I.—lc

1892. NEW ZEALAND.

PUBLIC PETITIONS A TO L COMMITTEE (REPORT OF) ON THE PETITION OF W. CLARK AND OTHERS, OF WELLINGTON (IN RE G.W. ELL), TOGETHER WITH PETITION, MINUTES OF EVIDENCE, AND APPENDIX.

Report brought up 7th October, 1892, and ordered to be printed.

KEPOBT. Petitionebs state that they believe serious wrongs have been inflicted upon one G. W. Ell by certain public officers and others. Petitioners pray that redress may be given, and justice done to the said G. W. Ell. I am directed to report that the Committee have carefully considered the evidence. They have examined the Eegistrar of the Supreme Court at Christchurch, and Mr. G. W. Ell, and have arrived at the following conclusions :— 1. That the allegations made by G. W. Ell are on all the main points confirmed. 2. That the evidence of Mr. Bloxam, Eegistrar, Christchurch, was most unsatisfactory, and his official action in not issuing correct documents to G. W. Ell on application, and in other ways, caused the said G. W. Ell an enormous monetary loss, and practically kept him in the Bankruptcy Court. 3. That G. W. Ell appears to have very large and valid claims against Mr. Leonard Harper, but the Committee cannot devote their time to adjust accounts between them. 4. That the Committee are of opinion that a serious injustice to G. W. Ell has existed for many years in connection with this case, and recommend that Parliament and the Government should immediately afford any reasonable assistance to G. W. Ell, so that he may at last obtain justice. 5. Attached hereto is a copy of the evidence and exhibits produced before the Committee. 7th October, 1892. ' C. H. Mills, Chairman.

PETITION. (No. 93, 1892). To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Eepresentatives in Parliament assembled. An earnest appeal for justice and redress for wrongs done by our public servants, set forth in the under-mentioned report and explanation of the said petitioner. Your petitioners therefore pray that redress may be given and justice done to the said G. W. Ell. And your petitioners will ever pray. W. Clack, and 909 others.

Explanation by Me. Ell. Eeferring to the utider-mentioned report, the petitioner has been informed by the Government that they cannot give effect to the recommendations contained therein, and that the only way in which the Government can assist the petitioner is by his presenting a fresh petition to the House of Bepresentatives at the next meeting of Parliament, in June, 1892, for redress for the wrongs proved to have been committed by our public servant in Christchurch since the Ist December, 1884. In the meantime the petitioner is making his application in the ordinary way to the Supreme Court at Christchurch to recover moneys due him by judgments and evidence written and filed by the Eegistrar at Christchurch. By the false documents signed, sealed, and issued by the public servants at Christchurch, I have been put to more than £2,000 expenses, besides having wasted my life and nearly ruined my family since that date. Therefore I sincerely trust that colonists of New Zealand will assist me and mine by signing my petition now presented. I—l. IC.