G—No. 6

To the Honourable the House of Representatives, in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the undersigned Freeholders, Householders, and others, Electors of the City of Christchurch: — Respectfully Sheweth— That your Petitioners, believing that the considei-ation of the locality for the Seat of the Government of these Islands will be brought prominently under the consideration of your Honorable House during the present Session, are induced to address you with a view to the expression of their opinion thereupon. Your Petitioners pray that in the event of the subject being brought under the notice of your Honorable House, you will consider the serious inconvenience resulting from the Seat of Government being placed at so inconvenient a distance from the centre of the Islands as it at present is. Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray that whatever may be the locality determined upon, it may be one that shall prevent the inconvenience your Petitioners have heretofore experienced by reason of the isolation of Auckland from the other Provinces, and that it may be fixed at some spot which shall afford convenience of access, facility for constant communication, and which shall not, as your Petitioners believe has been the case, prevent many of the Representatives of the people from attending to their Parliamentary duties, and so deprive the outlying districts of that fair share in the representation of the Colony to which they are entitled. And your Petitioners will, as in duty bound, over pray, &c, &c. W. Wilson, John Bennett, J. Ollivier, M.P.C., • Christopher Swinbourne, E. L. King, R. Swinbourue, John Whale, Edward Scott, Friend Lamb Robson, George Hollingworth, Edward Brocker, William Webb, George Froggatt, Richard Smith, Henry P. Blanchard, John Lucas, William Gladden, James Wilson, Thomas Pye, J. G. Ruddenklan, Barrett, Brothers, Francis Slater, Joseph Bailey, T. C. Farr, John El vines, W. 0. Cawkweli. William Atacke, Gilbert Butler, C. H. Bishop, John Birdsey, —. Chervier, Robert Watson, William Manning, Josh. Page, N Samuel Manning, Chris. Geo. Hodson, Hebdon James Rearrey. Robt. Anderson, George Pepper, Charles Newton, John Brown, P. B. Boulton, Peter Noonau, Charles River, John Noonan, H. W. Packer, John Huffery. Thos. B. Anis, M. Marks, Rogers Dracon, John Smith, James Kerr, M. B. Hart, Alex. Mills, Robert Warner, James Hair, E. C. McMillan, Robert Jones, Hugh Bennett, John Hughes, Bethel Ware, John King, Fred. Jenkins, John C. Angus, J. F. Ballard, . James Parker, Henry Moss, Joseph Bargrove, L. E. Nathan, John Tunmer, John W. Shackleton, Walter Gee, S. W. Pepperell, H. B. Grisbook, N. Stringer, Robert Waitt, James Johnston, Geo. R. Foblin, John H. Caton, Richard Jones, C. C. Arkmau, Edwin Coxhead, Alex. Matthews, F. Lane, W. D. Barnard, H. V. Fielder, T. C. Martin, John Atkinson, W. Pengellcy, John Dean, W. J. Adams, James Henry Tompkins, Charles Bonington. John Strangman,

2

PETITION OF THE INHABITANTS