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No. 179, Session II. —Petition of William Sowerby Greenville, of the Thames. The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the above petition, praying for a reward as one of the original prospectors for gold on the Thames Peninsula, has directed me to report thereon as follows -.— That petitions of a similar nature have been frequently considered by your Committee during the last few years. That your Committee has never seen fit to disturb the original award made by the local authorities of Auckland in 1870, or to justify your Committee in reporting that such award was in any degree unfair as between the respective claimants. Your Committee has therefore no recommendation to make. 7th November, 1879.

"The Mines Act 1877 Amendment Act, 1879." The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the Mines Act 1877 Amendment Bill, by order of reference of date 22nd October, 1879, have directed me to report that they have gone through the Bill, and recommend that it be passed with the amendments as shown in the copy of the Bill accompanying this report. 13th November, 1879.

" The Miners' Eights Fees Seduction Act, 1879." The Gold Fields Committee, to whom stands referred the Miners' Eights Fees Eeduction Bill, have directed me to report that they have gone through the Bill, and recommend that it be passed without amendment. 13th November, 1879.

" The Mining Companies Act 1872 Amendment Act, 1879." The Gold Fields Committee, to whom stands referred the Bill intituled " The Mining Companies Act 1872 Amendment Act, 1879," have gone through the Bill, and have directed me to report the same with the amendments shown in the copy accompanying this report. 18th November, 1879.

No. 203, Session ll.—Petition of Simon Feaser, of Aldershot, in the Suburbs of Auckland. The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the above petition, praying for a reward for discovering the West Taieri Gold Field, have directed me to report:— That your Committee, in 1876, inquired into and reported upon the claim advanced by the petitioner, declining to review the decision arrived at by the Provincial Government of Otago. Tour Committee see no further reason now advanced by the petitioner to justify them in re-opening a question settled by the local Legislature many years before the abolition of the Provincial Governments. They therefore have no recommendation to make. 19th November, 1879.

Order of Eeference, dated 29th October, 1879, relative to Amendments in " The Mines Act, 1877." Ordered, " That it be an instruction to the Gold Fields Committee to consider, in any Bill that may be introduced for amending ' The Mines Act, 1877,' chuues to the effect that all leases hereafter grunted'for working uiinerals (other than gold) shall contain provisions for insuring the efficient working of such minerals; and also reserving to the Crown the right within proclaimed gold fields to grant to persons, other than tho lessees, the right to mine for gold."— {Mr. QUI..-.) The Gold Fields Committee, having taken into consideration the instruction conveyed to them by order of reference dated 29th October, 1879, relative to amendments in " The Mines Act, 1877," 'and examined Mr. Gibbs, M.H.E., thereon, and having ascertained that the leases which are complained of as locking up land against the gold-miner were executed uuder " The Nelson Waste Lands Act 1874," and not under the Acts now in force regulating the leasing of land for mining purposes, have no recommendation1 to make. 19th November, 1879.

No. 178, Session ll.—Petition of David McCready, of Kyeburn Diggings. The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the above petition, praying that instructions be issued so that he may secure or be allowed to purchase certain land, have directed me to report that your Committee are of opinion : — That the petitioner should be allowed to secure a title to the land he has occupied against all others, except the miners who may require such land or some portions thereof for mining purposes. That it is not desirable that the Kyeburn District should remain a proclaimed district for the granting therein of hom«»steads under " The Mines Act, 1877 " (clause 60). That there saeins to be no power to revoke proclamations once gazetted under clause 66 of " The Mines Act, 1877." That, in the opinion of your Committee, a sufficient area of land at Kyeburn Diggings, including the land held by the petitioner, should bo dealt with as a mining reserve,' so that the petitioner and others similarly situated may obtain leases under clauses 9 of "The Mines Act, 1877."