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102

315. Do you know of the rush at Cameron's, Cape Terrace? —That is in Westland. 316. Do you know of a rush at Grey Valley, at Sunday Creek? —I know nothing of it. 317. Granville?—No. 318. Half-ounce ?—That would be about twenty years ago, and I do not know. 319. I suppose the general remark would apply to all the places —the population has gradually, gradually decreased for a good many years ? —I am sorry to say, yes. 320. Even the most nourishing places—even Kumara ?—Yes. 321. And is not the decrease of population continuing, Mr. Dowling ?—Well, yes. The fact is that the population at present are all old men like myself, and may be a good deal older. Ido not think that, in all my travels in the country, I would meet twenty young men from fifteen to thirty years of age. They are all old people, and, I regret very much to say it, getting very little. 322. There is a gradual decline in the yield of gold, and a falling-off in the population? —Yes. 323. Now as to Westland Block : take Block 2b, Chesterfield ?—1 inspected the whole of that. I worked in Blake's Terrace (67), a mining claim. It is the railway reserve at the present time. 324. Hon. E. Blake.] We do not want details at present. It is hatched :do you agree with the hatching?— Yes, I agree; but on the margin running along the ridge of the eastern boundary a small margin of 5 chains should be reserved. 325. Mr. Jones.] So there ought to be a reserve of 5 chains along the Chesterfield track ?— Yes ; south as far as the south-east corner of the block. 326. With this exception, you agree to the hatching ?—Yes. 327. What do you say to Block 2a ? —I did not inspect that. 328. What about Block 6, Kumara Block ? There is a little piece from alongside the township below Eearn's claim—l know it is not hatched ? —I would not have anything to do with that; I would leave that intact for mining purposes. 329. Hon. E. Blake.] Fearn's leasehold?— Yes. Hon. E. Blake : That is what the others have said. 330. Mr. Jones.] Now the other portion of Block 6?— To the north I would properly hatch it, with the exception of all along the bank of the Teremakau. There is a little break there. 331. How much would you take off for the Teremakau? —I should think that 12 chains would be a very good reserve along the bank down to the Teremakau Bridge, all the way down, 12 chains from the top of the terrace. The river is miles away in some places : I take the terraces. 332. Hon. E. Blake.] On each of the terraces, 12 chains back?— Yes. 333. That is, between the tramway and the terrace ?—The remainder is properly hatched. 334. Do you think it is required for mining purposes—the Kumara and Dillman's ?—They have taken some timber off there for the Kumara and Dillman's for many years, and are taking it still from there. 335. Do not they want a reserve for it there ? 336. Mr. Jones.] Do you think that any part should be reserved for timber purposes ?—I think that some portion of it near the township—they should have access to it. 337. That side near the edge, and down ?—I should not make it with clearness what area should be required. Hon. E. Blake : That is enough—he has not thought it out: we have got it from others. 338. Mr. Jones.] In other respects that is right ?—Yes. 339. Now Block 1, Dillmanstown ? —Where it is all hatched would be too much. I should be in favour of taking that piece north. It is the south-eastern portion of the block also. 340. How much of an area? —I should think it would be close on 1,000 acres. 341. Hon. E. Blake.] That ought to be reserved? —No, that is not required. 342. You are dealing with what is hatched—taken away —not required. You say there is too much ? 343. Mr. Jones.] That is what he does say, that there is too much—l,ooo acres hatched ?— Yes, that portion is not required for mining purposes, but the remainder is. 344. What we want is the remainder. All the 1,000 acres is not required ?—Yes. 345. In other respects the block is right ? —Yes, in other respects. 346. You have marked it with your pencil ?—No, I have not. I have thoroughly gone through the whole of that block, every inch of it. 346 a. We leave Block 1 and come to 5 : what do you say about that?— That is Greenstone. About half a mile is my calculation. It should be about 5,000 acres. 347. Hon. E. Blake.] That is hatched ?—Take it into Little Fuchsia Creek, and three-quarters of a mile to the terrace to be reserved. 348. You get those that differ from the hatching, Mr. Jones?—We had better adopt the same principle. 349. Mr. Jones.] It is taken in a reserve or what ?—As not required ? It is very little, I would enlarge the hatched portion slightly near Payn's Gully, at the Teremakau side. 350. What do you do for these ?—lt is properly hatched. Ido not agree to this portion to the north of Little Fuchsia, I should not come further north than that. 351. He would take off the piece hatched, north-west of Little Fuchsia Creek?— Yes. 352. Hon. E. Blake.] You are to understand you are not to take a reserve only, the whole block is to be reserved. What you are proposing to do is to take something out of the reserve. We want to know whether you would take more or less than the other witnesses have said in each case. Now, would you propose to add to the reservation ? —A little to the east of this side; but on this north-western side there is too much taken away for the reserve, Little Fuchsia Creek to Cape Terrace ; it should be reserved for mining purposes. 353. Mr. Jones.] Now, the next block you were up, the Kaimata Block?— No. 354. Not up the Arnold ?—No.