Oct. 1. THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3667

caused the deaths of forty-three persons working therein: And whereas it is expedient that a Commission should be issued for the purpose of inquiring into the cause of the said accident, and into the working of the existing law in respect to the prevention of such accidents, and for the other purposes hereinafter mentioned:

Now, therefore, know ye that I, Arthur William de Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, reposing trust and confidence in your knowledge, integrity, and ability, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, constitute and appoint you the said

FREDERICK JAMES BURGESS,
JOHN CONNELL BROWN, and
JOHN DOWGRAY

to be a Commission for the purpose of making inquiry into the matters hereinbefore referred to, and into the several other matters mentioned in these presents, that is to say,—

(1.) To ascertain in what part or parts of the mine the accident occurred, and the nature of the same.

(2.) To ascertain how the accident was caused.

(3.) To ascertain what lights were used in the different parts of the mine at the time of the accident.

(4.) To ascertain to what extent the provisions of the Coal-mines Act, 1908, and the general rules, the special rules, and additional rules made in accordance with the provisions of that Act, were complied with in the mine, but more especially as regards—

(a.) Ventilation and lighting ;
(b.) The examination of the mine ;
(c.) The character of the explosives used ;
(d.) The withdrawal of workmen in case of danger ;
and
(e.) The means of escape in case of accident.

(5.) To ascertain the nature and character of the working and general management of the mine, and whether the mine was well and safely managed.

(6.) To determine the efficiency of the inspection of the mine by—

(a.) The Inspector of Mines for the district ;
(b.) The Workmen's Inspectors.

(7.) To make suggestions for the prevention, as far as possible, of similar accidents, and for the safe working of this and other mines in the future.

(8.) To ascertain if the provisions of the existing law are sufficient to give the Inspector of Mines full authority to order the use of safety lamps and other appliances if in his opinion such appliances are necessary.

(9.) And generally to make inquiry into any matter or thing arising out of or connected with the several subjects of inquiry hereinbefore mentioned, or which in your opinion may be of assistance in fully ascertaining, explaining, and arriving at a fair and just conclusion in respect to the subjects of inquiry, and into the working of the existing law in respect to the prevention of similar accidents, and to report whether any additional legislation is necessary, and the scope of same, or whether an amendment of the regulations under the existing law can be made sufficient to provide reasonable and proper safeguards.

And with the like advice and consent I do further appoint you the said FREDERICK JAMES BURGESS to be Chairman of the said Commission.

And for the better enabling you to carry these presents into effect you are hereby authorized and empowered to make and conduct any inquiry under these presents at such place or places in the said Dominion as you may deem expedient, with power to adjourn from time to time and from place to place as you think fit, and to call before you and examine on oath, or otherwise as may be allowed by law, such person or persons as you may think capable of affording you any information in the premises; and you are also hereby empowered to call for and examine all such books, documents, papers, maps, plans, or records as you judge likely to afford you the fullest information on the subject of this Commission, and to inquire of and concerning the premises by all other lawful ways and means whatsoever, and also to use the evidence taken in the course of any previous inquiry touching the accident.

And using all diligence, you are required to report to me, under your hands and seals, your opinion resulting from the said inquiry in respect of the several matters and things inquired into by you under or by virtue of these presents not later than the first day of November next ensuing, stating in such report what steps, if any, it would, in your opinion, be expedient to adopt under the circumstances which you find to exist, and in what manner effect should be given to such recommendation.

And it is hereby declared that this Commission shall continue in full force and virtue although the inquiry be not regularly continued from time to time by adjournment, and that you or any two of you shall and may from time to time proceed in execution hereof, and of every power, matter, and thing herein contained.

And, lastly, it is hereby further declared that these presents are issued under and subject to the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908.

Given under the hand of His Excellency the Right Honourable Arthur William de Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies; and issued under the Seal of the said Dominion, at the Government House at Wellington, this twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

W. FRASER,
Minister of Mines.

Issued in Executive Council.

J. F. ANDREWS,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

Powers delegated to the Summit Road Scenic Board under the Scenery Preservation Act, 1908.

LIVERPOOL, Governor.

IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities conferred upon him by section thirteen of the Scenery Preservation Act, 1908, His Excellency the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand doth hereby vest the control of the reserves described in the Schedule below (being lands reserved under the said Act), for the period of three years from the date hereof (unless previously altered or revoked under the said Act), in the undermentioned persons, namely,—

THE COMMISSIONER OF CROWN LANDS FOR THE CANTERBURY LAND DISTRICT (ex officio),
HENRY GEORGE ELL, Esq., M.P., Spreydon, Christchurch,
CHARLES CHILTON, Esq., M.A., D.Sc., F.L.S., Christchurch,
WILLIAM REECE, Esq., Christchurch,
ARTHUR ROSCOE VERNON MORTEN, Esq., Riccarton, Christchurch,
GEORGE THOMAS BOOTH, Esq., Opawa, Christchurch, and
GEORGE HARPER, Esq., Riccarton, Christchurch,

who are hereby constituted for that purpose a special Board by the name of the Summit Road Scenic Board (herein referred to as “the Board”), in trust for the preservation of scenery, and subject to the conditions hereinafter contained, that is to say,—

1. The Board shall meet for the transaction of business on the first Tuesday in each month, at a quarter past two o'clock p.m., at the District Lands and Survey Office, Christchurch, or at such other time or place as may from time to time be fixed by the Board. The first meeting shall be held on Tuesday, the third day of November, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

2. Special meetings may be convened by the Chairman, provided that two days' notice of such meeting be given to each member, specifying the business to be transacted at such special meeting; and no other business than that so specified shall be transacted at such meeting.

3. Any four members of the Board shall form a quorum. Any meeting may be adjourned from time to time.

4. The Commissioner of Crown Lands shall be the Chairman of the Board, and shall have an original as well as a casting vote.

5. The Board shall prepare and submit at an annual meeting to be held in the month of April in each year a report of the proceedings of the Board for the previous year ending on the thirty-first day of March, together with a statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Board for such year. A copy of every such report and statement, certified by the Chairman to be correct, shall be sent to the Minister in Charge of Scenery Preservation as soon as possible after each annual meeting.

6. If at any meeting the Chairman is not present at the time appointed for holding the same, the members present shall choose some one of their number to be chairman of such meeting.