REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE NEXT MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1856 Session I

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE NEXT MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

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

Votes, No. 60, Wednesday, July 16, 1856. 2. General Assembly, Meeting of:—Mr. Stafford, pursuant to (amended) notice, moved, That a Select Committee be appointed to enquire into and report as to the most practicable manner of carrying out the resolution of this House as to the meeting of the next Session of the Assembly, and the question of the position of the Seat of Government, with power to conduct its proceedings in conjunction with any Committee of the Legislative Council appointed for a similar purpose, and to make either a joint or separate report. The Committee to consist of Mr. Henderson, Mr. Williamson, the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Fox, Mr. Hall, and the moverThe report to be brought up this day week. Debate ensued. Question put and passed.

Votes, No. 64, "Wednesday, July 23, 1856. 7. Postponement:—On the motion of Mr. Stafford, leave was given to the Committee on the Meeting of the General Assembly to postpone their report to this day week.

Votes, No. 70, "Wednesday, July 30, 1856. 5. Postponements (1):—On motion of Mr. Stafford, leave was given to the Committee on th» Meeting of the General Assembly to postpone their report until to-morrow.

Votes, No. 71, Thursday, Jtjiy 31, 1856. General Assembly, Meeting of:—Mr. Stafford, Chairman of this Committee, brought up their report, which was read and ordered to be printed.

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REPORT.

The Select Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed 16th July, 1856, to enquire and report on the most practicable manner of carrying out the resolution of the House as to the next Meeting of the Assembly, have carefully considered the subject referred to it, and have passed the following Resolutions, which embody their opinions thereon : — 1. That'the offer of the Superintendent of Wellington to provide the necessary buildings for the accommodation of the Assembly, and the necessary official accommodation, renders further consideration on that point unnecessary. % 2. That the cost of the passage of His Excellency the Governor and suite from and to Auckland ought to be defrayed. 3. That as, according to the 44th clause of the Constitution Act, the Governor is empowered to summon the General Assembly to meet at any place within New Zealand, and as it will be necessary in the event of such meeting being held at any other place than at the Seat of Government, that the Executive Officers should, as well as his Excellency, be absent from such of Government at that time, it is expedient that an Act should be passed to empower his Excellency to appoint a Lieutenant-Governor to act duxing his absence on the occasion. 4. That all papers and documents of the Houses of Assembly, and all official documents which shall have accrued since the existence of Respon ible Government in the Colony, or copies theieo ought to be taken to the place of the meeting of the Assembly. 5. That some (say two) clerks from the Colonial Secretary's Office, and an effective portion of the Department of the Colonial Treasurer, should accompany the Executive Government to the place ol session. 6. That the measures which the Government intends to lay before the House should,, as fai as possible, be printed in the Government Gazette some time before the meeting of the Assembly. 7. That the extra expenses to be incurred in effecting the above arrangements would, in u.i opinion of your Committee, amount to net less than £2500, ini l uding the salary ot the Lieute Governor, the passages of his Excellency the Governor and suite, o; the Executive officers and c and the passages and allowances of the increased number of members of both Houses, who, unt. arrangement, would have to leave their usual places of residence. E. W. STAFFORD, Chairman Committee Room, House of Representatives, Monday, July 31, 1856.