81

D.—4

413. Ido not think you need trouble about that. Have you computed the total of the hatched portion as compared with the hatched portion on these maps—approximately?—No; Mr. Young and Mr. Brett worked that out. Mr. Jones : We can supply that. 415. Mr. Stringer.] During the time you have been on the Coast, have you known of any new discoveries of payable ground having been made, either alluvial ground or reefs ?—Oh, yes; there have been several new discoveries of reefs. I do not remember any fresh discoveries of alluvial ground. 416. Do you mean there have been no fresh rushes at all within the last ten years?— Not to my knowledge. 417. Where have the reefs been discovered ?—Fresh blocks of stone have been found, perhaps, on the Big River and different places since I have been on the Coast, all on the slate belt. No other payable reefs have been discovered. 418. Have any other auriferous reefs been discovered outside the belt ?—Not to my knowledge. 419. I am referring to the whole of the reserves that you have been over?— There is nothing fresh that I know of. Hon. E. Blake : If you could make a table of the blocks, Mr. Jones, with the amount you disallowed set opposite each one, it would be very convenient. Mr. Jones : We have a tabulated form, and I will get one for you. Gerald Joseph Perotti sworn and examined. 420. Mr. Jones.] What are you, Mr. Perotti?—l am a timber-merchant just now. I have been mining all my life. 421. Mining practically since when ?—Since 1855. 422. In Victoria ?—Yes; and in New South Wales and in New Zealand—Otago and West Coast. 423. I think you have also been very largely interested in quartz-reefing, both in Victoria and New Zealand, besides alluvial mining ?—Yes. 424. And you held a great number of shares in many mining ventures ?—Yes. 425. I think you were prospecting in Victoria, and discovered some reefs at the Ovens ?—The Magenta Reef. 426. Did you discover any other payable reef in Victoria ?—No. I worked, but I did not discover them. 427. Since 1855, practically you have spent all your life mining—either alluvial or quartz?— Yes. 428. I think you made an inspection and examination of the Midland Railway reserves already mentioned ?—Yes. 429. With myself, Daniels, Fenton, Harper, and also part of the time with Dowling and party. Is that correct ?—Yes. 430. Will you refer to this map [Exhibit 91] of Block 81, and in dealing with it I do not not wish you to confuse your mind between the timber evidence you may be called upon hereafter to give and the mining evidence, but confine yourself simply to the gold-mining. You made an inspection of Block 81 ? —I did. 431. Commencing at the southern end, and right up the block, what do you say is the nature of the country there ?—I am perfectly satisfied, and I say distinctly that I inspected these reserves very carefully, and I have not seen any part of it showing any vestige of gold-mining in any way, excepting up the No Town Valley, starting from the Chinese Creek upwards. That is the only place where I could see any gold-mining of any class; and Ido not see that there is any room for reserves there of any land for mining purposes, excepting that piece of ground between Chinese Creek and the eastern end of the reserve —a depth of 75 or 80 chains I suppose. 432. And the portion that is held should not have been reserved for gold-mining purposes ?— No. 433. What is the nature of the country ? Is it flat or hilly land ?—lt is mostly flat land. There are large areas of well-timbered land from the valley to the top. 434. Is there a dividing-range between the northern and southern branch ?—Yes. 435. Where does that dividing-range run?—lt is just north of Spring Creek. 436. Between Spring Creek and No Town Creek?— Yes. 437. On which fall of that range did you find the auriferous deposit? —On the No Town fall. 438. Is that the reason why you have divided it in that way —you have been there ?—That is the reason I divided it. I could see nothing to indicate gold on the other fall. 439. Coming down the country from east to west, does the range run in a southerly direction or does it run in a northerly direction after you leave No Town Creek ?—lt skirts the road right away from the township of 12 Mile to No Town —right away up to No Town—and then along the other gullies that have been worked —Chinese Creek, Rough-and-Tumble, and some of the intermediate gullies. 440. We will pass on from that to Block 80. What have you to say about that?—l have not seen the whole lot of it. I only saw this one portion [indicating on map] —the south-western portion. Hon. E. Blake : It is not necessary for you to refer to any portion that is stated as properly reserved. 441. Mr. Jones.] Did you cross to No Town, and go right along?— Yes. 442. Did you not cross the portion of the land that is hatched?—l did. I crossed this track here [indicating on map]. I went along that track. 443. What did you find there ? —I found no vestige of gold-mining there. 444. There is a range running between this fall of the No Town Creek and that fall of Red Jack's?— Yes. 11*—D. 4.