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No. 323.—Petition of J. Dowling and Others, of Grey County. The petitioners pray that certain rivers may be declared sludge-channels. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of this Committee, this petition should be referred to the Goldfields Committee. 4th July, 1888.

No. 324.—Petition of R. Dickson and Others, of Croydon, Southland. The petitioners pray that certain lands may be thrown open for settlement. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of this Committee, this petition should be referred to the Waste Lands Committee. 4th July, 1888.

No. 131. —Petition of J. Goodfellow and Others (No. 1), of Waimamaku, Omapere. The petitioners complain that there is no road to their settlement, and that the promise of roadwork made to them by the Government Agent, Mr. John Lundon, has not been fulfilled. They pray for relief. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of the Committee, this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration. 6th July, 1888.

No. 235. —Petition of F. Livook and Others, of Dacre's Claim, Omaha. The petitioners show that there is a road through their village settlement, but that neither end of that road is connected with any public road. They pray for establishment of such connection, and also for revaluation of their holdings. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of the Committee, this petition should be referred to the Government for consideration, with recommendation that the petitioners be provided with means of access to their land. 6th July, 1888.

No. 255.—Petition of George Fenwick and Others (being the Board of Directors of the Dunedin City and Suburban Tramways Company). The petitioners represent themselves to be the assignees of the original promoters of the Dunedin, Peninsula, and Ocean Beach Railway Company, and allege that in the year 1875 the Provincial Government of Otago, actiug in concert with the Colonial Executive of the time, promised those promoters a grant of an acre of ground as a site for a station, near the Dunedin Railway-station. The petitioners now pray for fulfilment of the alleged promise, or for other equivalent relief. I am directed to report as follows : The petition was considered at a meeting of the Committee held on the sth July, 1888. Present—Mr. Seymour (Chairman), Mr. Allen, Mr. Blake, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Fish, Hon. Mr. Fisher, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Moat. The Committee, having received a report from the Public Works Department, and taken the evidence of Dr. F. Fitchetfc, M.H.R., Mr. C. C. Kettle, of Dunedin, solicitor, Mr. G. Fenwick, petitioner, chairman of the company, Mr. W. N. Blair, of the Public Works Department, and Mr. A. Barron, of the Survey Department, proceeded to consider the petition. Mr. Fish moved, and the question was proposed, That, in the opinion of the Committee, no promise of a grant of land was made that was binding upon the Provincial Government or upon the colony. Mr. Blake moved, That the question be amended by the omission of all the words after the word " that," and the insertion of the following words in lieu thereof : "on completion of the line to Portobello, or on sufficient guarantee that the line shall be completed w Tithin a reasonable time, this Committee is of opinion that the prayer of the petitioners should be granted. And the question being put, " That the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the resolution," the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow : Ayes, 4— Mr. Allen, Mr. Fish, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Moat. Noes, 3—Mr. Blake, Mr. Duncan, Hon. Mr. Fisher. So it was resolved in the affirmative. And the original question being put, it was resolved in the affirmative. 6th July, 1888

No. 300. —Petition of Samuel J. Deck, J.P., and Others, of Stewart Island. The petitioners state that the sailing-day of the weekly mail steamer from the Bluff to Stewart Island used to be Wednesday, and that the Post Office has inflicted great hardship on the fishermen and other islanders by changing the day to Monday. They pray either for a return to Wednesday instead of Monday, or, preferably, for the establishment of two mails a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. I am directed to report that the Post Office has decided to comply with the wish of the petitioners by reverting to Wednesday as the sailing-day for the weekly mail; and that on the rest of the petition the Committee has no recommendation to make. 6th July, 1888.

No. 305.—Petition of E. L. Clabk, of Auckland (No. I). The petitioner brings charges of arbitrary and oppressive conduct against Mr. Justice Gillies, Judge of the Supreme Court at Auckland. He prays for removal of the Judge or for other relief. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make on the subject of this petition. 6th July, 1888.