H.—2lb

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trustees have in trust, or those referred to in your letter, are likely at present to produce any revenues towards carrying out the object of the trust. Dnder these circumstances I have not deemed it necessary to inspect the deeds, which are not in the possession of the trustees. I would respectfully suggest that Donald Sinclair, Esq., of Nelson, Solicitor and Eegistrar to the Diocese, would be most likely to supply all the information required. There is in the district one piece of trust property conveyed to the Bishop of New Zealand and his successors, as a site for a church and parsonage house, being lots Nos. 33, 52, 53, in that part of Collingwood known as Gibbsfiat, upon which a parsonage house is built. I have, &c, F. Wakefield, Esq., Secretary to Commission Wμ. Gibbs. on Eeligious and Charitable Trusts.

Koman Catholic Grants.

The Rev. Father Garin, having been duly sworn, states : lam a Eoman Catholic clergyman resident at Nelson. Section 498, 3 acres.—One acre only was granted by the Crown. Two other adjoining acres are attached to this property, but were not given by the Crown, being acquired by private purchase, viz., sections 491 and 494. I do not remember that anything has been done in compliance with the requirements of the grant, that three-fourths of the heads of Eoman Catholic families in Nelson shall declare the purposes of the trust in writing. I was not aware till now that this was required. What was done was this : I called a meeting of all the congregation, who selected a committee for the purpose of erecting a church, school, and convent. A chairman was elected, and resolutions carried, and minutes taken, which are in my possession. From time to time, when anything was required to be done respecting building a church or making addition to buildings, I have called general meetings in order to select committees to consider the object in view. I think this course should be held as fulfilling the requirements of the Crown Grant, —if not literally, at least according to the spirit and intention of the trust. No. 498. —We have a church and school on this section. The boys' school and residence o the pastor are on one of the acres bought with our own funds. There have never been any complaints as to the mode of settling the trust purposes. The deeds were left, I think, at Mr. Sinclair's for several years, and we began to act before we knew what they contained. The boys' school has always been successfully carried on, and we have admitted boys of all denominations. At one time our school was the best, as we taught higher branches of education than was done in any other school at that time existing, and consequently boys of a superior class attended. Section No. 13, 3 roods.—The deed gives it for a cemetery. The cemetery is fenced in, but it is only used for the burial of the relatives of persons buried therein previous to an Act of the Provincial Council passed in 18 , which required that ground to be given up as a cemetery, except in the cases mentioned. I caused one burial to take place in this cemetery, because it was of a priest, and I considered that the clergyman, being the father of his congregation, should be buried there. I was fined for this breach of the Act, but only 10s., in order that it might not be taken as a precedent. Section No. 14, 2 roods 4 perches.—This was given as a site for a church. When I came here in 1850 this was used as the only cemetery. There was a public cemetery adjoining this. There was a church built upon it, but the land was too small. There was no room for a private dwellinghouse or schools, which we desired to have. We were obliged in consequence to remove the church. It is merely a place fenced in. I think we should be allowed to let it, and apply the rent to the purposes of the church. I have refused hitherto to let it, because I thought I had no power. I was afraid legal difficulties might arise should I exercise that power. Before I came I heard that Father O'Reilly had given up a piece of the land originally given for the church site to be added to the Gaol Reserve. This was strongly objected to by a portion of the congregation, who considered that we had already too little for the original purposes. It might be considered that half an acre would be sufficient for a church site; but it consists of a very steep side of a hill, and would not do for a church site. Section 56, Waimea West, 2 acres.—This land was granted as a site for a church, chapel, and cemetery. It is used as a site for church and cemetery. We intend to build a house for a clergyman upon it.

Wesleyan.

Letter from Mr. Lucas to the Secbetary to the Commission. No. 2 Grant, area 1 acre. With respect to your inquiry if the objects of the trust in this grant have been carried out, I beg to inform you that they have been perfectly carried out. No. 15 Grant, area 1 rood. The same evidence as to the above grant. Eobeet Lucas.