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

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1910 Session I, I-04

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1910 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 Mept esentatives. Thursday, the 7th Day op July, 1910. Ordered, " That a Goldfields and Mines Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, 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. Gresnslade, Mr. Poland, Mr. Scott, Mr. Seddon, Mr. E. H. Taylor, Mr. J. C. Thomson, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. R. MoKbwzib.) Wednesday, the 20th Day of July, 1910. Ordered, " That the Half-holiday for Miners in Gold and Coal Mines Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —{Mr. Latjkenson.) Wednesday, the 17th Day of August, 1910. Ordered, " That the Mining Act Amendment Bill and the Coal-mines Amendment Bill (No. 2) be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee." —(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.) Friday, the 19th Day of August, 1910. Ordered, " That the Mining Act Amendment Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. Pv. MoKbnzib.) Friday, the 23ed Day op September, 1910. Ordered, " That the report of the Goldfields and Mines Committee, dated the 23rd September, 1910, on a ruling of the Chairman of that Committee, be referred back to the Committee for reconsideration."—(Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.)

INDEX.

No. Name of Petitioner. Page. No. J Name of Petitioner. Page. I 93 Brown, James Coal-mines Amendment Bill Half-holiday for Miners Bill 29 Harvey, Andrew Roger I • •I 2 i .. Mining Act Amendment Bill 627 Muir, John Patterson 2 Ruling of the Chairman (two reports) 3 2 97 Westenra, A. H. 3 3 2 2

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EE POETS. No. 93.—Petition of Jambs Brown, of Naseby, Otago. Petitioner represents that he is the owner of a water-race, mining claim, and mining privileges at Gimmerburn Creek; that his mining property at that place cost him £1,050, besides other expenditure on plant, &c. ; that the only outlet for the tailings from his claim is through private property acquired since he purchased the claim; that the Land Board of Otago neglected to take the necessary steps under section 154 of the Land Act, 1877, to have the Gimmerburn watercourse reserved for mining purposes; that the Mining Department failed to comply with the provisions contained in their letter of the sth September, 1878 ; whereby through these things he has sustained grievous loss. He prays for compassionate consideration. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that they recommend that the petition of James Brown be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 19th August, 1910.

Coal-mines Amendment Bill (No. 2). The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred the Coal-mines Amendment Bill (No. 2),. have the honour to report to your honourable House that, having duly considered the provisions of the said Bill, they recommend that the Bill be allowed to proceed subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 25th August, 1910.

No. 97.—Petition of A. H. Westenra. Petitioner represents that in November, 1905, he deposited with the Public Trustee the sum of £1,000 as boiia fide* for the opening-up and development of a coal-mine, in the name of William Haswell-Wood, for flotation in London ; that the said lease was cancelled on the 22nd July for noncompliance with the conditions of working. Petitioner prays that the £1,000 deposited may be now returned to him. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to recommend that the petition of A. H. Westenra be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, 2nd September, 1910.

RULING OF THE CHAIRMAN. The Goldfields and Mines. Committee have the honour to report that at their meeting held on the 15th instant an amendment of subclause (c) in clause 20 of the Mining Act Amendment Bill was agreed to, and, the subclause not then having been passed, thereupon the Committee immediately adjourned. At the meeting of the Committee held yesterday, the 22nd instant, the Hon. the Minister of Mines moved that the subclause (c) be reconsidered, when the Chairman ruled the motion to be out of order at that stage. Whereupon the Committee resolved that the matter of the refusal tif the Chairman to put the motion moved by the Minister be reported to your honourable House with the view of obtaining the ruling of Mr. Speaker on the point of order raised. 23rd September, 1910.

Ruling of the Chairman. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that at their meeting held on the 22nd instant the following resolution was agreed to, namely,— " That on the question being put that subclause (c) of clause 20, as amended, of the Mining Act Amendment Bill stand part of the clause, an amendment was moved that the amendment to subclause (c)' be reconsidered : the Chairman of the Committee refused to put the said amendment, and a motion was made that the Chairman's refusal to put the amendment be reported to the House with the view of obtaining the ruling of the Hon. Mr. Speaker upon the point raised." 29th September, 1910.

No. 29.—Petition of Andrew Roger. Harvey. Petitioner represents that he occupied a section under perpetual lease under the Crown ; that he exchanged such perpetual lease for a lease in perpetuity ; that under the provisions of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1907, in common with other lessees, he was given the right to purchase at any time the fee-simple; that as a consequence his section became "private land," and exempt from mining without resumption; that by section 17 of the Mining Act, 1908, his section was

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again restored to the position of Crown laud, and therefore rendered subject to mining; that two applications for dredging claims have already been lodged, and petitioner has been put to great trouble and expense. He prays for relief. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that they recommend that the petition of Andrew .Roger Harvey be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration. 6th October, 1910. Mining Act Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report that, having duly considered the provisions set forth, in the Mining Act Amendment Bill referred to them by your honourable House, they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 6th October, 1910.

• Half-holiday fob Miners in Gold and Coal Mines Hill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having taken evidence and bestowed careful consideration upon the provisions of the Half-holiday for Miners in Gold and Coal Mines Bill, referred to them by your honourable House, have the honour to report that they recommend that the said Bill be not allowed to proceed. 20th October, 1910.

No. 627.—Petition of John Patterson Mum, Miner, Ross. Petitioner represents that mining privileges in Westland held by him for more than thirty-six years were, in October, 1909, declared by Mr. Warden Acheson to be forfeited by reason of nonuser, lie being at the time suffering from serious illness. Being now in very poor circumstances, he prays for inquiry and relief. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report upon the petition of John Patterson Muir that they recommend that the said petition be referred to the Government for inquiry. 3rd November, 1910.

'The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that at a meeting of the Committee held on Thursday, the 10th day of November last, the following resolution was unanimously agreed to, namely, — "That this Committee place upon record its high appreciation of the able and impartial manner in which the Chairman (Mr. H. Poland) has presided over its deliberations, and extends to him its hearty thanks for the courtesy and consideration with which he has conducted the business of the Committee." 22nd November, 1910.

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