t—4.

8

No. 141, Sess. ll.—Petition of Heney Casaubon. The Committee recommends that this petition be sent to the Native Affairs Committee for consideration. 23rd October, 1884.

No. 176, Sess. ll.—Petition of Fredeeick Maetin Chapman. The Committee recommends that this petition be sent to the Public Petitions Committee for consideration. 23rd October, 1884.

No. 144, Sess. ll.—Petition of Newman Boseley. The Committee recommends that this petition be sent to the Public Petitions Committee for consideration. 23rd October, 1884.

No. 283, Sess. ll.—Petition of William Cheistie and Others. The petitioners, residents of Dipton and other portions of Southland, pray that Castlerock may be connected with the Winton-Kingston Railway, a distance of seven miles, to open up valuable deposits of limestone. The Committee is of opinion that this is a matter for the Executive Government, and that it Bhould be referred to them for consideration. 23rd October, 1884.

No. 135, Sess. 11.-—Petition of William Robeets and Others. The petitioners are residents in the vicinity of Shag Point, and pray that the House may devise some means that may lead to reopening of Shag Point Colliery. As the subject-matter of this petition has been dealt with in the report on petition No. 136, F. D. Rich and another, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 28th October, 1884.

No. 462, Sess. ll.—Petition of William Holliday. The petitioner prays for grant of land for military services. The Committee has the honour to report that, in" accordance with a resolution passed on the 16th September last, which was presented to the House, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 28th October, 1884.

No. 317, Sess. ll.—Petition of Simon Ryan. The petitioner prays for grant of land in respect of military services. The Committee has the honour to'report that, petitioner's claim having been rejected by the Royal Commission, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 28th October, 1884.

No. 388, Sess. ll.—Petition of Alexander Sutheeland and Another. The petitioners, who are holders of deferred-payment sections on the Waimate Plains, pray that the freehold of the same may be granted to them on the payment of their capitalized value. As the subject-matter of this petition is now under the consideration of Parliament, the Committee does not consider it necessary to make any recommendation. 28th October, 1884.

No. 136, Sess. ll—Petition of F. D. Rich and W. H. Williams. The petitioners are the proprietors of the Shag Point Colliery, and they allege they have suffered severe pecuniary loss through the action of the Government Inspector of Mines (Mr. Binns), which action led to the necessity of closing the mine. They pray that relief may be granted to them for the purpose of reopening the mine. After an extended inquiry into the merits of the case, and having examined a number of witnesses, many of them being experts, the Committee have the honour to report —1. That in their opinion the action of the Inspector of Mines was warranted. 2. That, looking at the capital expended on this mine, and the need of keeping open a coal mine in the district, a lease of the submarine coal fields for a long term should be granted to Messrs. Rich and Williams, and an extension of the existing lease if no private rights are interfered with. 3. That a Government grant should be made in aid of reopening the mine, such grant not to exceed one-third of the total cost of such reopening, and in no case to exceed £5,000. (For Evidence, &c, see 1.-4 a.) 28th October, 1884.

No. 502, Sess. ll.—Petition of Alfeed Kidd and Others. The petitioners, leaseholders of allotments at Eotorua, pray that" they may be relieved from their liabilities in respect thereof by the repeal of " The Thermal Springs District Act 1881 Amendment Act, 1883," which Act, they allege, was made retrospective, or by such other measures as may be devised for their relief. The Committee has the honour to report that, as the subject-matter of the petition is one for Government to deal with, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 28th October, 1884.