G.

8

PETITIONS.

Your petitioner humbly prays,— That your Honourable House will refrain from passing a Bill relative to the Dunedin Princes Street Reserve or its rents, now or presently to be submitted to the General Assembly of New Zealand, or any other law of similar principle and tendency. And your petitioner will ever pray. John Topi.

No. 7. PETITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF TIMARU AND GLADSTONE. To the Honourable the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, The Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of the Districts of Timaru and Gladstone, Humbly Sheweth, — That a Bill be introduced in your Honourable House for the purpose of providing a means whereby land owners and householders may be enabled to obtain tho formation of Shire Councils and Municipalities in the outlying districts of the Province of Canterbury; and that for the purpose of carrying out the principle of Local Self-government, provision bo made in such a manner as may seem to your Honourable House wise and just, for the endowment of such local bodies, either from the General Revenue of the Colony, or by vesting in them all funds accruing from the Waste Lands in the several districts to be hereafter proclaimed. Your petitioners would strongly urge that no powers be granted to the Superintendent or Provincial Council whereby a check may be placed on the operation of any measure to be passed for the provision of Local Self-government by your Honourable House. Your petitioners would respectfully urge upon your Honorable House the urgent necessity which exists for giving speedy effect to their appeal. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c. [Here follow 271 signatures.]

No. 8. PETITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF TIMRU AND GLADSTONE. To the Honourable Members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled, The Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of the Electoral Districts of Timaru and Gladstone, Humbly Sheweth, — That your petitioners wish to draw the attention of your Honourable House to the many grievances they have for some time suffered, and are still suffering under, from the mal-administration of the Provincial Government of Canterbury: in that the aforesaid Government has absorbed revenues both territorial and ordinary, derived from the aforesaid districts, for expenditure in Public "Works, from which these districts have not derived any benefit. That the revenues referred to amounted from the thirtieth day of June, 1866, to the first day of July, 1867, to the sum of sixty-eight thousand one hundred and twenty-nine pounds, made up by the following items, namely : sale of Waste Lands, forty-four thousand nine hundred and thirty pounds; rents of runs, about twelve thousand pounds; Provincial three-eighths of Customs revenue, four thousand three hundred and ninety pounds ; receipts from the Timaru Landing Service, four thousand five hundred and nine pounds; and from miscellaneous sources, about two thousand three hundred pounds. That out of this sum of sixty-eight thousand one hundred and twenty-nine pounds, a sum of eight thousand eight hundred and fifty pounds has been devoted to the use of Road Boards and the Timaru Municipal Council, beyond the ordinary expenditure in the aforesaid districts for Surveys and Police, and also for the Timaru Landing Service, a sum of three thousand two hundred and thirteen pounds. That the land sold in the aforesaid districts since their settlement has amounted to one hundred and fifty-two thousand and fifty-three acres. That the entire extent of the districts contains six thousand five hundred and seventeen square miles. That the number of sheep depasturing in the districts are eight hundred and seventy-three thousand two hundred and ninety-seven. That the value of imports for the year last past ending June 30th, 1867, was about two hundred and fifty thousand pounds. That the value of exports for the same period was about one hundred and seventy thousand pounds. That in addition to the revenues derived from the aforesaid districts from June 30th, 1866, to July Ist, 1867, there were no less than seven thousand one hundred and twenty-six acres sold during the month of July, 1867, realizing fourteen thousand two hundred and fifty-two pounds. That although the revenues derived from the aforesaid districts have been absorbed as above stated, like acts of injustice on the part of the Canterbury Government have been perpetrated from