PUBLIC PETITIONS A TO L COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. F. W. SCHRAMM, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1940 Session I, I-01

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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC PETITIONS A TO L COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. F. W. SCHRAMM, Chairman.)

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from. the Journals of the House of Representatives. Thursday, the 11th Day of July, 1940. Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to consider all petitions from A to L which may be referred to it; to classify and prepare abstracts of such petitions in such form and manner as shall appear to it best suited to convey to this House all requisite information respecting their contents, and to report the same from time to time to this House ; and to have power to report its opinions and observations thereon to this House: the Committee to consist of Mr. P. Carr, Hon. Mr. Cobbe, Mr. Ootterill, Mr. Doidge, Mr. Massey, Mr. Neilson, Mr. Richards, Mr. Roy, Mr. Schramm, and the Mover."—(Hon. Mr. Parry.) Ordered. " That all petitions not finally dealt with during the session of 1939 be again referred to the same Committees as they were referred to during the said session."—(Eight Hon. Mr. Fraser.) Ordered, " That during the present session all Select Committees appointed by the House have leave to sit on days on which the House is not sitting, provided that when it is proposed to sit on any such day at least three days' notice shall be given to each member of the Committee of the date of the sitting."—(Right Hon. Mr. Eraser.)

REPORTS. No. 12/1939. —Petition of N. R. A. Cox and 25 others, Chatham Islands. Praying for the provision of better shipping-facilities between New Zealand and the Chatham Islands. I am directed to report that the prayer of the petition having been granted by the Marine Department, and the member in charge of the petition having requested leave to withdraw the same, the Committee recommends that the petition be allowed to be withdrawn. 30th July, 1940.

No. 49/1939. —Petition of S. W. R. Evans and 76 others. Praying for a reduction of the term of imprisonment imposed on Douglas Baker. 1 am directed to report that the prayer of the petition having already been satisfied by the Justice Department, and the member in charge of the petition having requested leave to withdraw the same, the Committee recommends that the petition be allowed to be withdrawn. 30th July, 1940.

No. 2. —Petition of Olive Darling, Gisborne. Praying for a compassionate allowance in consideration of her late husband's services with the Department of Agriculture. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee the petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 30th July, 1940.

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No. 10. —Petition of T. Gray, Wellington. Praying for compensation on account of inability to obtain redress for financial loss allegedly sustained. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 30th July, 1940.

No. 21.- Petition of C. Leary, Mataroa. Praying for a rehearing of his claim in the Magistrate's Court. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 30th July, 1940.

Nos. 67/1939 and 14.—Petitions of J. E. Curran, Silverdale, Auckland. Praying for redress on account of alleged- wrongful arrest and imprisonment. 1 am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 29th August, 1940.

No. 29.—Petition of J. G. Johnston, Wellington. Praying that his services for superannuation purposes be back-dated. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 2nd October, 1940.

No. 45.—Petition of Mabel Ellj'.n Button, formerly of Wellington, now of Sydney, New South Wales. Praying for compensation for loss allegedly sustained by fire. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 2nd October, 1940.

No. 47.—Petition of R. Eyre and 211 others. Praying for cessation of operations at railway ballast-pit at Ngaruawahia. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 28th November, 1940.

No. 5.-- Petition of L. M. Estcourt, Hastings. Praying for redress on account of alleged wrongful dismissal from the Public Service. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee the petition should be referred to the Government for most favourable consideration. 4th December, 1940.

No. 20. —Petition of T. V. Foster. Praying for inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his dismissal from the Lands and Survey Department, and improvement in the status of temporary Civil servants. I am directed to report that the Committee, having made full investigation into the facts of this case, is of the opinion that there were insufficient grounds for the dismissal of the petitioner from the Lands and Survey Department, and is further of the opinion that he should be reinstated or some other suitable position be found for him. The Committee therefore recommends that the petition be referred to the Government for most favourable consideration, with a view to petitioner's re-employment in the Public Service. 4th December, 1940. F. W. Schramm, Chairman.

Final Report. I have the honour to report that the Public Petitions A to L Committee, consisting of ten members, held six meetings during the session, the average attendance at each meeting being six. The number of petitions referred to the Committee was thirty-two, twenty-seven of which were considered, twelve reported to the House, fifteen held over, and five received too late to obtain reports from the Departments concerned. sth December, 1940. A. S. Richards, for Chairman.

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