F.—No. 11

No. 40. EHODA BETTY HAMLIN. The Committee direct me to report that the particulars of this case will be found in tho printed Journals of the House of Representatives, under date the 10th August, 1865, page 34, Petition No. 5; that it would appear from the fact of the presentation to the House of the present Petition that the recommendation of the Committee of last Session has not been attended to by the Government; that the Petition of the last Session was presented by the Hon. Colonel Haultain, Defence Minister ; that the present Petition is presented by Mr. Robert Graham, the Member for Franklin ; and that it is in the power of either of those members, should they be desirous of bringing the Petitioner's case before the House, to move that the Eeport of the Committee of 10th August, 1865, be taken into consideration. J. Ceaceoft Wilson, C.8., Chairman. ' No. 41. JOHN EUNCIMAN. The Petitioner is a settler, living at Drury, and in the month of December, 1864, he went to Ngaruawahia and asked Colonel Hamilton, then commanding the troops at that station, for a pass, to enable him to proceed to Tamahere, in the interior, for the purpose of purchasing some sheep. Colonel Hamilton refused at first to give him a pass, alleging that the sheep which he wished to purchase had already been secured by the Contractor, for supplying the troops with meat. The Petitioner then appears to have given his word of honor to Colonel Hamilton, that if he would give him (the Petitioner) a pass he would not purchase the sheep without the consent of the Contractor. On the faith of this promise, Colonel Hamilton gave the Petitioner on the 10th December, 1864, a pass, authorizing him to proceed as far as Hamilton, for the purpose of conducting his business from that post. At tho Petitioner's request, Colonel Hamilton applied by telegram to tho Contractor for his consent to the Petitioner's purchasing the sheep, and the Contractor also by telegram refused to give his consent, which refusal was at once made known to the Petitioner. Notwithstanding this refusal, the Petitioner went into the interior and brought 274 sheep down the river in two barges, in tow of the steamer " Waipa," and when the steamer reached Ngaruawahia on the 13th December, 1864, Colonel Hamilton, on the requisition of the Contractor, and with the consent of tho Petitioner, caused the sheep to be landed. It then came out that the Petitioner, notwithstanding that his pass permitted him to proceed only as far as Hamilton, had gone as far as Tamahere, and having offered the Natives two shillings per head for the lambs more than the Contractor had offered, they had agreed to sell the sheep to the Petitioner. Tho sellers, viz., the Natives of Tamahere, the day after the sheep were landed came down to Ngaruawahia, and then again changing their minds, returned to the Petitioner £21 10s., which sum had been paid by him on account, and took from the Contractor the price of the sheep in full, and the sheep were converted to the use of the troops. Subsequently the matter was submitted to arbitration, and an award appears to have been given in favor of the Petitioner to the amount of £300. This award was set aside by the Supreme Court of Auckland, on the plea of informality. The Petitioner then instituted a suit in the Supreme Court for damages amounting to £600, and the progress of that case was stopped by the Indemnity Act of 1865. On this ground the Petitioner prays that tho House will take his case into consideration, and afford him such relief as may seem meet in the premises. The Committee direct me to report that they are of opinion that the Petitioner, having by his own act placed himself iv a false position, his jirayer should not receive the favorable consideration of the Government. J. Ceaceoft Wilson, C.8., Chairman. No. 42. JOHN McGEEGOE. I am directed by the Committee to report that on investigation of the Petition of John McGregor of AVanganui, they find, that the Petitioner states he was a settler residing at AVanganui, during the disturbances that took place in that district in the year 1847 ; that the buildings, furniture, stock, and other property belonging to the Petitioner were destroyed by the rebel Natives ; that the Petitioner served at the request of His Excellency Sir George Grey as guide to Her Majesty's Forces during the AVanganui war ; that he was wounded whilst so serving, and was promised compensation for his sen-ices and the losses he had sustained by His Excellency the Governor ; that the Petitioner estimates his losses at £850, and he claims £100 as pay and rations for the time he was serving with Her Majesty's Forces. Your Committee are of opinion that the case as stated by the Petitioner is one of considerable hardship ; but desire to record their opinion that it is the duty of the Government rather than of this Committee, to cause inquiry to be made, and to found recommendations thereon if deemed right in cases of this nature. J. Ceaceoft Wilson, C.8., 25th September, 1866. Chairman. No. 43. ELECTORS OF MARLBOROUGH. I am directed to report that there is an erasure in this Petition, but it does not affect the meaning or intent of the Petitioners, the word holding having been by mistake inserted twice, the pen has been

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REPORTS OP COMMITTEE