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No. 316, Sess. ll.—Petition of E. C. Middleton and Others. The petitioners are lessees under the West Coast Settlement Eeserves Act, and they pray that provision may be made for making roads to give them access to their lands. The Committee recommend that this petition should be referred to the Government. 28th October, 1884.

No. 59, Sess. ll.—Petition of Maegaeet Higgins. The petitioner takes exception to the action of the Public Trustee. The Committee is of opinion that this petition should be referred to the Public Petitions ■Committee. 30th October, 1884.

No. 105, Sess. ll.—Petition of Henry Thomas Salmon. The Committee is of opinion that this petition should be referred to the Public Petitions Committee. 30th October, 1884.

No. 487, Sess. ll.—Petition of John Aitken Connell. The petitioner prays that sections 5 to 13, inclusive, of the Bill intituled " An Act to amend ' The Land Act, 1877,' " may not be passed into law. As the subject-matter of this petition has been dealt with by Parliament, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 31st October, 1884.

No. 318, Sess. ll.—Petition of William Wheelee. The petitioner, a discharged soldier, alleges that land granted to him was afterwards taken as a county reserve. The Waste Lands Committee has the honour to report that this petition was dealt with in 1883, and there has been nothing further adduced to warrant the reopening of the matter, therefore it has no recommendation to make. 31st October, 1884.

No. 409, Sess. ll.—Petition of Alfeed Chaeles Kimbell. The petitioner alleges he bid for Section 1, Block VI., Strath-Taieri, under the Pastoral Deferredpayment Act, of which one James Pearsall was declared the purchaser. He asks to be allowed to purchase. The Committee recommend that this petition be referred to Government, together with a copy of the Committee's report on the same subject last year, which was as follows : " (1.) That the case of the petitioner is one of much hardship, and deserves special consideration at the hands of the Government, inasmuch as that, largely through his perseverance, the interests of the public have been conserved. (2.) That, with a view to the petitioner being placed in possession of the land for which he was a bond fide bidder, special legislation, if necessary, should be had recourse to this session." 31st October, 1884.

No. 478, Sess. ll.—Petition of Edwaed O'Connell. The petitioner holds land under lease from the Government at Strath-Taieri, and prays for a reduction in valuation, as they were led to purchase at a high rate through the representations of the Government auctioneer that the central railway would shortly be constructed. The Committee is of opinion that the case of the petitioner can be best met by the immediate construction of the Otago Central Eailway; the Committee therefore recommend that the Government be urged to push on this matter with all possible speed. 31st October, 1884.

No. 496, Sess. ll.—Petition of S. W. Goldsmith and Others, Mayor and Councillors of Waimate. The petitioners pray for an endowment of sixty-one acres for the Borough of Waimate of unsold Crown lands. The Waste Lands Committee has the honour to report that it is of opinion that this petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 31st October 1884.

Nos. 446 and 447, Sess. II. —Petition of Mack Bobeets and Others, and N. L. Buchanan. The former request that certain blocks of land may be thrown open for sale or lease on the deferredpayment system; the latter, who is a runholder in the district, protests against such a course being taken. As the subject-matter of these two petitions is a question of administration, the Committee recommend that the petitions be referred to the Government, whose duty it is to amend the law so as to make all due provision for bond fide settlement. 31st October, 1884.

No. 299, Sess. ll.—Petition of William Bayley and Others, New Plymouth. The petitioners pray that the Eacecourse Eeserve in New Plymouth may be granted to the Mayor and Councillors, as provided by " The Public Eeserves Act, 1881." 2—l. 4.