1.—4.

1902. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF). (Mr. JACKSON PALMER, Chairman.

Presented to. the House of Bepresentatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Tuesday, the Bth Day op July, 1902. Ordered, " That a Goldfields and Mines Committee, consisting of seventeen members, be appointed, to whom shall be referred all matters relating to mining and all Bills relating to mines; with power to call for persons and papers; five to be a quorum: the Committee to consist of Mr. J. Allen, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Oarncross, Mr. Colvin, Hon. Mr. Duncan, Mr. W. Fraser, Mr. Gilfedder, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Herries, Mr. Lang, Mr R McKenzie' Mr. Millar, Hon. Mr. Mills, Mr. Palmer, Mr. E. M. Smith, Hon. Sir J. G. Ward, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr'. McGowan.)

INDEX.

EEPOETS.

No. 40.—Petition of James Beattie, Farmer, Gore. Petitioner represents that he has been subjected to great injustice through having the water necessary to his farm, of which he holds the Crown grant, cut off and given to an outsider; that he has had no right of appeal from such a decision ; and that, through the unsatisfactory state of the law in this respect, to defend his rights in the District and Supreme Courts has involved him in a loss of £100. He prays that he may be compensated for such loss. Petitioner further prays that a clause be inserted in the Mining Act providing for the cancellation of licenses issued by Commissioners of Crown Lands, so that in future such injustice may be obviated. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having given consideration to the petition of James Beattie, have the honour to report that they recommend an amendment of the law to provide for the forfeiture of licenses issued by Commissioners of Crown Lands. The Committee further recommend that the petition of James Beattie be referred to the Government, with a view to his being compensated for the losses he has sustained. 18th July, 1902. '

State Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred the State Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill, have the honour to report that, having duly considered the same, they recommend that the Bill be allowed to proceed as printed. 15th August, 1902.

No. Petitioners. Page. No. Petitioners. Page. 40 Beattie, James 397 Brown, James 1 3 242 Hosie, James 2 453 Cornes, Clement A. Coal-mines Act Amenament Bill (three reports) 301 j Conway, Eawara, ana others 3 2 377 Kelly, James (two reports) 2 2 Mining Act Amenament Bill (Hon. Mr. MoGowan) 334 Moriarty, Timothy 2 398 Dougherty, Charles, ana others 3 3 2,3 State Coal-mines Act Amenament Bill .. 1 67 Eraser, Simon (two reports)