1.—13.

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No. 215.—Petition of Thomas Walker. Petitioner was engaged by the Education Department to carry out certain preliminary work on the land set apart for the Boys' Training Farm at Weraroa, his engagement being subject to the condition that it was liable to be terminated at any time upon the giving of one month's notice. Petitioner alleges that an unjust allegation was made affecting his character for integrity, from which he hits suffered injury, and he prays that compensation may be awarded him. The Education Committee have the honour to report that, having again given consideration to the prayer of the petition of Thomas Walker, they are unable to discover that any allegation was made calculated to throw a doubt upon bis integrity—as a fact, he was continued in the employment of the Department for a period of some nine months after the alleged allegation was said to have been made; there is uo evidence that he has suffered injury, and the Department has endeavoured to find for him other more suitable employment. Your Committee therefore can only repeat their former report, that they have no recommendation to make. sth October, 1908. Xos. 38, -'19, 59, and 54. — Petitions of Ellen Astley, Mary Novatt, Catherine Wilkinson, and Alexander Mclntowh. Petitioners represent that, because in some instances ill health and in other instances purelyaccidental circumstances interfered with their being in permanent employment at the time the Teachers' Superannuation Act came into force, on the Ist January, 1906, they have been shut out from the benefits conferred by the said Act upon original members. Taking into consideration their long service, and the benefit?; which have accrued therefrom under inauspicious circumstances, they pray that your honourable House will take such steps as may be necessary to afford to them relief. The Education Committee have the honour to report that they have bestowed a great deal of sympathetic consideration upon these petitions. From a memorandum submitted by the Department they found that forty applications to be placed upon the roll of original "membership under the Teachers' Superannuation Act had been sent in. Your Committee have gone through this list of applications and carefully weighed the merits of each individual claim, concluding at length that they were unable to recommend your honourable House to take steps to amend the Teachers' Superannuation Act in the direction desired. Your Committee have therefore no recommendation to make. 30th September, 1908. No. 32.— Petition of F. G. Reynolds and Others. The petitioners pray that the Thames High School Endowment be taken over by the Government and leased under terms that would enable the tenants to farm the lands profitably. They represent that a large proportion of the land requires considerable expenditure for clearing, draining, ami manuring; that the rents charged are greatly in excess of the annual value of the land ; that the conditions of the leases require tenants to keep all buildings, fences, drains, &c, in good repair, whilst no provision is made for the value of permanent improvements effected by the tenants. From these and other restrictive and oppressive conditions petitioners pray for relief. The Education Committee have the honour to report on the petition of F. G. Reynolds and others.that, as the Public Bodies' Leases Bill now before your honourable House proposes to give power to local bodies—including educational bodies —to deal inter alia with such grievances as are set forth in the petition, they have no recommendation to make. 30th September, 1908. Thanks to Chairman. The Education Committee have the honour to report-that on Tuesday, the 29th September, the Committee unanimously agreed to the following resolutions: — ■' That the warmest appreciation and thanks be accorded to the Chairman, J. A. Hanan, Esq., M.P., for the very able manner in which he has conducted the business of this Committee during the session." " That this resolution be reported to the House.'' sth October, 1908. Musicians Bill. The Education Committee have the honour to report to your honourable House that, having given consideration to the Musicians Bill, they recommend that the said Bill be allowed to proceed, subject to the amendments shown on a copy of the Bill hereto attached. sth October, 1908.

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