I.—2a,

1929. NEW ZEAL A N D.

PUBLIC PETITIONS M TO Z COMMITTEE (ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY). PETITION OF EDWARD EARLE VAILE AND 88 OTHERS. (Colonel McDONALD, Chairman.)

Report together with Minutes of Proceedings, Evidence, and Appendix brought up Bth November, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 2kd Day of August, 1929. Ordered, " That a Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to consider all petitions from M to Z that may be referred to it by the Petitions Classification Committee ; to classify and prepare abstracts of 3uch petitions in such form and manner as shall appear to it best suited to convey to this House all requisite information respecting their contents, and to report the same from time to time to this House, to have power to report its opinions and observations thereon to this House ; also to have power to call for persons and papers; three to be a quorum: the Committee to consist of Rev. Clyde Carr, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Kyle, Mr. Lye, Colonel McDonald, Mr. Mukitanara, Mr. Massey, Mr. Samuel, Mr. Semple, and the mover." — ( Hon. Mr. Ransom.)

REPORT. No. 74. —Petition of Eakle Vaile and 88 Others, praying for resumption of work on the RotoruaTaupo Railway. I am directed to report that the Committee, having heard the evidence of a considerable number of settlers and other representatives of the Railway, Lands, Agriculture, Forestry, and Prisons Departments, is of the opinion that the action of the Government in discontinuing the Rotorua-Taupo Railway was thoroughly justified, and that the said railway should not be continued, and that in regard to the prayer of the petitioners the Committee recommend that no action be taken. The Committee is also of the opinion that the Government should consider the putting into operation of an exhaustive experimental test on a limited area of, say, 10,000 acres of the better-class pumice land, to be brought into permanent pasture on the principle of mass employment. T. W. McDonald, Bth November, 1929. Chairman.