1 8 5 6.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE PETITION OF ALEXANDER BROWN.

EXTRACTS FROM THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Yotes, i\o. 23, Totesday, May 22, 1856. 5. Petition of Alexander Brown: —Sir. Lee, pursuant to notice, moved, That a Select Committee be appointed to take into consideration and report to this House on the Petition of Alexander Brown, with power to call for persons and papers; the Committee to consist of Mr. Smith, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Cuff, Mr. Elliott, Mr. East, and the mover; Report to be brought up on the 10th of June. Question put and passed. Votes, No, 34, Tuesday, Jxtne 10, 1856. 15. Petition of Alexander Brown :—Mr. Smith brought up the Report of the Committee to whom this Petition had been referred, which was re? d, and ordered to be printed.

D.—No. 12

REPORT.

The Select Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed May 22, 1856, to whom was referred the Petition of Alexander Brown, report as follows:— Your Committee, after careful investigation, find the particulars set forth in this Petition to be substantially correct. It appears that the Petitioner received the severe wound described in his Petition in an engagement with the Natives, as long ago as the year 1345 ; that he has undergone much suffering ever since, and that he has entirely lost the sight of his right eye, the vision of the left one also being impaired. After continual application to the Government for assistance, his case was referred, on the 7th of November, 1-849, to a Sledical Board, in consequence of whose Report he was allowed a pension of one shilling a day. On the 23rd of October, 1852, his case was again referred to a Medical Board, and his pension stopped by Government; but, in the opinion of your Committee, the circumstances of the case were such as did not justify the Government in so doing. Your Committee would submit to your Honorable House, that it would be highly impolitic and inujrious to the public service to allow such a case as that of this Petitioner to remain uncared for by Government; for while many persons will doubtless be found ready in cases of emergency (and such may arise at any moment) to obey their country's call, and to fight in its defence, in the belief that the maimed and wounded will be properly provided for, it will be difficult, if not altogether impossible, to obtain volunteers when necessary, if experience shall have shown that deeds of valour are to be ignored, and severe wounds to be recompensed by neglect. In consideration, therefore, of the Petitioner's gallant conduct and eminent services, the suffering which lie has already undergone and still labours under, and the period of about eight years during which his pension has, in the opinion of your Committee, been unjustly withheld, your Committee would recommend to your Honorable House that the said Petitioner, John Alexander Brown, should receive from the General Government the sum of Fifty Pounds (£5O) sterling, together with a Pension, to be computed from the 29th of May, 1856, after the rate of Two Shillings (25.) per day the term of his natural life. WALTER LEE, Chairman. Committee Room, House oj Representatives, June 6, 1856,