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No. 14.—Petition of Patea Haebotje Boaed. The Board pray that laud in the district may be granted to it as an equivalent for land taken for railway purposes, which land so taken formed part of the security for a loan of £10 000 borrowed in 1879. Ifam directed to report: The Committee are of opinion that lands given to local bodies on the security of which money has been borrowed should not be taken for railway purposes without fair compensation, and recommend the Government to submit the claims of the petitioners to arbitration in the usual way, in order to ascertain the value of the land taken, deductions being made for any increased value the land may have acquired by the construction of the railway. 6th September, 1882. "

No. 445. —Petition of Alexandee Aitken (No. 2). The .petitioner states that he was Resident Engineer under the late Provincial Government at Coromandel; that in 1878 his services were dispensed with, and that he did not receive the same consideration as^other provinciarofficers. lam directed to report: It appears, from the evidence before the Committee, that the petitioner did not retire at the'date of the abolition of the provinces from the service, but continued in the employ of the General Government, and of the Thames County Council. The Committee do not therefore consider that he is now entitled to compensation as a provincial officer for loss of office. 6th September, 1882.

No. 427.—Petition of Boeotjgii of St. Kilda. The petitioners'state that the Forbury Park Land Company wish to acquire the freehold of a road which runs through^their property from the Ocean Beach to Caversham ; that the public interest will not be conserved by so doing. They pray that no issue of a grant to the land be made to the company. j,; ~: lam directed to report: The Committee have no recommendation to make to the House in the case of the petitioners. 6th September, 1882.

No. 406. —Petition of William Gaeeick, Auckland. The petitioner states that when on active duty in 1863 he received a severe wound on the head, for which he petitioned the House in IH7B, and received an award of £75. He further states that the injurv is permanent, and prays the House will grant him a reinvestigation into his case. lam directed to report: Having, during a previous session, finally dealt with the case of the petitioner, the Committee cannot consent to reopen it. 6th September, 1882.

No. 472.—Petition of James Moeeison, Kaiwaka. The petitioner states that about eight acres of his land, being part of Lot 45, Parish of Kaiwaka, was taken in April, 1882, by the Minister for Public Works for a road ; that he claims £54 for the same, but has been'offered £16 10s., which he refused to accept; that no course is open for the recovery of compensation under " The Public Works Act, 1876," therefore he requests the House will cause the full amount' of his claim to be paid to him. ij: ::p lam directed to report: As it appears from the evidence before the Committee that the petitioner can have^his claim heard and dealt with by a Compensation Court under " The Public Works Act, 1876," the Committee cannot therefore make any recommendation to the House in the case of the petitioner. 7th September, 1882.

No. 422. —Petition of Colonel Heney Hoeatio Kitchenee. The petitioner states that he is owner of Section 39, Dunback Survey District, Otago; that in 1871 the Provincial Government of Otago abandoned the old main line of road up Shag Valley, and in lieu thereof made a road through his section, for which he claimed compensation, and that such claim remains unsettled. He prays the House will take his case into consideration, and grant him relief. I am directed to report: The Committee, having considered the claims of the petitioner, are of opinion that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. 7th September, 1882.

No. 360. —Petition of William Hill and Others. The petitioners are drivers and firemen of the ETurunui-Bluff section of the New Zealand Railways. They complain of a number of grievances under which they are suffering as a body, and ask for an impartial and independent Court of inquiry as their only protection. They pray the House will take their heavy grievances into consideration, and grant them some relief. lam directed to report: Having carefully considered the petitioners' statements, and the admissions made by Mr. Maxwell, the General Manager of the New Zealand Railways, the Committee are of opinion that the petitioners have shown sufficient cause for inquiry into the grievances complained of and recommend that the petition and evidence taken be forwarded to the Government with a view of a fair and impartial inquiry being instituted by competent persons, not being members of the Civil Service, and any reasonable cause of complaint removed. 7th September, 1882.