L—No. 1-

PETITION OF SETTLERS BETWEEN THE WAITOTARA AND WAINGONGORO RIVERS.

To the Honorable Members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the Undersigned, Humbly Siioweth, — That your petitioners are landholders and residents in the districts between the Waitotara and Waingongoro Rivers. That the portion of the district from the Waitotara to the southern boundary of the Province of Taranaki, and known as the Okotuku and Whenuakura Blocks, is a portion of the Wellington Province, and the remainder is a portion of the Taranaki Province. That your petitioners, although residing within the Provinces of Wellington and Taranaki respectively, have never received the smallest benefit from either Provincial Government, the district being so remote from the seats of Provincial Government, and sixty miles of Native land, unoccupied by Europeans, cutting it off from- New Plymouth. That the Police, Gaol, Survey Department, Bridges, Perries, and Roads within the abovenamed boundaries have, up to the present time, been administered solely by the General Government, to the entire satisfaction of your petitioners, and the Crown lands of the district are still the property of the Colony, free from all Provincial claim. That no portion of any Provincial Loan has ever been expended within the above boundaries, notwithstanding which your petitioners are held liable for the interest of the same. That although the revenue now derived by the Provincial Governments from these districts, namely, capitation allowance, publicans and auctioneers'" license fees, &c, is now considerable, little or nothing of that revenue is expended within the above boundaries. That your petitioners have held a public meeting, at which the resolution hereunto annexed was unanimously passed, and your petitioners humbly pray that your Honorable House will take steps to cut off the district above defined from the Provinces of Wellington and Taranaki, and take the same in all respects under direct control of the Colonial Government, with a view to giving your petitioners powers of local administration as soon as some measure shall pass your Honorable House to enable outlying districts to take over the administration of their own local affairs; thus depriving the Provincial Councils of said Provinces of the powers they at present enjoy of taxing your petitioners, or otherwise interfering in the district. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c, &c. Resolution. —That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that the district lying between the Waitotara and Waingongoro Rivers be taken out of the hands of the Provincial Governments, and that the management of the same be taken under the direct control of the General Government of the Colony. [Here follow 80 signatures.]