I. -4a

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66. Have there been more than 500 acres ?—Yes ; more than 500 acres. 67. Will you tell us some places?— Over 100 acres at Naseby and Kyburn ; land was resumed at The Arrow. I could not tell exactly, because I cannot call them to memory. 68. During the twenty-three years, would you consider the amount of land resumed large or small?— Small. I think there were over 200 or 300 acres resumed in the Maerewhenua alone. 69. Are you aware that both in Victoria and New South "Wales they have Acts quite as stringent as this, allowing mining on private land? —I do not know the Acts, but I believe the Act in New South Wales was thrown out. 70. Do you know, from your own knowledge, whether capital was frightened away from Victoria ?—There is no doubt about that. Capital has been withdrawn from Victoria, but Ido not know about New South Wales. 71. Do you think, if you had a good find, there would be any difficulty in working it in Victoria ?—lf there is a good find it is possible to get capital; but you want capital to develop, and I think there will be great difficulty in that. Companies do not want to develop things for other people. 72. Would your company object to take up lands in Victoria ?—I expect they would take up lands the same as here ; but they do not like Victoria, and would rather be here at present. 73. Is not your company interested in mining in Victoria?— They are interested in Australia, but lam not sure of Victoria. In Western Australia they are interested. 74. Do you know the Whangapoua land recently sold to the Kauri Gold Estates Company ?— Yes. 75. Can you tell the Committee whether there has been any anxiety during the past ten or fifteen years to mine on that land ?—No doubt there has been mining carried on on that land for the last ten or fifteen years. 76. But has there been any anxiety on the part of the mining community of Coromandel to get on the land to mine ? —No doubt about it, some of them want to get on the land to mine. 77. Do you. ever hear any complaints of rates and charges thrown in the way of mining ?—Yes, the time the Kauri Timber Company had it the people complained about the stringent regulations. 78. Have you read the proposed regulations by the present company ?—No ; I have seen a draft copy when they were in embryo, but have not read them. 79. Speaking from memory of the draft, would you not consider their proposals were to open the land on the gridironing principle ?—Yes; Ido not believe in that principle. It is wrong. 80. You estimate the value of the land, outside the timber, at Is. an acre. Are you aware that they are asking £1 an acre annual rent for this land ?—No, I am not aware of that. I know they are only asking £1 an acre for it altogether. 81. The Gold Estates Company's regulations I am speaking of.—l cannot say what they are asking. 82. Would you consider £1 an acre reasonable or unreasonable?—l should think it too much, but I did not know they were charging that. I understood it was 10s. an acre, the same as is charged by the Government. 83. Would you be surprised to know it is 10s. an acre half-yearly, payable in advance ?—I would not be surprised, because I do not know. 84. You have been in that district, about the creeks where the driving of logs takes place. From what you have seen would you think, if batteries were erected and the tailings allowed to go into the creeks, they would interfere with the driving of the logs ?—I do not think the tailings or erushings of a battery would, though they might pile up a little. 85. Have you ever seen a pile of logs ?—No. 86. As representing a mining company, do you think one hundred acres of land is a large area, or would you consider it small for a company which would work on the lines the company you represent would like to work?—lt is too small. 87. Would you be surprised to learn that, under the regulations of the Gold Assets Company, they are only going to allow 60 acres as a claim ? —I think it is too small. 88. Then, do you think it would be possible to peg a claim in any particular shape, say, square or rectangular ? —So far as pegging out a claim on reefs is concerned, I think you could peg out rectangular. 89. From the general contour of the country, with the spurs winding about as they do, do you think a man taking the rectangle would be likely to have the whole reef in his run ?-—I cannot say whether you would get the whole of the reefs, because there are so many cross-reefs in that country, 90. Do you think its effect in throwing open land for prospecting they should ask that, when a man finds gold no one should go within 30 chains of him ? —I do not believe in gridironing the land ; at the same time, I do believe it would prevent wild-cat things being floated, as, in the event of gold being struck in one claim, the one adjoining would be sold to capitalists, on the strength of reports made that the adjoining one-is being worked with English capital. I think that ought to be put a stop to. 91. With the rent payable half-yearly in advance, do you think it is harsh or reasonable to give power of distress if the rent happens to be in arrear for thirty days considering the expense of starting a mine?—l do not think there is much harshness. There is no difference between that and the Government regulations. If the Government were to carry out their regulations I think they would be pretty much the same. 92. It is being payable half-yearly I am speaking of?—lf a man does not pay his rent under the Government regulations he is liable to distraint. 93. Do you not think that on top of the rents they are making, a person should have the right to use some of the water for plant without coming to a fresh arrangement ?—I do not think they have the right of water themselves : the Kauri Timber Company has reserved the right of floating