I.—4e.

2

then ceased to be General Government property, and, in fact, it belonged to the province. The petitioner, Fagg, was a Kentish man, and he proposed to grow hops on the land. An experienced man, whom I took with me, said that the land was very suitable for the purpose, and I then paid the upset price to the Land Office, and the land then became the property of the Provincial Government. The petitioner, Fagg, then paid £30, and was to pay the amount he owed at the rate of so much a year. The document relating to that was missing, and I have no doubt it is missing in the same way that those other documents were missing. This land was granted for hop-growing. The land was only given to Eagg for the purpose of growing hops, and not for grass-growing purposes. The land was only given to the petitioner for a special purpose —namely, that of hop-growing. I cannot allow that he should get compensation for losing land which was given to him for hop-growing when he did not grow hops, but grew grass instead. The only thing in Fagg's favour is that he was taken ill before he could carry out his project of hop-growing. I have no doubt that amongst the documents of the Provincial Council, if not destroyed as I have described, there would be one which would show this to be the fact. I consider that the main question is, whether a man who lays down ground in grass can be considered to be laying it down in hops. 3. Was the £30 which he paid on account of purchase-money or was it for rent ?—The money was paid as part of the purchase-money. It was for purchase under the terms of his letter, and upon a system of deferred payments, and such as I have described as having been acted on in the Province of Wellington. 4. Mr. White.] You are quite sure that the money was paid as 'part of the purchase, and not as rent ?—Tes. I have no doubt that Fagg would have grown hops if the General Government had looked properly after him, and I have no doubt that the Provincial Government would have looked properly after him if it had not been abolished.

Authority: Geob&E Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.