67

D.—4.

69. You say that portion should be reserved ?—A reservation should be made around that claim. lam not quite certain whether it is properly placed on the map or not. 70. Within Block 4 what area did you say you have allowed?— This is a reserved block. I might mention that we have allowed ample reserve for Brown's Terrace in the southern portion of Block 4, and also at Croninville, where four or five men are working. 71. Hon. E. Blake.] There is a little rectangle at Croninville—is that intended to be reserved ? —Yes. It is marked in a different colour to the other hatchings, and not in accordance with the general plan of marking all hatchings in the same colour. 72. Mr. Jones.'] It is an omission ? Notwithstanding the fact of the colouring of the hatching, you mean that that rectangle should be reserved, Mr. Daniel ?—Yes. The rest of the land is not required for mining purposes. 73. What about Block 3 ? —On the western portion of this block, on the sea portion, there is a block of land of 4,500 acres in extent hatched here that is not required for mining purposes, and on the portion allowed by us there is very ample reservation for all possible mining requirements. 74. Is there anybody working on that portion so hatched ?—There is nobody working on that portion of the block. There is one man working on the beach, outside the block altogether, and he has a water-race on the block. 75. Have you made a reservation of that?—l have not. There is one water-race on the block. It is a small race. 76. Hon. E. Blake.] Where would that be ?—A little north of Virgin Flat, in Block 4. It would run through a portion of Block 3to the sea. It would take its rise about the southern corner of Block 3. It is known as Ward's race. It runs to the sea-beach. 77. Mr. Jones.] Would that materially reduce your area ?—lt would not reduce the area by more than four or five acres. 78. We will come now to Block 2 ? —To the west of Wilson's lead there are no gold-workings of any kind. It is all limestone country, the frontage is all cleared, and it is excellent land. 79. Dealing with Blocks 2, 3, and 4 of the hatched portion along the sea-coast —what class of land is that ?—lt is light bush land, all limestone country. 80.' Fit 'for agricultural purposes ?—There are several farms already existing there. They are shown as leaseholds; they are all cleared, and it is an excellent class of land. 81. We will go across the BullerEiver?—There are a lot of workings at Bradshaw's Creek, but that is outside the block. Hon. E. Blake : We do not want to know anything about workings outside the block. Mr, Jones : Mr. Daniel only says that Bradshaw's Creek is a very prosperous little diggings to show that the Government have not reserved it. Witness : On the western portion of this block [indicating Block 1] a prospecting tunnel is shown, close to where the 5,000 acres is marked. That is a tunnel subsidised by the Government, and a small company is bringing it in. The tunnel was in several hundred feet when I visited the block. I visited it on three occasions, but so far they have got nothing payable. 82. What is that tunnel being brought in for?— Outside the block, on the coal reserve, there are several abandoned workings, and they have yielded good gold. The tunnel was brought in in the first place to test that place. 83. Hon. E. Blake.] The workings were still going on when you examined it? —Yes. Mr. Jones : I wish to show that it is not for the purpose of working ground in the reserve, but to show that it is a piece of ground outside the block, and that therefore no reservation is necessary. Hon. E. Blake.] Some reservation should be made if necessary for the purpose of gold-mining in another part ? Mr. Jones : Yes. Witness : The piece is outside the block. I really do not know whether there are any workings, but there is prospecting continually going on. It is a piece of ground outside the block that they want to test. 84. Mr. Jones.] Are there any other men working near that block ?—Yes, on the sea-coast. There are about forty men black-sanding, and they make a bare livelihood. 85. Is there any necessity for a reserve there for water-rights or anything of that sort for these men working on the sea-beach ? —No. There is a water-race running along the beach, but it is outside the reserve ; that supplies the beach workers. 86. Have you made any allowance for residence-areas and timber purposes ?—lt is not required for timber purposes. The ground is only 3or 4 chains in width. The men work when a storm throws the sand up on the beach, and then leave off work until the next storm takes place. 87. Have you made allowance for residence-sites? —There is no allowance in the block at all, because the men's huts are close to their claims on the beach. 88. Was it necessary to make any reservation ? —'No, Ido not think so. I think nearly all the block has been sold or surveyed for selection. 89. Is any of the land of any practical good?— Some of it is under cultivation. Some of it seems to be swampy, and portions certainly want draining. 99. Is there a timber-belt on it ?—No heavy timber. It is partly an open plain. There is timber on the beach coast. [Exhibit 97 referred to, Block 85.] 91. What about this?—2,7oo acres. The hatched portion here is all limestone country, and, if cleared, would be excellent grass-land. There are no miners'rights or privileges of any sort on it. All the workings have been allowed for. At Point Elizabeth there is another small portion—about 300 or 400 acres in area —which is not required for mining purposes. But that block may have a special value if ever they are able to make a port at Point Elizabeth, for it would be very valuable as a township, or for residence-sites.