EDUCATIONAL RESERVES.

A.-No. 3.

83

The Rev. W. F. Oldham, being duly sworn, states: My name is William Falcon Oldham. lam clergyman of the Church of England at Riverton. I know the land. One subdivision of it is set apart by the Superintendent as a cemetery for the use of the Church of England. No revenue is derived from it. The third portion is used partly by the Roman Catholics and partly reserved for use generally of any other denomination. The land is not improved or laid out or planted. The reserve is only partly fenced in. Jacob's River Hundred, Otaitai Bush, Block 6, containing 10 acres. — Educational Reserve. Mr. Charles Howard, being duly sworn, states :I am Clerk in the Land Office. (Crown Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 360, produced.) I know the land. The grant produced was made in Auckland, and issued to the Superintendent. The Land Office here had no knowledge of it. Prior to the date of the grant (20th June, 1862) the land was allotted to a man named Thomas Brown, who, on account of defective survey, discovered that he had built and improved upon a piece of the Bush Reserve, instead of his own section. On re-survey of the land, applicant was allowed to take a part of the Bush Reserve, including the ten acres comprised in this grant, to cover his improvements. He has paid for the land, and has subsequently transferred it to another man, with consent of the Waste Land Board. This grant will therefore have to bo cancelled, for which purpose legislation will be necessary. Invercargill Hundred, part of Section 43, Block 2, containing 20 acres. — Educational Endowment. John Holland Baker, being duly sworn, states : I am Chief Surveyor of the Province of Southland. (Crown Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 301, produced.) I know the land in question. It is granted as an Educational Reserve, but has been altered to a Cemetery Reserve, by " Alteration of Educational Reserve Ordinance, 1863." It is now used as a public cemetery. The remainder of section 43 has been recommended and assented to be granted as an Educational Reserve, but the grant has not been issued. Duncan Macarthur, being duly sworn, states :I am Clerk of Cemeteries. I know this land. It is used as a cemetery. A revenue is produced from the sale of ground for interment, and is paid into the Provincial Treasury. The sexton is paid out of these funds, but they are insufficient for the purpose. The drainage and fencing of the ground are also paid for by the Provincial Treasurer. The sexton is paid an annual salary, and his time is employed in improving and keeping in order the grounds. He receives £120 a year. The revenue from this land for 1868 was £78 145.; for 1869 it was £71 16s. I received a salary of £25 for the year from Ist May, 1868, to Ist May, 1569 ; for last year, 1869-70, no salary. Town of Invercargill —l acre 1 rood 27 perches Hospital Reserve, and 2 acres 1 rood 11 perches. Thomas Perkins, being duly sworn, states : I am Secretary to the Southland Provincial Hospital. (Grants, Record, No. 6c, folio 34, and No. 6c, folio 84, produced.) I know this land. It is occupied as the site of the Provincial Hospital, not in any other way. The hospital is supported partly by subsidy from the Provincial Government, partly by payment from Colonial Government for Native and half-caste patients, and remainder by voluntary subscriptions. The number of patients treated last year was 77 outdoor and 73 indoor. The average attendance of latter was 6. The cost last year was £790 17s. lOd. The institution is managed by a Committee, who meet weekly, and the whole of the office-bearers are honorary. Two of the surgeons practising in the town attend medically without salary. Various Educational Reserves. Crown Grants produced: Record No. 6a, folio 336, 20 acres, Te Ringa Ringa Bush Reserve, Hundred of Invercargill; Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 340, 25 acres 2 roods 16 perches, Fern Bush Reserve, New River Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 344, 20 acres, Royal Bush Reserve, New River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 348, 20 acres, part of section No. 4, block 4, New River Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 352, 30 acres 3 roods 39 perches, Wild Bush Reserve, Jacob's River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6a, folio 356, 10 acres, Bush Reserve, New River Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 35, 30 acres, southern portion of section 48, block 11, Hundred of Invercargill ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 37, 30 acres, southern portion of section 33, block 4, Hundred of Invercargill; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 49, 30 acres, section 21, block 15, Hundred of Invercargill; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 51, 30 acres, section 49, block 11, New River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 52, 43 acres 16 perches, section 17, block 13, New River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 53, 30 acres, section 64, block 13, New River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 54, 40 acres, section 65, block 13, New River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 55, 40 acres, section 66, block 13, New River Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 56, 30 acres, section 51, block 7, Jacob's River Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 58, 30 acres, section 63, block 7, Jacob's River Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 61, 40 acres, section 65, block 1, Oteramika Hundred.; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 62, 30 acres, section 66, block 1, Oteramika Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 63, 50 acres, section 67, block 1, Oteramika Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 66, 50 acres, section 48, block 2, Oteramika Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 67, 40 acres, section 73, block 3, Oteramika Hundred ; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 68, 65 acres 2 roods 36 perches, section 10, block 3, Oteramika Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 69, 67 acres 2 roods 24 perches, section 65, block 3, Oteramika Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 70, 40 acres, section 11, block 2, Campbelltown Hundred; Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 71, 50 acres, section 15, block 3, Campbelltown Hundred. The Rev. W. P. Tanner, being duly sworn, states: I know these lands. None of them are dealt with, or produce any revenue. Invercargill Hundred, part of Roslyn Bush Reserve, Block No. 5, 19 acres 8 perches. The Rev. W. P. Tanner, being duly sworn, states (Grant, Record No. 6c, folio 36, produced) : This land is leased for seven years, from 23rd November, 1868, at £7 10s. per annum. 22