1.—16

REPORTS Waiapu County Council (Tokomaru Harbour) Empowering Amendment Bill The Local Bills Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report:— (1) That it is a Local Bill. (2) That the Standing Orders have been complied with. (3) That the rights and prerogatives of the Crown are not affected. (4) That the Committee recommends that the Bill be allowed to proceed, with the amendments as shown on the copy of the Bill annexed hereto. 4th June, 1943.

Christchurch Domains Amendment Bill The Local Bills Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report:— (1) That it is a Local Bill. (2) That the Standing Orders have been complied with. (3) That the rights and prerogatives of the Crown are not affected. (4) That the Committee recommends that the Government give consideration to the appointment of a Commission as provided for in the Christchurch Domains Amendment Act, 1913, to review the existing apportionment of levies as between the contributory local authorities. (5) That the Committee recommends that the Bill, be allowed to proceed, with the amendments as shown on the copy of the Bill annexed hereto. 4th June, 1943,

Lower Clutha River Improvement Amendment Bill The Local Bills Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has the honour to report:— (1) That it is a Local Bill. (2) That the Standing Orders have been complied with, except in the following respect—namely, plans of certain lands ijroposed to be vested in the Lower Clutha River Trust were not deposited for public inspection at the time of the deposit of the Bill. The attention of the River Trust haying been drawn to this matter, plans were duly deposited and advertised from 2nd April to 24th April. The Committee is of the opinion that by so depositing the plans the "River Trust has sufficiently complied with the intention of Standing Order 364, and therefore recommends that the noncompliance with the Standing Order referred to above be waived. (3) That the rights and prerogatives of the Crown are affected, in that, under clause 3 of the Bill, an area of 2,425 acres of lake and lakeside land in which the Crown has an interest would vest in the Lower Clutha River Trust. (4) That the Committee recommends that the Bill be allowed to proceed, with the amendments as shown on the copy of the Bill annexed hereto. 18th June, 1943.

• No. ii,—Petition of the Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses of the Borough of Napier Praying that a Commission be set up to inquire into and report upon the relationship between the Napier Borough Council and the Napier Harbour Board in respect to the ownership and control of lands adjoining and adjacent to the Borough of Napier in so far as such ownership and control affects the development of the said borough. I am directed to report that the Committee recommends that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, but is of the opinion that no steps should be taken for the setting-up of a Commission for at least twelve mouths, during which period the Napier Borough Council and the Napier Harbour Board should make every possible effort by negotiations and conferences to reconcile their differences, with a view to the production of a common plan for the future expansion and development of Napier. The Committee further recommends, with a view to assisting the progress of such negotiations, that the Government should arrange for an officer of the Department of Internal Affairs to take part in the suggested negotiations and conferences in the capacity of an independent arbitrator. 18th June, 1943.

2