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arrange some modification of the contract based on a release by the company of their claim to land of such a character as would enable the company to complete the more pressing portions of their line. The Committee then proceeded to go through the report clause by clause. Introductory clause amended as follows: "The Committee to which this petition was referred have carefully considered the same, have taken voluminous evidence thereon, and beg to report as follows:— Clause A read. Resolved, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Ward, To strike out the words "a continuous block of land far beyond the amount contemplated by the contractors," in lines 5, 6, and 7, and insert, in lieu thereof, the words " an area of land in continuous blocks exceeding what might have been reasonably contemplated by the contractors to have been reserved in this way." Resolved, to insert the words " to the Committee " after the word " appear," in line 8. Mr. Shera moved: To strike out the words "of advantage," in line 14, and insert the word " conducive." Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— Ayes, 1: Mr. Shera. Noes, 6 : Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. J. Mills, Dr. Newman, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Motion lost. Resolved, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Ward, to strike out in line 17, the words "in contiguous blocks," and insert the same words in line 15, after the word " reservation." Mr. Guinness moved to insert in line 17, after the words "Grey Valley," the words "in proximity to the line of railway." Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— . Ayes, 2: Mr. Shera, Mr. Saunders. Noes, 5 : Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. J. Mills, Dr. Newman, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Motion lost. The Hon. Mr. Ward proposed to strike out the words, " and therefore hardly within the spirit of the agreement," at the end of the clause. Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— Ayes, 4: Dr. Newman, Mr. Shera, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 3: Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. J, Mills, Mr. Saunders. Motion agreed to. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, That the clause as amended be agreed to. The Committee then adjourned until 8 o'clock p.m., and subsequently adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.

Saturday, Bth October, 1892. Present: Mr. Guinness (Chairman), Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. J. Mills, Dr. Newman, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Shera, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. The draft report was again taken into consideration. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Guinness, That in the report similar headings to those set out in the petition be adopted. Clause B, on the motion of Dr. Newman, agreed to, after striking out the first three words, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "The company has had." Clause C and D, on the motion of Dr. Newman, agreed to. Clause E.—Mr. Saunders moved to strike out the words from " Brunnerton" down to " section," both inclusive. Upon the Question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 5 : Hon. Sir John Hall, Dr. Newman, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 2 : Mr. J. Mills, Mr. Shera. Motion agreed to. Resolved, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Ward, to strike out the words " it should be treated generously in the matter," and also in the next two lines the words " consider favourably any application for," and insert the word " grant" in lieu of the last words struck out, and to insert the word " contract " at the end thereof. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Saunders, to strike out all the words after the word "contract" down to the end of the clause. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, to add the following words to the end of the clause— viz., " In any such arrangement the Committee consider that the Government should insist on reasonable progress being made with the work, and should endeavour to arrange with the company for a release of the land reservation not later than the end of the term of the present contract." Clause F.— Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, to strike out the clause as drafted. Mr. Tanner moved, That, with regard to general taxation, the company have no claim to special treatment. Upon the Question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:—

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