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. Notwithstanding, your Committee sitting at a great distance from the locality in which the submitted to their investigation occurred, and consequently unable to sunfmon witnesses before th.m, and being likewise especially anxious m no way to prejudge the final issue ; have found themselves precluded from conducting their examination to a conclusive decision. , J^ 0U Sb however has been elicited by documentary evidence, during the progress of their enquiry to satisfy then minds that a prima facie case has been made out in favor of the Petitioner and tw4 consequently recommend that the whole matter should be referred by the Government to the invest g on anc * re poit ot a Commission, directed to conduct its enquiries at the Port of Wellington. "WILLIAM 1" 11ZHERBERT, Chairman. May 22, 1856.

MEMORIAL OF THE UNDERSIGNED, LATE OFFICERS IN HER MAJESTY'S CUSTOMS IN THE PORT OF WELLINGTON. {Read and received April 29, 1856.) To the Honorable the Members of the House or Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. Humbly sheweth, That your Memorialists were lately employed as Tidewaiters at the Port of Wellington, at a permanent salary of £80 per annum, with the addition of 2s. 6d. per diem while afloat. f jrac of y°ur Memorialists had been several years in the service of the Customs, and one of them had been a Tidewaiter for upwards of seven years. That your Memorialists, on the 19th day of September last, addressed a letter (dated 17th September) to the Collector of Customs (copies of correspondence relative thereto herewith attached), calling his attention to the nature ot some ot the duties which, they had to perform, and requesting him to solicit His Excellency to award tlieni an advance of salary in consequence thereof. That your Memorialists received a reply from the Collector the same day, imforming them that he had taken their Memorial into consideration, and that he had decided on dismissing them the service; and they were accordingly paid ofl' and dismissed immediately. That your Memorialists had not been charged by the Collector of Customs with any neglect of duty, or other improper conduct. That your Memorialists thereupon petitioned his Excellency the Governor, respecting the conduct of the Collector in dismissing them so summarily; but his Excellency, while he expressed his sympathy, and regretted their sudden removal, declined to interfere in the matter. That your Memorialists, therefore, pray your Honorable House to award them compensation for being thus suddenly deprived of their means of subsistence. C HENRY FREDERICK BROOK, \ R. W. PATTEN, {Signed) ■! WILLIAM SCOTT, } FREDERICK J. ENGLISH, (_J. C. JAMES, (Per H. F. BROOK). /