12

to (hat Regt. Sent these certificates to Howick. Was fined for non-attendance at parade. Dr. Thompson's certificates were received for a lime, for five years and upwards ; after (hat time Major Kenny would not allow Dr. Thompson's certific?tes (o be received. The cottage and acre was taken away because I was unable to attend parade through sickness. I was placed under stoppages to the amount of 451, for passage money. Moved by Mr. Mackay, That the evidence be closed. Question put and carried. Committee adjourned.

SATURDAY, Bth SEPTEMBER, 1855. Present—• Messrs. Carleton Messrs. Forsaith Taylor Mackay Mr. Sewell—Chairman. Question put, That the minu'es of evidence be read in extenso. Agreed. Evidence was then read by (he Chairman. The Chairman (hen read draft of a report. Question put, That the draft be adopted as the report. Debate etisued. On motion of Mr, Forsaith. the Committee adjourned for further consideration of (he report until 10 o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, Bth SEPTEMBER, 1855. Peese^t — Messrs. Carleton Messrs. Taylor Forsaith Mackay Mr. SeweH—Chairman. Question put, that the draft report be re-considered. Agreed to. Paragraphs 1, 2, 5, 4, and 6, as amended. Agreed to. Question put by the Chairman that the following paragraph be agreed to. "In some instances pensioners who had obtained their cottage and land were subsequently deprived of them, for allcdged breaches of military discipline, such as non-attendance at parade. It would, in (he opinion of your Committee, be dangerous to re-open questions of this nature, decided by the proper military authorities, even were it competent to the House to do so." Committee divided. Ayes. Noes. The Chairman Messrs. Carleton Mr. Mackay Forsaith Taylor Paragraph expunged. Mr. Carleton moved—that the following paragraphs be inserted. 7. But your Committee would observe, that although the clearest breach of agreement was the neglect to place the men in immediate possession of their cottages and acres, the most serious grievance, and that which calls the most imperatively for the interference of the Colonial Executive, is the depriving them of cottages and acres, and even placing them under stoppages to the whole amount of their passage money, for absence from parade through sickness, and notwithstanding the production of sick certificates. 8. Your Committee can recognise no conditions with the men, excepting those under which they are actually enrolled. 9. They find an engagement to confer certain advantages in requital of certain military duties. 10. Tiiey believe that absence from parade under sick certificate, cannot be construed into a non-per ormance of duty. 11. The reception of a sick certificate in excuse being, as they believe, so invariable, as to have become a custom, and therefore incident to the conditions under which the men were enrolled.