PETITIONS.

15

No. 2. PETITION OE OAMARU LAND AND BUILDING INVESTMENT SOCIETY. To the General Assembly of New Zealand in Session assembled, The Humble Petition of the Committee of " The Oamaru Land and Building Investment Society. Shewetii, — 1. That many shares in the said society and in other building societies are held by minors. 2. That circumstances frequently arise, under which it is for the advantage of minors holding shares that such shares should be sold or withdrawn; for instance, in cases where a minor or his parents aro about to leave the district or Colony, or are unable to continue paying the subscriptions. 3. That your petitioners have taken the advice of their solicitor, and the opinion of eminent counsel, and have been advised that " The Building and Land Societies Act 1860 Amendment Act, 1867," does not enable minors to withdraw or sell their shares, and that the notices of withdrawal and transfer of shares, which are required to be signed by a minor withdrawing or selling his share, are not " necessary instruments " and " necessary acquittances " within the meaning of the said Act. _. That tho said Act is also vague and unsatisfactory, in that no distinction is made therein between acts which may be done by minors arrived at 3'ears of discretion and minors of tender years ; and that no provision is made for the protection of minors by enabling the trustees of any society to pay their shares to their parents or guardians, or to invest the same for the benefit of a minor who may be of tender years, or who may have no parent or guardian living, or whose parent or guardian may not be a fit and proper person to receive the share of such minor. Tour petitioners therefore humbly pray —■ 1. That your Honorable Assembly will cause an Act to be passed empowering minors to withdraw from any building and land society, or to sell their shares therein, subject to such restrictions and under such provisions, by providing for the investment of the share of any minor, or otherwise for the protection of minors, as your Honorable Assembly shall think fit. 2. That your Honorable Assembly will also, by Act, provide for the payment or disposal of the shares of minors on the winding up of any society, subject to such restrictions and under such provisions as hereinbefore mentioned. And your petitioners will ever pray. Signed on behalf of the said Committee, Jno. Wait, Chairman.

No. 3. PETITION OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF CROMWELL, OTAGO. To the Honorable the Speaker and the Honorable the Members of the General Assembly, Wellington, The Memorial of the Mayor and Councillors of the Incorporated Town of Cromwell, in the Province of Otago. J-lUMBIiY Shewetii, — That, at a public meeting of the residents of this district, held here on Saturday last, the 18th instant, for the purpose of taking into consideration the subject of commonage, the following Resolutions were passed, viz.: — 1. This meeting views with alarm the gradual curtailment of what was hitherto looked upon as the Cromwell Commonage, and that the time has now arrived when some decided step should be taken to secure to Cromwell the just privilege of a real commonage, and that the Cromwell Corporation be asked to assist in obtaining the same. 2. That the attention of the Government should be called to the fact that the land hitherto used as a commonage by the inhabitants of Cromwell, and known as tho Lower Flat, is being fenced in, thereby locking up the river frontage, preventing persons from landing timber if they wish access to the road, and also keeping from the said inhabitants the only valuable piece of grazing land in the district. 3. That the Government be memorialized to the effect that a certain portion of country be declared a commonage for the use of the Cromwell District; and.that the head of the Fivemile Creek, Clutha River, be the boundary on the north, to Scrubby Gully on the Kawarau River. 4s. That the Resolutions passed by this meeting be left in the hands of the Chairman, with the request that he will bring the same before the Town Council at its next meeting. Tour memorialists therefore, in accordance with the wishes of the meeting, most respectfully beg leave to impress upon your Honorable House as strongly as possible, the absolute necessity of granting to this district the area of land asked for in the Resolution passed by the meeting ; and, in doing so, will call your attention to the fact of this Council having continually, for the last two years, solicited your Honorable House and the Provincial Council to set apart an area of land for' commonage, always pointing out that, unless the district had one of some extent, the residents who had cattle could not exist, and consequently would be obliged to leave the district; and it has as often been promised by the Provincial Council, they having said that they were in communication with Mr. Loughnan, the resident runholder, and made no doubt but that a suitable arrangement would be come to, and that Cromwell should have a commonage. 5