 Dr Findlay.] You are the attorney m the colony for the Cassel Company {— Yes. 8' The patent was taken out, I believe, in February of 1888 in this colony, and it was first tried in the North Island. Had the company any difficulty in getting the process employed ?—Yes, a great deal of difficulty. We sent a representative in 1889, and he did his best to introduce the process but could not persuade people to take it up. They looked upon it as ridiculous that the cyanide could do the work. Then the company had to tako an interest in the Crown Mines Company on the condition that the company would use the process. 9. It was not until what year that it began to be used commercially apart from the Crown ?— 10. At that time had there been any return from the royalties? —The first return came in the 11. Between 1888 and 1894 the company had obtained no money from royalties ?—Up to 1893, during the year ending 9th July, £472. I—l. 4a.