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1895. NEW ZEALAND.

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

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, 21st Day op June, 1895. Ordered, "That a Public Petitions M to Z Committee, consisting of ton members, be appointed to consider all petitions that may be referred to it by the Petitions Classification Committee, to classify and prepare abstracts of such petitions in such manner as sha.ll 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 this House ; also to have power to call for persons and papers : three to be a quorum. The Committee to consist of Mr. Collins, Mr. Earnshaw, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Lang, Mr. Meredith, Mr. Morrison, Mr. McNab, Mr. E. M. Smith, Mr. Willis, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Reeves.)

Tuesday, 23bd Day of July, 1895. Ordered, " That the name of Mr. Earnshaw be discharged from the Public Petitions M to Z Committee, and the name of Mr. G. J. Smith substituted therefor." —(Hon. Mr. Reeves.)

No. 28. —Petition of Frederick Herbert Wilson and 43 Others, of Amuri District. Petitioners pray that the Amuri district be merged into the Christchurch district for the purposes of the Deeds Eegistration Acts and Land Transfer Acts instead of the Nelson District, as the settlers of Amuri find the present system most inconvenient. I am directed to report that the Committee recommends that the prayer of the petition be granted. 12th July, 1895.

No. 42. —Petition of Eobert Page and 60 Others, of Hokianga County. Petitioners pray that such a sum of money be placed upon the estimates as will open the road from Pakanae Beach to the Waimamaku Valley for wheeled traffic. I am directed to report that the Committee recommends that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 12th July, 1895.

No. 13. —Petition of Bartholomew O'Eourke, of Canterbury. Petitioner prays for compensation on account of an injury received while working as a prisoner on Quail Island, at Lyttelton. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 12th July, 1895.

No. 729, 1894. —Petition of John Milne and 15 Others, of Southland. Petitioners pray that provision may be made for the construction of the Gore and Kelso Eailway. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of the Committee, the petition should be referred to the Eailways Committee. 16th July, 1895.

Nos. 11, 18, 36, 56, and 60. —Petitions of A. Wothekspoon and 72 Others, Jambs Quigley and 48 Others, E. Voerghe and 63 Others, J. Macaulay and 200 Others, and D. Morrow and 169 Others, of Canterbury. Petitioners pray that "The Shops and Shop-assistants Act, 1894," may be so amended that firms selling harvesting machinery, or parts thereof, may he allowed to keep their shops open every afternoon in the week during the harvesting season for the sale only of such goods. I am directed to report that the Committee is of opinion that a real and serious grievance is disclosed in the petition of A. Wotherspoon and others, and that the Government be strongly recommended to take such steps as may give the necessary relief. 16th July, 1895. I—l. 2.

REPORTS OF PUBLIC PETITIONS M TO Z COMMITTEE. (Me. MEREDITH, CHAIRMAN.)