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1900. NEW ZEALAND.

GOLDFIELDS AND MINES COMMITTEE (REPORT OF) ON THE PETITION OF TIMOTHY CORBY AND OTHERS RE FIRE AT THE CARDIFF COAL-MINE, MOKIHINUI.

Report brought up 3rd October; Evidence brought up 9th October, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Tuesday, the 3bd Day op July, 1900. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 211 be suspended, and that a Goldfields and Mines Committee, consisting of seventeen members, be appointed, to whom shall be referred all matters relating to mining, and all Bills relating to mines; with power to call for persons and papers; five to be a quorum: the Committee to consist of Mr. J. Allen, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Carncross, Mr. Colvin, Mr. Duncan, Mr. W. Fraser, Mr. Gilfedder, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Herries, Mr; Lang, Mr. R. McKenzie, Mr. Millar, Mr. Mills, Mr. Palmer, Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, Mr. Smith, and the mover." —(Hon. Mr. McGowan.)

REPORT. No. 294. —Petition of Timothy Corby and Others. Petitioners pray that an inquiry may be instituted into the origin of the fire in the WestportCardiff Coal-mine, and the measures taken for the extinguishment of the same. The Committee, having taken evidence relative to the fire in the Westport-Cardiff Coal-mine, have the honour to report that they recommend the petition of Timothy Corby and others be referred to the Government, with the recommendation that a Royal Commission be appointed for the purpose of making full inquiries into the inspection and management of the mine. The Committee further recommend that, in the event of such a Commission being appointed, the scope of its inquiries be extended to comprehend the inspection and management of the coal-mines of the colony generally. 3rd October, 1900.

PETITION. To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Eepresentatives in Parliament assembled. Your petitioners humbly show that on the 28th of January the Cardiff Coal-mine at Seddonville was discovered to be on fire, and at the present date is still burning. And we, the undersigned residents of Seddonville and district, humbly pray that your honourable House will cause an inquiry to be held as to the circumstances connected with the origin of said fire, and also as to the steps which have been taken for the purpose of suppressing it. We crave an inquiry on the following grounds : — 1. That a large area of valuable coal, the property of the colony, is, through the continuance of the present fire, threatened with destruction. 2. That, at the first discovery of the present fire, had simple means—such as any ordinary miner would have employed—been adopted, the fire could have been easily extinguished, and with little or no expense. 3. That, instead of this, evidence can be brought to prove that the means taken to subdue the fire had the opposite effect—viz., to make it burn with greater force. 4. That the present methods which are being taken under the direction of the Sub-Inspector of Mines are, in pur opinion, wholly inadequate and impracticable, and a sheer waste of public money.

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