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1881. NEW ZEALAND

Presented to the Souse of Representatives, Session 1881, and ordered to he printed.

No. B.—Petition of I. M. Innes and Others, of Port Chalmers. The petitioners state that the allotments in the present cemetery have all been disposed of, and that very shortly there will be no public place of interment. They pray that a part of the Town Belt of Port Chalmers be appropriated for the purposes of a public cemetery I am directed to report that the Committee have no recommendation to make, as it appears there is a Bill now before the House to deal specially with the subject-matter of the petition. 21st June, 1881. '

No. 6. —Petition of Alfbed Albert Tates, late a Clerk in the District Lands Court, Tauranga. The petitioner states that he was engaged as clerk to the Court of the Commissioner, under the Tauranga District Lands Act; that no remuneration was fixed for such engagement, and that a voucher was sent to the said Commissioner, J A. Wilson, amounting to £17 17s and the aforesaid Commissioner certified to the correctness of the charge. I am directed to report that, assuming the voucher submitted to the Committee purporting to be signed by the Commissioner, certifying to the reasonableness of the claim, is a correct copy of the original, the Committee are at a loss to understand why the claim has not been paid, and recommend that it be paid forthwith. 21st June, 1881.

No. 13. —Petition of J C. Soall, of Auckland. The petitioner prays that the House will grant him a fair enquiry into his system of musketry instruction, in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee of the 2nd of October, 1878. I am directed to report : It appears that several trials have been given to this system at a cost of £120, besides a large quantity of ammunition, without any definite result. The Committee are of opinion that the matter can be more satisfactorily dealt with by the local Bifle Association. The Committee have, therefore, no further recommendation to make on the petitioner's case. 29th June, 1881.

K"o. 7. —Petition of "William "VVeab, of Auckland. The petitioner states that he was engineer of the "Hannah Mokau " when she was seized and sold by the Government; that a sum of money, amounting to £89, was due to him for wages when the Government toot possession, and that he was informed by the Collector of Customs at New Plymouth that he would be placed in a far better position as regards wages than he held before the sale ; that he was induced by the Customs authorities both at New Plymouth and Auckland to surrender the right he held, on the distinct promise of the authorities that wages would be paid if he allowed the steamer to be sold ; that he applied to the Collector at Auckland for his wages, but without success. I am directed to report that the Committee, having taken evidence in this case, are of opinion that the petitioner is entitled to the wages due to him when the vessel was seized by the Government, and recommend that the amount be ascertained and paid forthwith. 29th June, 1881.

No. 55.—Petition of the Membeks of the Council of the Biele<in-Schools Association in Otago. The petitioners state that they are convinced that disastrous consequences are certain to result from the exclusion of the Bible from schools, and that they have reason to believe that a large majority of the parents of children attending the public schools in the colony are in favour of reading the Bible in public schools. They pray that such amendments bo made in the Education Act as will secure the daily reading of the Bible in the public schools. I am directed to report that the Committee cannot recommend the prayer of the petitioners to the favourable consideration of the House. 30th June, 1881.

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REPORTS OF PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE. (MR. T. KELLY, CHAIRMAN.)