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

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1914 Session I, I-04

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1914. NEW ZEALAND.

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

['resented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from (he Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 10th Day of July, 1914. Ordered, "That Standing Order No. 219 be suspended, and that a Goldfields and Mines Committee be appointed. cm ; ;i : iii.' of 1 welve members, to whom shall I" , referred all mittcrs relating to mining, and all Bills relating to mines ; with power to call for persons and papers; three to bo ii quorum: the Committee to oonsist of Mr. R. K. Bollard. Sir W. C. Buchanan, Mr. Colvin, Mr. Lee, Hon. Mr. MoKenzie, Mr. Poland, Mr. T. W. Rhodes, Mr. Scott. Mr. Seddon, Mr. <:. M. Thomson, -Mr. Webb, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Fraser.) Ordered, "That all petitions not finally dealt with during session 1913 stand referred to the same Committees as they were referred to during the said session."—(Hon. Mr. Massey.) Thursday, the 6th Day of August, 1914. Ordered, " That the petition of J. S. Fawcett and others be referred direct to the Goldfields and Mines Committee. :, —(Hon. Mr. Fraser.) Thursday, the Ist Day op October, 1914. Ordered, "Thai the Coal-mines Amendment Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. FbaSEK.) Ordered, "That the Mining Amendment Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."-—(Hon. Mr. Fraser.) Tuesday, the 6th Day or October, 1914. Ordered, "That the Iron and Steel Industries Bill be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee."—(Hon. Mr. PbaSBB.) Wednesday, the 7th Day of Octobbb, 1914. Ordered, " That the petition of R. Inglis and others be referred direct to the Goldfields ard Mine; Committee."— (Mr. T. W. Rhodes.) INDEX. No. Petitioner. Page. No. Petitioner. Page. Coal-mines Amendment Bill .. .. 3 55 Mackay, Alexander .. .. .. 2 275 The Mayor, Councilors, and employee, of 2 327 Fawcett, J. S., and 15 others .. .. 2 the Borough of Waihi Final report .. .. .. 3 315 Mcßobie, Ni.-bet .. .. .. 2 342 Gabriel, Louis, and 107 others .. .. 2 | 274 Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries Em- 2 ployees' Union 56 Harvey, Andrew, and 60 others . 2 .'!" i"i Ohinemuri County Council .. .. 2 Iron and Steel Industries Bill .. .. 3 .. Special reports .. .. .. 3 486 Inglis, R., and 35 others .. .. 3 303 Thorp, John W. .. .. .. 2 125 Jury, Margaret .. .. .. 2 270 Waihi Chamber of Commerce .. .. 2 343 Kelly, James .. .. .. 2 j 127 Woodcock, Louis .. .. .. 2 17 Willoughby. Frederick, and 123 others .. 3 Mining Amendment Bill .. .. 3

INDEX.

No. Petitioner. Page. Coal-mines Amendment Bill 3 327 Fawcett, J. S., and 15 others .. Final report 2 3 342 Gabriel, Louis, and 107 others .. 2 5(5 Harvey, Andrew, and 60 others 2 486 Iron and Steel Industries Bill .. [nglis, R., and 35 others 3 3 125 Jury, Margaret 2 343 Kelly, James 2 Mining Amendment Bill 3

No. Petitioner. Page. 55 275 Mackay, Alexander The Mayor, Councillors, and employee, of the Borough of Waihi McRobie, Ni.-bet 2 2 315 2 274 Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries Employee;-' Union Ohinemuri County Council 2 35C 2 Special reports 3 303 Thorp, John W. 2 17a 127 17 Waihi Chamber of Commerce Woodcock, Louis .. .Willoughby. Frederick, and 123 others . . ■2 ■2 3

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KEPORTS. No. 55.—Petition of ALEXANDER Mackay, of Paeroa, Ohincmuri County. Praying tor a reward for the discovery of gold in the Ohinemuri district. I am directed to report that the Committee lias no recommendation to make on this petition. 13th August, 1914.

No. 127. —Petition of Louis Woodcock, of Kuaotunu. Praying for a reward for the discovery of gold at Kuaotunu, within the llauraki Goldfields. 1 am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on this petition. 13th August, 1914.

No. 125.—Petition of Margret Jury, of Thames, Auckland. Praying for compensation for the death of her husband from phthisis, which is not provided for by the Miners' Relief Fund. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 13th August, 1914.

No. 343.—Petition of James Kelly, of Nelson. Praying for compensation for the discovery of gold in Nelson and on the west coast of New Zealand. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration. 3rd September, 1914.

No. 327.—Petition of J. S. Fawcett and 15 Others, of Earascleugh, Otago. Praying that the powers conferred on His Excellency the Governor under section I 15 of the Mines Act, 1908, may be exercised by him. I am directed to report that, as a remedy is already provided by law, the Committee has no recommendation to make with regard to this petition. 3rd September, 1914.

No. 342.—Petition of Louis Gabriel and 107 Others, of Reefton. Praying for a reward for the discovery of gold on the west coast of New Zealand. 1 am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 3rd September, 1914.

No. 303.—Petition of John \V. Thorp, of Paeroa. Praying for compensation-for orchard destroyed by silt from mining batteries. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 3rd September, 1914.

No. 274, Petition of the Oninemuri Mines and Batteries Employees' Union; No. 275, Petition of the Mayor, Councillors, and Employees' <>k the Borough of Waihi ; No. 276, Petition of the Waihi Chamber ok Commerce; No. 315, Petition of Nisbet Mcßobie and 224 Others; No. 355, Petition of the Ohinemuri County Council. Praying that the mining laws be amended so as to encourage prospecting in the Waihi district. I have the honour to report that in the opinion of the Committee these petitions should be referred to the Government with a view of having the mining laws so amended this session as to make the conditions regarding rent and labour less stringent in exceptional cases. 10th September, 1914.

No. 56.—Petition of Andrew Harvey and 60 Others, of Gore. Praying that all dredges may be fitted with an apparatus, now in use on some, to return surface soil to the top of the tailings. 1 am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. Ist October, 1914,

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Coal-mines Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the Coal-mines Amendment Bill, has the honour to report that it has carefully considered the same, and recommends that it be allowed to proceed with amendments as shown on the copy of the Bill attached hereto. 28th October, 1914.

Mining Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the Mining Amendment Bill, has the honour to report that it has carefully considered the same, and recommends that it be allowed to proceed with amendments as shown on the copy of the Bill attached hereto. 29th October, 1914. Iron and Steel Industries Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which was referred the Iron and Steel Industries Bill, has the honour to report that it has carefully considered the same, and recommends that it be allowed to proceed with amendments as shown on the copy of the Bill attached hereto. 29th October, 1914.

No. 486.—Petition of R. Inglis and 35 Others, of Kuaotunu. Praying for compassionate allowance for the children of the late John Bunyon Ferguson. I have the honour to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 30th October, 1914. No. 17.—Petition of Frederick Willoughby and 123 Others. Praying for legislation to make the Miners' Eelief Fund available for alluvial miners and gold-dredge workers. I have the honour to report that the Committee held over consideration of the petition until the Mining Amendment Bill came before the Committee, and in that Bill the Committee have made provision for the request contained in the petition. 30th October, 1914.

Special Report. The Goldfields and Mines Committee desires to place on record its appreciation of the manner in which the Chairman (Mr. R. Scott) has conducted the business of the Committee this session. 30th October, 1914.

Final Report. The Committee held 18 meetings during the session. The Committee considered the Coal-mines Amendment Bill, the Mining Amendment Bill, and the Iron and Steel Industries Bill, and reported them to the House with amendments. The number of petitions referred to the Committee was .. .. .. .. .. 16 The number of petitions d*ealt with by the Committee and referred to the Government for favourable consideration was .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 The number of petitions dealt with by the Committee and referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration was .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 The number of petitions dealt with by the Committee and referred to the Government for consideration was .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 The number of petitions on which the Committee had no recommendations to make was .. 3 The number of petitions held over was .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 The number of petitions referred to the Government was .. .. .. .. .. 5 The average attendance of members for the 18 meetings was .. .. .. . 9 31st October, 1914.

Special Report. The Goldfields and Mines Committee desires to place on record its appreciation of the manner in which the Clerk (Mr. E. Richardson) has conducted the business of the Committee this session 2nd November, 1914.

Approximate Cost 0/ Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (650 copies), £2 ss.

Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1914.

Price 3d.]