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Militia. And, also, whether any guns can be obtained to be deposited in the several ports of Colony, so as to be available for defence, in the event of a war with any foreign power extending to these seas. Question put and passed. 9. Order of Business •. —Mr. Hall, pursuant to (amended) notice, moved, That the resolution passed by this House on the 23rd of June last, respecting the order of business in this House, be now rescinded. Question put and passed. 10. Education of Natives :—Mr Hall, pursuant to notice, moved, That a respectful address be presented to his Excellency, requesting that he will cause to be communicated to this House, copy of a despatch to the Secretary of State, dated 16th of June, 1853, with its enclosures, relative to the appropriation of the sums devoted to the purposes of education amongst the Natives ; also, a copy of the Secretary of State's answer to that despatch. Question put at»d passed. 11. Petition of Mr. J. J. Piercy :—Mr. Brodie, pursuant to notice, moved, That the copy of the petition of Mr. J. J. Piercy, with the minutes attached thereto, be referred to a select Committee to report thereon. Such Committee to consist of Mr. Beckham, Mr. Cuff, Mr. Hall, Mr. Lee, and the mover, with leave to call for persons and papers ; to report this day week. Question put and passed. 12. Motion withdrawn :—Mr. Curtis withdrew the motion standing in his name, eleventh on the notice paper of this day . ] 3. Leave of absence : —Mr. Curtis, pursuant to notice, moved, That leaye of absence be granted to Mr. Wells during the remainder of the session. Question put and passed. 14. Petition of Margaret Forbes : —Mr. Carleton, pursuant to notiee, moved, That the petition of Margaret Forbes, concerning her pre-emption land claims at Onehunga, be printed. Question put and passed 15. Petition of Staff-Burgeon Bacot:—Mr. 'Carleton, pursuant to notice, moved, That an address be presented to his Excellency, praying him to lay before the Home Authorities the report of the select Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed to consider the case of Dr. Bacot, in reference to a house and land at Ho wick, and to recommend there-consideration of Dr. Bacot's case at the War Office. Question put and passed. 16.' Surveyor-General's Department:—Debate resumed on the question.That the petitions of officers of the Surveyor-General's Department be referred to a select Committee to enquire and report on the prayer thereof. Committee to consist of Mr. Smith, Mr. East, Mr. Wells, Mr. Wm d, Mr. 'Beckham, Mr. Lee. and Mr. Williamson ; to report this day week. Mr. Williamson moved, That the question be amended by the omission of the name of Mr. Wells, with a view to insert that of Mr. Brown in lieu thereof. Amendment agreed to, and question as amended put and passed. 17. Message : — The following Message from his Excellency the Governor received and read : — Chart of New Zealand. THOMAS GORE BROWNE, Message No. 31. Governor. The C4overnor bejs to transmit to the House of Representatives, the accompanying Admiralty Chart of New Zealand, containing the surveys of H. M. ships " Acheron" and *' Pandora," from 1848 to 1855. Government House, Auckland, 14th July, 1856. IS. A Message from the Legislative Council having been duly announced, Mr. Speaker was informed that the Colonial Bank of Issue Winding-up Bill, the Marriage Act Amendment Bill, and the Magistrates Indemnity Bill, had passed the Council without amendment. The Friendly Societies Bill was also presented to Mr. Speaker, as amended in the Council, in which amendments they prayed the concurrence of the House. On motion of Mr. Stafford, the consideration of the amendments in the Friendly Societies Bill was ordered to stand an order of the day for Friday next. 19. Standing Orders :—-Mr. Fox, for the Chairman of the Standing Orders Committee, brought up a supplementary report of the Committee, recommending the adoption of certain Standing Orders in reference to private Bills, and other private matters. 20. Pensioners' Petitions Committee :—Mr. Fox, Chairman of this Committee, brought up their report, which was read, and ordered to be printed. 21. Postponement -—On motion of Mr. Domett, the report of the Committee on Old Land Claims was postponed until to-morrow. 22. Estimates