Aug. 6.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1251

Alterations to the Scale of Fares, Rates, and Charges in Force upon the New Zealand Government Railways.

IN pursuance of all powers and authorities enabling me under “The Public Works Act, 1894,” and any amendment thereof, and also of “The Government Railways Act, 1894,” I, Alfred Jerome Cadman, the Minister for Railways, do hereby make the following alterations in the scale of fares, rates, and charges in force on the New Zealand Government railways open for traffic, such alterations to come into force on and after the 10th day of August, 1896:—

PART I.—PASSENGERS: GENERAL FARES AND REGULATIONS.

School-boarders.

26. Tickets at single fares for the double journey, available for return for two months from date of issue, will be issued to school-boarders returning home for holidays at the end of recognised school-terms only, on production of certificate to the Stationmaster from the master or mistress of the school, in the following form:—

“To the Stationmaster at

“I hereby certify that is a boarder attending my school, that present age is years months, and that is going home from school on the day of , 189 , for holidays; and I request that you will issue a class return ticket accordingly, from Station to Station.

“(Signed)

“Headmaster [or Mistress], School.”

PART IV.—GOODS: LOCAL RATES.

NELSON SECTION

Classes N and P.

Bark, native, birch, will be charged at the classified rates for Class P. Minimum quantity, 5 tons per truck.

The clause stating that bark, native, rough, from Wai-iti or Wakefield to Nelson, will be charged at the classified rates for Class P, is hereby cancelled.

HURUNUI—BLUFF SECTION.

Stone and Stone Piles, Weston to Port Chalmers and Dunedin.

Stone and stone piles, rough, from Weston to Port Chalmers or Dunedin, will be charged 5s. 6d. per ton.

As witness my hand, this fourth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six.

A. J. CADMAN,
Minister for Railways.

Applications for Position of Inspecting Engineer.

Mines Department,
Wellington, 9th July, 1896.

WRITTEN applications, stating qualifications, and accompanied by testimonials, will be received at this office up to Monday, the 17th of August next, for the position of Inspecting Engineer to the Mines Department, at a salary of £450 a year, and an allowance of 12s. 6d. a day while absent from Wellington on the public service, to cover all expenses excepting steamboat-, railway-, and coach-fares and horse-hire, the cost of which will be paid by the department.

The person to be appointed must be qualified to hold a first-class certificate as a mine-manager under “The Mining Act, 1891,” and the amendments thereto, and also under “The Coal-mines Act, 1891.” He will also be required to visit the mining centres throughout the colony as well as the various coal-mines, and to prepare an annual report thereon for the General Assembly. The Inspecting Engineer must also report on applications for assistance towards the construction of roads, tracks, and bridges in mining districts, for subsidies towards prospecting, the construction of mining works such as water-races, dams, reservoirs, &c., and, under the direction of the Minister of Mines, take general control of all works towards the cost of which money is contributed by the Mines Department from votes provided by the Legislature.

A. J. CADMAN,
Minister of Mines.

Bonus for the Production of Quicksilver.

Mines Office,
Wellington, 19th September, 1895.

NOTICE is hereby given that a bonus of fourpence (4d.) per pound will be paid on the production of the first one hundred thousand pounds weight (100,000lb.) of good marketable retorted quicksilver, free from all impurities, from any mine in New Zealand, on the following conditions, that is to say:—

1. That at least one-third of the quantity is produced on or before the 31st March, 1897, and the remaining two-thirds on or before the 31st March, 1899.

2. No bonus will be payable until the whole of the one hundred thousand pounds (100,000lb.) of quicksilver has been produced as stipulated to the satisfaction of an officer to be appointed by the Minister of Mines, and on whose certificate alone the bonus will be paid.

3. In the event of more than one person producing the required quantities of quicksilver before the dates named, inquiry will be made by the officer above referred to, when, if it is found that each applicant is equally entitled to a bonus, the amount will be divided in proportion to the quantities produced by each applicant, but in no case shall any bonus be paid until at least one hundred thousand pounds (100,000lb.) of quicksilver has been produced in the aggregate.

A. J. CADMAN,
Minister of Mines.

Bonus for Production of Mineral Manure.—Notice No. 445.

Department of Agriculture,
Wellington, 25th July, 1896.

A BONUS of £200 is hereby offered for the discovery and working within the colony of a deposit or deposits of marketable mineral manure.

The following are the conditions under which the bonus is offered and will be paid:—

1. That the raw material be easily accessible, and within reasonable distance of a road or railway.

2. That the person appointed by the Minister for Agriculture to examine the deposit is satisfied that there is sufficient to meet all ordinary demands for five years.

3. That at least 200 tons of such manure have been disposed of at a price which will allow of its being remuneratively used for agricultural purposes, and that a further supply can be placed on the market at the same price.

4. That, if the deposit be mineral coprolites, it shall contain by analysis at least 20 per cent. of phosphoric acid.

5. That, if the deposit be mineral apatites, it shall contain by analysis at least 25 per cent. of phosphoric acid.

Applications addressed to “The Hon. the Minister for Agriculture, Wellington,” will be received up to and including the 1st day of August, 1897.

JOHN McKENZIE,
Minister for Agriculture.

Bonuses for Encouragement of New Zealand Hemp (Phormium tenax) Industry.—Notice No. 430.

Department of Agriculture,
Wellington, 1st November, 1895.

Bonus No. 1.

A BONUS of £1,750 is offered for a machine or process for dressing New Zealand hemp (Phormium tenax) which shall be an improvement on the machines or processes now in use, and which shall, after trial, be found to materially reduce the cost of production, improve the product, or increase the quantity of dressed fibre.

The following are the conditions:—

1. All applications for the bonus must be sent addressed to the Hon. the Minister for Agriculture, Wellington, and must reach him not later than the 31st March, 1897. Each application must be accompanied by a description of the machine or process, particularly stating improvements on present machines or processes, and also the cost at which the machine or process can be supplied.

2. The applicants must be prepared to submit their machines or processes to examination at such time and place as the Government may direct.

3. The Government shall appoint a committee of three or more experts, to whom all applications shall be submitted. Such committee shall, after perusal, state what machines or processes they deem worthy of consideration, and may inspect the same at any place within the colony; and, having so inspected the whole or any of them, may direct that the whole or any of them be brought for further trial to such place as they may think fit.

The cost of bringing the machines or appliances on to the ground, from within the colony, supplying the necessary shafting, motive-power, and buildings, to be defrayed by the Government. If any machine sent from beyond the colony is awarded the bonus or part thereof, then the cost of bringing such machine shall be borne by the Government.

The following shall be the basis of the test:—

The committee shall supply a sufficient and equal quantity of green hemp to each machine or process as a test.

The committee shall take into consideration—

The time occupied by each machine or process in the operation;