GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. POLAND, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1909 Session II, I-04

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1909. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. POLAND, Chairman.)

Brought up and ordered to be printed.

.; ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the Bth Day of October, 1909. Ordered, " That a Goldfields and Mines Committee, consisting of ten 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 ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Anderson, Mr. Colvin, Mr. J. Duncan, Mr. Greenslade, Mr. Poland. Mr. Scott, Mr. Seddon, Mr. E. H. Taylor, Mr. J. C. Thomson, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.) Friday, the 15th Day of October, 1909. Ordered, " That all petitions presented during the session of 1908 and not finally dealt with stand referred to the same Committees they were referred to during said session ; also, that all petitions presented during Session I. 1909, stand referred to the Petitions Classification Committee."—(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.) Tuesday-, the 2nd Day or November, 1909. Ordered, " That the regulations under ' The Mining Act, 1908,' be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.) Friday, the 26th Day of November, 1909. Ordered, " That the Coal-mines Amendment Bill and the Mining Amendment Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.) Thursday, the 2nd Day of December, 1909. Ordered, " That the regulations under ' The Mining Act, 1908,' for granting assistance towards prospecting the deep levels at the Thames be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.) Monday, the 20th Day of December, 1909. Ordered, " That the petition of D. Ross and others be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."— (Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.)

INDEX.

No. Petitioners. Page. No. Petitioners. Page. 346 Bayfeild, Arthur D'Oyly. (Vide Appendix I.-4A) Coal-mines Amendment Bill. (Vide Appendix I.-4b) 3 2 : 545 645 Mining Amendment Bill. ( Vide Appendix I.-4d) Mining Regulations Moriarty, Timothy McLeod, William Fraser (presented session 1908) 3 2 3 2 Daw, T. R. W., and others 3 3 321 Ross, David, and others 19 Garner, Ellen, and others. (Vide Appendix I.-4c) 2 598 568 Thorp, John W. 3 555 322 Hosie, James Hubbard, A. C, and others 3 3 Utilisation of waste water-power, petitions relative to. (Vide Appendix I.-4c) 2 140 Maokay, Alexander 2

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EEPOETS. No. 140. —Petition of Alexander Mackay, of Paeroa. Petitioner seeks to obtain a reward for the discovery of gold, which he alleges was made by him &t Ohinemuri, Karangahake, and other places. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Alexander Mackay that they have no recommendation to make. 28th October, 1909. No. 645.—Petition of William Fraser MoLeod, of Kilbirnie (presented in the session of 1908). Petitioner alleges that he took up a mining claim on the Five-mile Beach, Okarito, Westland; that a certain Joseph McCluggage applied to the Warden for a certificate of abandonment of the said claim, which application was granted; that, owing to sickness in his family, he was unable to be present when the certificate was granted; that he made application for a rehearing, but the Warden refused to proceed further with the case. He represents that the Warden exceeded his powers in declaring the claim abandoned, and that the manner in which his application for a rehearing was refused was opposed to the principles of justice. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of William Fraser McLeod that they have no recommendation to make. sth November, 1909. Mining Regulations. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred for consideration the regulations under the Mining Act, having duly reviewed the same, have the honour to report to your honourable House that they have no amendment to make. 12th November, 1909. No. 19.—Petition of Ellbn Garner and 15 Others, and similar Petitions as per attached Schedule. Petitioners represent the importance of utilising the power of the river-waters of the colony now running to waste, and that the imposition of any charge or rent upon the employment of water used for mining purposes is an unjust discrimination. They urge that every encouragement should be given by the Government for the investment of capital in the opening and equipping of new fields of industry, especially on idle and abandoned goldfields; that large cash deposits prior to the flotation of hydro-electric sluicing companies are effectual deterrents to enterprise. They therefore pray that the Public Works Amendment Act and the regulations thereunder be amended so that the power to grant licenses to use water on the goldfields be vested in the Warden. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petitions as above set forth be referred to the Government for consideration. 25th November, 1909. [Vide Appendix 1.-4 c] Schedule. No. 20. —Greene, J. S., and 17 others. No. 340.—Linklater, H., and 90 others. ~ 58.—Malfriory, J. C, and 72 others. •„ 341.—0rr., J., and 74 others. ~ 137.—Hyndman, H., and 72 others. „ 342.—Spence, A. E., and 46 others. „ 138.—Nicoll, C. W., and 24 others. „ 343.—Thompson, F., and 34 others. „ 148.—Cederman, H., and 63 others. „ 344.—Torley, F., and 73 others. ~ 184. —Newton, J., and 77 others. ~ 345. —Ward, 8., and 72 others. ~ 232. —Atkinson, J., and 15 others. ~ 416.—Dee, G., and 6 others. ~ 233.—80nar, V. D. M., and 25 others. „ 417.—Dorrington, C. G., and 13 others. ~ 234. —Borkin, T., and 65 others. „ 418. —Duckworth, W., and 56 others. „ 235.—Chesterman, P., and 26 others. ~ 419.—Gibb, E. A., and 24 others. ~ 236. —Clifton, Margaret, and 26 others. ~ 420.—Ferguson, S. G., and 24 others. „ 237.—Dietrich, D., and 27 others. „ 421.—Nicholson, F. M., and 62 others. „ 238.—Muir, J., and 64 others. „ 422.—O'Connor, E., and 68 others. „ 336.—Brookes, A., and 12 others. „ 423.—P0110ck, M., and 65 others. „ 337.—Frankpitt, W. H., and 30 others. „ 424.—Pritchard, W. J., and 16 others. ~ 338.—Garner, G., and 78 others. ~ 520.—Cotter, C., and 52 others. „ 339.—Gilbert, W. 8., and 49 others. Coal-wines Act Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having bestowed careful consideration upon the provisions of the Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill referred to them by your honourable House, have the honour 1 to report that they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed subject to the amendment shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 7th December, 1909. [Vide Appendix 1.-4b.]

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No. 545.—Petition of Timothy Mori arty. Petitioner seeks to obtain compensation for losses alleged to have been sustained by him through the illegal sale of his land by Government to the Greymouth Harbour Board. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Timothy Moriarty that they have no recommendation to make. 9th December, 1909. No. 346. —Petition of Arthur DOyly Bayfeild. Petitioner, for himself and other shareholders of the Westport-Cardiff Coal Company, liquidated, represents that in order to satisfy a debt of £4,470 the Government seized the plant, material, and property of the company valued at £24,329; that the value placed by the Mining Inspectors of the Government upon the plant, material, and works so seized was £7,516 3s. lid.; that the whole of the property is now being profitably worked by the Government; and that no consideration has been allowed to the shareholders of the liquidated company for the value of the property in excess of the debt. Petitioner prays that in equity some consideration be shown to the claims of the shareholders. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having given careful and exhaustive consideration to the various matters embraced in the petition of Arthur DOyly Bayfeild, have the honour to report to your honourable House that they recommend that the said petition be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration. 14th December, 1909. [Vide Appendix 1.-4 a.] Mining Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having bestowed careful consideration upon the provisions ■of the Mining Act Amendment Bill, referred to them by your honourable House, have the honour to report that they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 14th December, 1909. [Vide Appendix 1.-4 d.] No. 555.—Petition of James Hosih. Petitioner seeks to obtain a reward for the discovery of gold alleged to have been made by him at Waihi and Karangahake. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of James Hosie that they have no recommendation to make. 14th December, 1909. No. 598.—Petition of David Boss and 3 Others. Petitioners claim to be the discoverers of a new goldfield at Blackwater, County of Grey. They allege that they started prospecting in the early part of October, 1905, and on or about the 9th day ■of November they discovered the quartz reefs now being worked by the Consolidated Blackwater Mines Company (Limited). The company has won an average of over 1,000 oz. of gold per month, and twelve months after their discovery there were 136 bona fide miners working on the new field. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petition of David Ross and others be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 22nd December, 1909. Nos. 321 and 322.—Petitions of F. R. W. Daw and Others, and A. C. Hubbard and Others and John W. Thorp. Petitioners F. R. W. Daw and others represent that they are vitally interested in the gold-mining industry carried on in Waihi and Karangahake; that prior to the establishment of the mining industry the districts named were totally unoccupied, being quite unfitted for agricultural or pastoral holdings; that at the time the rivers were proclaimed there were few farms in the districts; that should the proclamation of the rivers be revoked a very serious blow would be inflicted upon the mining industry, quantities .of ore being left untouched; that by the prohibition of the use •of the rivers to the mining companies the huge plants erected would be practically destroyed; and they pray that no steps be taken to prevent the mining companies from the exercise of the rights they have acquired.

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Petitioners A. C. Hubbard and others represent that on the 4th April, 1895, the Ohinemuri. and Waihou Rivers were proclaimed sludge-channels; that since that time the introduction of the cyanide process has led to a great increase of mining operations and consequent silting-up of the rivers, thereby destroying a valuable waterway and creating great damage to large areas of valuable land and the obstruction of natural drainage; that by reason of the silting-up of the rivers numbers of farmers and settlers are being ruined, and the progress of their portion of the Dominion checked : wherefore they pray that immediate steps be taken to preserve a valuable national asset. Petitioner John W. Thorp, settler and orchardist, represents that in consequence of the-silting-up of the rivers he has been put to grievous losses —in an orchard of 11 acres a large number of valuable fruit-trees, valued by experts at £3,000, have been destroyed, whilst rich pasture-land has been covered so as to be rendered worthless. Petitioner furnishes a detailed account showing his losses at £1,004. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petitions of F. R. W. Daw and others, A. C. Hubbard and others, and John W. Thorp be referred to the Government for immediate consideration; the Committee also respectfully recommend that, in view of the urgency of the position, a Commission be set up to devise a remedy for evils which have arisen through the silting-up of the rivers. 22nd December, 1909. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that at a meeting of the Committee held yesterday morning the following resolution was unanimously agreed to, namely : — "That this Committee place upon record their warm appreciation of the impartial manner in which the Chairman (Mr. H. Poland) has presided over their deliberations, and extend to him their hearty thanks for the consideration and ability which he has displayed in the conduct of the business of the Committee." 22nd December, 1909.

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