H.—2o,

1882. NEW ZEALAND.

SUGGESTIONS FOR ENCOURAGEMENT OF MINING INDUSTRY, AND AMENDMENTS OF MINING LAWS, BY MEMBERS REPRESENTING GOLD FIELDS DISTRICTS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis

Sir,— Wellington, 12th June, 1882. I have the honor to forward, for jour information, suggestions in regard to the better encouragement of the gold-mining industry, which have been this day adopted in a full meeting of members representing gold-mining districts. Further suggestions in reference to the reduction of taxation, and the unification and amendment of mining laws, will be shortly submitted for your consideration. I have, &c, C. De Latjtotjb, The Hon. the Minister of Mines. Chairman of Meeting.

Encouragement to- Mining Industry. The gold fields members have unanimously resolved that, —■ 1. Prospecting should be encouraged by grants-in-aid upon capital invested or labour employed, in the latter case wheiher the prospecting party has a fund in hand or not. The working of inferior auriferous ground, and of country requiring special cost or labour for its development, should be encouraged by the granting of extended claims on easy terms, subject to equitable conditions as to capital invested and labour employed, so as effectually to check the locking-up —" shepherding " —of mining country. 2. In addition to the construction of water-races and sludge-channels wholly undertaken by the Government, water-races and other works undertaken by private enterprise, should, under exceptional circumstances of difficulty, be subsidized by the State, and this whether such works are carried on by capital and labour, or by labour only. 3. Sufficient sets of diamond-drills, with a supply of extra diamonds to replace any that may be broken, are required for the proper development of the gold fields. Separate sets should be provided for the Auckland, West! and, and Otago Gold Fields. They should be placed at the disposal of the County Councils, for use within their respective districts. The same remarks apply to rock-boring apparatus. 4. The cutting and formation of tracks on or to gold fields should be wholly undertaken or largely aided by the Government, especially in the case of newly-dis"overed workings. The construction of roads to timber-forests should also, when required, be wholly undertaken or largely aided by the Government. 5. Lands known to be auriferous should be permanently reserved from sale, and land believed to be auriferous should, on sufficient evidence, be temporarily reserved; but provision should, in respect of all such reserves, be made for the temporary occupation and utilization of the surface. C. De Latjtoub, Chairman of Meeting.

Second Statement of Suggestions, submitted to the Hon. the Minister of Mines by the Members representing Gold Fields Districts, 19th June, 1882. The gold fields members recommend that the mining laws of the colony shall be codified and made uniform throughout the colony. In considering existing mining laws for the purposes of consolidation, the following matters should have special consideration : — 1. That all fees and charges under the Act should be uniform. 2. That the procedure of both the administrative and judicial departments of the Wardens' Court* should be simplified and shortened.