Goldfield and Mines Committee.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 407, 2 October 1889, Page 2

Goldfield and Mines Committee.

The report brought np in the House by the Chairman of the Goldfields ami Mines Committee stated that the following resolutions had been unanimously adopted : (1) That a subsidy of £1 for £1 be given by the Government in aid of prospecting for gold upon moneyi expended by County Councils, ProspectingAssociations, or private-parties, provided that all such parties shall first be approved by the local authorities, and that Ministers be reqnesred to provide for the same in Supplementary estimates : (2 ) That in the opinion of the Gold Golds Committee the granting of more than one application, in any one district, to nny company, for special mineral licenses, is detrimental to tbe mining industry, and that tha Minister of Mines be requested to instruct I Wardens accordingly : (3) That tho Government subsidise loca<l bodies in sending a, representative from the Westland, ! Otago, and the Thames goftl fields to take charge of the mineral exhibit* at the Dunedin Exhibition, and that the repre sentatives send reports to the local bodies on the exhibits and minimi machinery at the Exhibition : (4) That a work dealing with elementary questions ill geology, mining, &c, bo issued for use in public schools in the mining districts ; (5) That tho Wovenunent be requested to take into its serious consideration during the recess some system of assisting tho construction of water races in mining districts : (G) That in order to encourago the introduction of foreign capital, the Government should ofEm' special facilities, by way of free loin from rent an-? taxation lorn limited period of time, or in such other way as they imty deem a-l\i3-iUo : (7) That in the! opinion of the Committee the Government should undeilake smelting and ' assaying of gold, and purchasing when required at their standard value all ingots, so smelted and assayed : (8) Thnt the Minister of Mines bi< requested to pro. cure during the recess papers and information dealing with the working nnd | coat ol! the. Melbourne and Sydney j Miuts : (9) That tho time muaod iv i

section 203, of the Mining Act, 188G, for managers to obtain certificates of competency, should be 'extended for twelve months, and in the interim tho Government should alter and simplify tho system of examination in order thafc managers may be classified in accordance with their proficiency : (10) That; offering of n limited number oE scholarships for, \cojtj petition .among .-the students at the Schools of Mines, would be an incentive to youths in the milling districts to qualify for mine manager*: (ll> Thafc tho evidence given before the Committee by Mr r Witheford respecting the development of our goldfields, and by Mr Luka respecting thetreatment of refractory ore's, should receive the serious attention of Government without delay : (12) That the system adopted by some companies in demanding exhorbir.ant percentages from tributers in lieu of fully manning the holdings which, .can be worked without pumping machinery, is detrimental to the mining interest, nnd should bo discouraged by Government : (13) That the Government be requested to prepare regulations for mining under foreshorps, and make them as liberal as possible, os a largecapital is required to developo this dass of mining.