i.-i.

No. 300.—Petition of Eobeet Feeguson and Others. The petitioners complain of the conduct of the Eesident Magistrate, Waikato. lam directed to report: That, as the petition is addressed to the Minister of Justice, the Committee are of opinion that it should be referred to him. 16th August, 1883.

No. 409.—Petition of John McGibbon and Others, Gordon District. The petitioners pray that the railway from Kelso to Gore may be proceeded with. lam directed to report: That the Committee are of opinion that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration. 16th August, 1883.

Nos. 407 and 417.—Petitions of J. Middleton and Others and Henet Jeeomson and Others. The petitioners pray that the Local Option Extension Act may pass into law. lam directed to report: That the Committee are of opinion that, the subject-matter of these petitions being now before the House, they have no recommendation to make to the House. 16th August, 1883.

No. 424.—Petition of Chables Labkins and Others. The petitioners state they are desirous that the present licensing laws now in force in New Zealand should be altered and amended as indicated in their petition. lam directed to report: That the Committee are of opinion that, as the subject-matter of this petition is now before the House, the Committee have no recommendation to make. 16th August, 1883.

No. 367. —Petition of Young, Pope, and Co. The petitioners state that they were in partnership as mail contractors, and entered into a contract with the Government to carry the mails by coach between Tauranga and the Thames; that at the time the contract was entered into the roads were in good repair; that in the month of February, 1883, the roads became destroyed by floods, thereby stopping coach traffic; that they then carried the mails on horseback, by which they suffered great loss through not being able to carry passengers; that the roads not being reconstructed, they were compelled to sell their plant at great loss. They pray for compensation. lam directed to report: That, having carefully inquired into the claims of the petitioners, the Committee do not consider they have any claim for compensation against the colony. 16th August, 1883.

No. 347. —Petition of G. H. Engles, Palmerston North. The petitioner, Chairman of the Manawatu Eoad Board, states that the Board has no option but must adopt, in accordance with the provisions of "The Eating Act, 1882," the valuation roll as prepared by the Commissioner under " The Property Assessment Act, 1879." He prays that " The Eating Act, 1882," may be so amended as to enable local bodies to make their own valuations of rateable property in their respective districts. lam directed to report: That the Committee are of opinion that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration. 17th August, 1883.

No. 400.—Petition of E. J. Deighton, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay. The petitioner states that he is one of the only few now left of the early pioneer founders of the colony; that on one notable occasion, voluntarily (without remuneration) he rendered a service, which certainly was the means of saving the lives of many, together with an incalculable amount of property —he alludes to the time when Te Eangihaeta and his men were killing the settlers and destroying their homesteads at the Taita in 1846. He further states he was residing at Wanganui at the "time when a large war party under Te Eauparaha was on the point of joining the aforementioned chief; he then undertook to carry a despatch to Sir George Grey, the then Governor, in time for him to take steps to prevent their coalescence. This important service, at the risk of his own life, he satisfactorily performed; that he has since then, as a Volunteer, been in several engagements with the Natives; that he is now, and has been for nearly the last thirteen years, a helpless cripple, kept by his wife's industry. He prays that his case may be favourably entertained, and that for. his services and his present helpless condition he may be allowed a small pension to save him in his old age (now sixty-four) from utter destitution ; he would feel grateful also for a small sum to put his dwelling into a habitable state of repair. lam directed to report: That the Committee are of opinion that the case of the petitioner and the evidence given by of Sir George Grey, X.C.8., be forwarded to the Government for favourable consideration. 17th August, 1883.

No. 423^— Petition of Bichaed Skinneb, Manukau. The petitioner states that he served with his regiment, the 58th, through the first Maori war at the Bay of Islands and elsewhere, and was discharged in 1858. He prays that a grant of land may be made to him. lam directed to report: That the Committee have no recommendation to make to the House on the case of the petitioner. 17th August, 1883. 3—l. 1.

17