1

1886. NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

No. s.—Petition of Thomas Butler. (No. 1). The petitioner states that he was Superintendent of the Nelson Lunatic Asylum; that in 1876 he was removed from office by the Provincial Executive; and that in 1877 a Boyal Commission was appointed to consider his case, but did not fully do so. He prays for a further investigation. I am directed to report that the Committee can see no reason to depart from the decision arrived at in 1882. 26th May, 1886.

No. 27.—Petition of John Tuck. The petitioner states that when lately in England he purchased pedigree horses at great cost, intending to bring them with him to New Zealand, and only discovered that he was prohibited from landing them here, direct from England, when he went to take their passages; that he has the said horses now at keep in England, awaiting permission to land them here, which he prays may be granted. I am directed to report that, in the opinion of this Committee, the Government should so amend the Order in Council of the 20th August, 1883, as to permit the importation of horses from Europe, and thus prevent the anomaly of first landing them in New South Wales and then forwarding them to New Zealand. 26th May, 1886.

No. 29.—Petition of John Gibbons. The petitioner states that he was injured by an accident on board the steamer " Gemini," owned by the Kaipara Steam Shipping Company; that he brought an action against the company, and was awarded £700 damages; but that the company threatened to go through the Insolvency Court, and deprive him of everything, unless he would accept £350, which he was compelled to do. In consequence of the accident he is now destitute, and prays for relief. I am directed to report that the Committee have no recommendation to make. 26th May, 1886.

No. I.—Petition of John Muir. The petitioner states that in March, 1885, he became the purchaser of the old Harbour Board offices at Dunedin for the sum of £310. He prays for the return of a portion of the purchase-money on the following grounds : That the building was advertised for sale by the Public Works Department without reserve, but that a reserve of £300 had been placed upon it—a fact known to two other bidders, but not to him; also that, being on the street-line, it had to be pulled down, and was only worth what could be got for it as old material, which was very little, owing to cementmortar having been used instead of lime-mortar, and the boards being full of nails—facts which he had no opportunity of ascertaining. I am directed to report that the Committee cannot recommend the prayer of the petitioner. 27th May, 1886.

No. 10.—Petition of William A. Graham and Others. The petitioners pray that a Commission may be appointed to inquire into and report upon the management of our working railways; that no Eailway Boards or Commissioners may be appointed until this inquiry has been held; that the Commission should be specially instructed to inquire into the system of levying fares and charges proposed by Mr. Samuel Vaile, of Auckland ; that, as the arrangement of the tariff is mainly a commercial and financial matter, they pray that the Commission may consist of the Minister for Public Works, the Under-Secretary for Public Works, the General Manager of the New Zealand Eailways, and other Commissioners to be selected, —one by each of the Chambers of Commerce in New Zealand, but, in districts where there are agri-

I—l. 1.

REPORTS OF PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE, (MR. R. TURNBULL, CHAIRMAN.)