1.—6.

36

FINAL REPORT. The Committee have the honor finally to report that during the session 303, petitions have been dealt with or forwarded to other Committees; and that, to enable the Committee to make reports, 217 witnesses were examined; and the Committee sat 79 days to dispose of the petitions referred by the House to the Committee. I am directed to report that, in consequence of the large number of petitions presented during the Session, and the probability of the number increasing each succeeding Session, the Committee consider that it is advisable to alter the present mode of dealing with them, so that the petitions be distributed to several Committees, and thus relieve the Public Petitions Committee from the excessive work which it has now to perform. The Committee therefore recommend the House to adopt the following suggestions:—That the officers of the House be instructed, or a special Committee be appointed, to classify petitions, and forward them direct to such of the following Committees as may from its constitution be most competent to deal with them: — 1. Private Grievance Committee, to which should be referred all petitions of a personal character. 2. Public Grievance Committee, to which should be referred all petitions which complain of grievance in a public capacity. 3. Public Works Committee, to which should be referred all petitions affecting the construction of public works. 4. Native Affairs Committee, to which should be referred all petitions specially affecting Natives. 5. Waste Lands Committee, to which should be referred all petitions affecting waste lands. 6. Gold Fields Committee, to which should be referred all petitions affecting gold fields. T. Kelly, 28th October, 1876. Chairman.