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No. 299.—Petition of James Hosie, Miner, Karangahake. Petitioner seeks to obtain from jour honourable House a reward for the discovery—which he alleges was made by him —of gold at Waihi, Karangahake, and Puru. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of James Hosie that they have no recommendation to make. 28th September, 1906.

Mining Act Amendment Bill. The Goldfields and Mines Committee, having carefully considered the provisions of the Mining Act Amendment Bill, referred to them by your honourable House, have the honour to report that they recommend that the said Bill lie allowed to proceed as printed. 4th October, 1906. Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill. (Hon. Mr. McGowan.) The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred the Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill, have the honour to report that, having carefully considered the provisions of the said Bill, they recommend that it be allowed to proceed subject to the amendments shown in a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 4th October, 1906. No. 402.—-Petition of Henare Meihana and 6 Others. Petitioners pray that the sum of £200, set apart, and now in the hands of the Public Trustee, to provide for the cost of any prospective damage that may be done to a reserve on the banks of the Hokitika River, may be paid to them. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Henare Meihana and others that they recommend that it be referred to the Government for consideration. 11th October, 1906. * No. 200.—Petition of Robert Harvie. Petitioner represents that, after having made diligent and careful search as to the existence of possible claims to certain land, he took up a mining claim under the Mining Act, and that for some eleven months he worked the said claim. He then discovered that, through the failure of the surveyors, the Warden's Office, and the Survey Office to afford to him reliable information, a siderable portion of his claim was freehold property. Subsequently this portion of his claim was declared forfeited for non-working, he at the time lying sick in a hospital. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Robert Harvie that they recommend that it be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 11th October, 1906. No. 395.—Petition of James Brown. Petitioner represents that he purchased a mining claim and certain mining privileges at Gimmerburn for the sum of £1,050, and that he has since expended considerable sums on the plant, the value of which has been seriously depreciated by the sale by Government of lands originally set apart as a mining reserve, which freehold lands obstruct the outflow of tailings, debris, and waste water from his claim. He prays for compensation. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of James Brown that they recommend that it be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration. 11th October, 1906. No. 663.—Petition of B. Flannery and Others. Petitioners pray that the fifty men put on the work of extending what at one time was the Alexandra Bonanza Company's water-race, but is now the property of the Government, should be employed in extending the said race to Ophir. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report unon the petition of B. Flannery and others that they recommend that the said petition be referred to the Government for inquiry and consideration. 25th October, 1906. Nos. 660 and 661.—Petitions of Pahati Harawira and Others, and Haora Tareranui and Others. Petitioners represent that by a deed dated February, 1875, they ceded to the Crown the right to mine over all their lands in the County of Ohinemuri according to boundaries set forth in the said deed ; that they retained for themselves certain other lands extending to the westward of the said boundaries us far as the Waihou River ; that they continue to occupy the said lands, and their cultivations are on the flat lands adjacent to the river-banks; that when they ceded the lands for

Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill. (Hon. Mr. McGowan.) The Goldfields and Mines Committee, to whom was referred the Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill, have the honour to report that, having carefully considered the provisions of the said Bill, they recommend that it be allowed to proceed subject to the amendments shown in a copy of the Bill hereto attached. 4th October, 1906.

No. 402.—-Petition of Henare Meihana and 6 Others. Petitioners pray that the sum of £200, set apart, and now in the hands of the Public Trustee, to provide for the cost of any prospective damage that may be done to a reserve on the banks of the Hokitika River, may be paid to them. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Henare Meihana and others that they recommend that it be referred to the Government for consideration. 11th October, 1906. '

No. 200.—Petition of Robert Harvie. Petitioner represents that, after having made diligent and careful search as to the existence of possible claims to certain land, he took up a mining claim under the Mining Act, and that for some eleven months he worked the said claim. He then discovered that, through the failure of the surveyors, the Warden's Office, and the Survey Office to afford to him reliable information, a siderable portion of his claim was freehold property. Subsequently this portion of his claim was declared forfeited for non-working, he at the time lying sick in a hospital. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of Robert Harvie that they recommend that it be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 11th October, 1906.

No. 395. —Petition of James Brown. Petitioner represents that he purchased a mining claim and certain mining privileges at Gimmerburn for the sum of £1,050, and that he has since expended considerable sums on the plant, the value of which has been seriously depreciated by the sale by Government of lands originally set apart as a mining reserve, which freehold lands obstruct the outflow of tailings, debris, and waste water from his claim. He prays for compensation. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report on the petition of James Brown that they recommend that it be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration. 11th October, 1906.

No. 663.—Petition of B. Flannery and Others. Petitioners pray that the fifty men put on the work of extending what at one time was the Alexandra Bonanza Company's water-race, but is now the property of the Government, should be employed in extending the said race to Ophir. The Goldfields and Mines Committee have the honour to report upon the petition of B. Flannery and others that they recommend that the said petition be referred to the Government for inquiry and consideration. 25th October, 1906.

Nos, 660 and 661.—Petitions of Parati Harawira and Others, and Haora Tareranui and Others. Petitioners represent that by a deed dated February, 1875, they ceded to the Crown the right to mine over all their lands in the County of Ohinemuri according to boundaries set forth in the said deed ; that they retained for themselves certain other lands extending to the westward of the said boundaries us far as the Waihou River; that they continue to occupy the said lands, and their cultivations are on the flat lands adjacent to the river-banks; that when they ceded the lands for