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1892. NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Tuesday, the sth Day of July, 1892. Ordered, " That a Public Petitions A to L Committee, consisting of ten members, be appointed to consider all petitions that may be referred to it by the Petitions Classification Committee, to classify arid prepare abstracts of such petitions in such form and manner as shall appear to it best suited to convey to this House all requisite information respecting their contents, and to report the same from time to time to this House, and to have power to report its opinions and observations thereupon to the House ; also to have power to call for persons and papers: three to be a quorum. The Committee to consist of Mr. Allen, Mr. Earnshaw, Mr. Houston, Mr. J. Kelly, Mr. Lake, Mr. C. H. Mills, Mr. Moore, Mr. B. M. Smith, Mr. Swan, and the mover."—(Hon. Mb. Cadman.)

No. 12.—Petition of S. Griffiths and 119 Others, of Wellington. Petitioners pray that the same privilege as that enjoyed by seamen, of voting for election of members of the House of Eepresentatives when away from the district, be extended to commercial travellers. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of the Committee, the petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 15th July, 1892.

No. 41. —Petition of Eobeet G. Hawes, of Auckland. Petitioner alleges that his property was too highly valued by Mr. Thomas Seaman, the propertytax valuer, in the year 1886. He prays for relief. I am directed to report that, in the matter of this petition, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 15th July, 1892. -

No. 73. —Petition of Chaeles Campbell, of Christchurch. Petitioner states that through the operation of section 84 of " The Government Eailways Act, 1887," he is debarred from suing the Eailway Commissioners for damages for injuries received by a wheel of a guard's van passing over his leg. He prays for relief. I am directed to report that the Commissioners were clearly within their right in declining to waive the notice required by " The Government Eailways Act, 1887 ; " but, as a matter of equity, the Committee are of opinion that, under all the circumstances, the second prayer of the petition should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 19th July, 1892.

No. 62. —Petition of James Knox, of Invercargill. Petitioner states that he was an Inspector of Works in the Public Works Department, and that after nearly thirty years' service he was dispensed with without compensation. He prays for relief. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 19th July, 1892.

No. 27. —Petition of Cathbeine Hislop, of Invercargill. Petitioner states that her husband died from an illness caused by an accident while in the employ of the Eailway Department and that she has not received any compassionate allowance. She prays for relief. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make, beyond that the petitioner should receive the compensation already offered by the Eailway Commissioners—viz., £33 3s. 9d. 19th July, 1892. I—l. 1.

REPORTS OF PUBLIC PETITIONS A TO L COMMITTEE. (Mb. C. H. MILLS, CHAIRMAN.)