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No. 233.—Petition of T. J. Compton and Others, Auckland. The petitioners pray for a wharf at Waiwera Bay. lam directed to report: The Committee are of opinion that these petitions be referred to the Government for consideration. 25th July, 1882.

No. 208.—Petition of G. F. Krrso and Others, Taranaki. The petitioners pray that a bonus of £5,000 be granted to the producers of the first 1,000 tons of iron in the colony. I am directed to report: The Committee are of opinion that the matter be referred to the Government for consideration. 25th July, 1882.

No, 269.—Petition of W. McLean and Others, Lyell. The petitioners pray that a bridge may be constructed over the Buller Eiver, at Lyell. I am directed to report: The Committee are of opinion that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration. 25th July, 1882. '

Nos. 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, and 204.—Petitions of John Hood and Others, W. H. Bentley and Others, Andrew Allan and Others, Joseph Cuff and Others, William Hally and Others, John Graham and Others, James Smith and Others, Settlers in Otago. The petitioners pray that the Bible may be read in the public schools of the colony. lam directed to report: The Committee do not consider it necessary to offer any opinion to the House on the subject-matter of these petitions. 25th July, 1882. _

No. 158. —Petition of James Wilson, Auckland. The petitioner states that he is employed in the occupation of canning fish found in the New Zealand waters. I am directed to report: The petitioner, by his own showing, appears to be engaged in the very laudable occupation of canning fish ; but, as he asks for nothing, the Committee have no recommendation to make to the House. 26th July, 1882.

No. 66. —Petition of J. McC. Clakk and Others, Auckland. TnE petitioners state that buildings and grounds will be immediately required for the University College, and such buildings and grounds should be situated in the City of Auckland ; that the buildings and grounds known as Government House are admirably suited for College purposes. They pray that the House will sanction the transfer of the said house and grounds to the Auckland University College Council to be constituted under the Auckland University College Bill. I am directed to report: As the subject-matter of this petition is now under the consideration of the House, the Committee do not consider it necessary to make any recommendation. 26th. July, 1882. " "

No. 39.—Petition of Walter Shrimpton, of Hawke's Bay. The petitioner states that he is one of the copartners in the firm of Rich and Shrimpton; that they are copartners with regard to all freehold and leasehold interests acquired in certain blocks of Native land, viz., Eotoatara, Matipiri, Te Matuku, and Awapourua. That the Chief Judge of the Native Land. Court assessed the duty upon £20,000, being the full total of the moneys paid to the various holders of the Block Matapiri. That they entered an action against Chief Judge Fenton in the Supreme Court to recover the amount of duty which they contend was wrongly demanded of them, amounting to over £1,100 ; the judgment of the Court was that the defendant was not liable to be personally sued, but that he had erroneously assessed the duty, which ought to have been assessed upon the value of the land at the time of the first transaction. Your petitioner therefore prays that the House will cause an inquiry to be made into the above circumstances, and grant to your petitioner's said firm relief. lam directed to report: That the Committee, having carefully considered the matter referred to in the petition, and having taken evidence and perused the documents in relation thereto, are of opinion that the Government should afford the petitioner facilities for obtaining the judgment of the Court of Appeal upon the following questions only : Was the duty correctly assessed by the Chief Judge Fenton ? If it was incorrectly assessed, what was the duty legally payable by the petitioner ? That, should the Court decide the assessment was higher than the petitioner was entitled to pay, the amount so overpaid be at once refunded. 26th July, 1882.

No. s.—Petition of Samuel Cbickett, Auckland. The petitioner states that he was entitled, with his son, Samuel, to two ten-acre allotments of land under the land regulations, of which they took possession; that his son, Samuel, died before he was entitled to the Crown grant of his land ; that he erected a dwellinghouse on the said land, under the conviction that his title would be good ; that the Government sold the said allotment. He therefore prays for relief. lam directed to report: As it appears the section on which the petitioner built was subsequently

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