As to the Local Board:—­

The evidence which has been laid before your Commission has contained suggestions to establish a Board on which Government nominees and representatives of the mining industry and of the commercial community of the Witwatersrand should sit, so that the Government representatives should have the benefit of the experience of men whose daily occupation it is to look closely into all the affairs appertaining to the mines, &c.  Your Commission is of opinion that it is advisable that these suggestions should be acted upon.  The scope of this Board should consist of the supervision of the administration of the following laws, viz.:—­

The Liquor Law as far as it concerns the proclaimed goldfields, the Pass Law, and the Law relating to Gold Thefts; and the Board will further have an advisory voice in the supply of natives to the mines, which your Commission has recommended your Government to take into its own hands.  The area under the surveillance of the Board should include the Heidelberg, Witwatersrand, and Klerksdorp districts, and other goldfields as may be found desirable hereafter.  Your Commission suggests that the Board consists of the following:  Five members to be appointed by the Government, and four delegates to be appointed by the following bodies, with the consent of the Government, viz., one delegate of the Chamber of Mines, one of the Association of Mines (or in case of an amalgamation, two representatives of the new Chamber), a nominee of the Mine Managers’ Association, and a nominee of the commercial community of Johannesburg.  Your Commission would advise that a separate detective force be placed under the department, whose duty it should be to detect any infringements of the above-mentioned laws, and to bring the offenders to justice in the ordinary course of law.  It should also be in the sphere of the Board’s work to report to the proper authorities any laxity on the part of the officials who have to administer the above-mentioned laws.  The Board is to report to the Executive Council upon the working of the laws referred to, and to suggest alterations.  It must be well understood that the power of this Board must in no way clash with the sphere of the Minister of the Mines department and the Licensing Board, but co-operate with the same.  We should adduce as a reason the more for the creation of such a Board that Government could depute to them the right to receive deputations, hear their arguments, and report to the Government on the subject, whereby a great saving of time would be the result.  We would recommend that the Commission be appointed at once, and that they shall frame their proposals for regulations and submit them at once to the Government.

The establishment of a local mining board has been strongly urged by witnesses.  From an industrial and financial point of view this country must be considered as still in its infancy, and, without loss of dignity or prestige, the Government may accede to the above request.  Experience in these matters can only be attained after the lapse of long years, and by coming in contact with experts from other countries the State will reap the benefit of the knowledge obtained in their country, where these problems have for decades exercised the minds of their leading citizens.