I.—sc

II

PETITION. To the Honourable the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled. The humble petition of Crown tenants of the Provincial Districts of Canterbury and Otago, holding Crown lands or runs under Part VI. of " The Land Act, 1893," showeth, — (1.) That an unprecedented fall of snow took place on the Bth July, 1903, on the various runs occupied by your petitioners, and in consequence thereof- your petitioners suffered heavy losses of sheep. (2.) That the losses sustained are enumerated below, showing that in some cases as much as 50 to 57 per cent, of the stock were lost. (3.) That your petitioners urgently request the Government and the House to pass, during the coming session of Parliament, a measure similar to " The Pastoral Tenants' Belief Act, 1895," and thus enable the Waste Lands Boards of Canterbury and Otago, after full inquiry into the merits of each case, to grant such relief as will secure to your petitioners time to enable them to make good the serious losses they have sustained. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray,— That your honourable House will be pleased to take the matter of this petition into your favourable consideration, and to pass, during the coming session of Parliament, a measure for dealing with the exceptional losses sustained by your petitioners similar to " The Pastoral Tenants' Eelief Act, 1895," or that your honourable House will take such other steps in the premises as to your honourable House may seem meet. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. C. G. Dalgety and 22 Others.