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No. 296, Petition of the Mayor and Councillors of the Borough of Te Aroha ; No. 313, Petition of the Chairman and Members of the Piako County Council ; No. 320, Petition of H. _. Corbett and 11 Others, of Paeroa ; and No. 321, Petition of J. D. Morison and 92 Others, of Te Aroha. Praying for the construction of a railway between Pokeno and Paeroa, and that a sum of money be voted by Parliament this session to commence the construction of the said railway. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee, the matter involved being one of policy, they have no recommendation to make with regard to these petitions. 16th September, 1914. No. 259. —Petition of Hugh Taylor, of lnangahua Junction. Praying for compensation for land taken by the Public Works Department for railway purposes at lnangahua Junction. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for further inquiry. 17th September, 1914.

No. 29.—Petition of George Giles Wilson, of Hamilton, Waikato. Praying for compassionate allowance for injuries sustained. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 23rd September, 1914.

No. 367. —Petition of Hamilton L. Worthington, of Wellington. Praying that the Government will enforce an Order in Council dated the 3rd April, 1913, relating to certain precautions against the introduction of bubonic plague in New Zealand. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 23rd September, 1914. No. 331. —Petition of Helen Smith, of New Plymouth. Praying for compassionate allowance for loss of her husband, who was murdered. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration ; and that, in view of the facts placed before this Committee in connection with this petition, the Committee strongly recommends that the law be amended in the direction of providing that in future any person or persons similarly placed can claim compensation against the murderer's estate. 23rd September, 1914. No. 339.—Petition of James O'Brien, of Ngahere. Praying for compensation for damage done through the Public Works Department building an embankment which prevents the drainage of his land. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee this petition should be referred to the Government for further inquiry. 23rd September, 1914.

No. 420, Petition of James Kelly and 54 Others; No. 444, Petition of W. H. Peerless and 249 Others; No. 425, Petition of D. R. Edwards and 534 Others; No. 424, Petition of M. Johnston and 1,000 Others; No. 423, Petition of D. Grace and 1,030 Others; No. 422, Petition of Louisa Wilcock and 570 Others ; No. 421, Petition of A. Stormont and 200 Others ; No. 419, Petition of P. Wallace and 1,099 Others; No. 406, Petition of E. V. Fairbairn and 1,888 Others; No. 403, Petition of Alfred Jowett and 2,999 Others ; No. 397, Petition of E. R. Guiness and 1,179 Others ; and No. 429, Petition of P. F. Ellis and 209 Others : all of Wellington. Praying that the general elections be postponed. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make with regard to these petitions. Bth October, 1914. No. 395, Petition of H. Johnstone and 33 Others, of Hauraki Plains ; and No. 396, Petition of James G. Fook and 2,774 Others, of the Borough of Waihi. Praying for the construction of a railway between Pokeno and Paeroa, and that a sum of money be voted by Parliament this session to commence the construction of the said railway. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee, the matter involved being one of policy, they have no recommendation to make with regard to these petitions. Bth October, 1914.