1.—2

2

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS. Wednesday, sth July, 1876. The Committee met pursuant to order at 10 o'clock a.m. Present : Mr. Curtis, Mr. Stout. Mr. Johnston, Mr. Wason, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Whitaker. Mr. Moorhouse in the Chair. The petition and order of reference were read. Mr. Shaw attended as counsel for the petitioner, George Bentham Morris, and Mr. Barton as counsel for the respondent, George Edward Bead. Mr. Shaw opened the case for the petitioner, as set out in the petition (vide Appendix), and tendered a certificate from the Deputy Begistrar of the Supreme Court, at Auckland, of the conviction of Cholwell Dean Pitt in the Supreme Court, for bribing electors to vote at the East Coast election for the sitting member, George Edward Bead. Mr. Barton applied for time to argue as to the admissibility of the certificate. Resolved, That the point be argued at next sitting of the Committee. Mr. Shaw applied for an adjournment for one week, to enable him to bring witnesses from Tauranga. , Resolved, That the application of Mr. Shaw be granted, subject to the leave of the House being obtained. Resolved, That at the next meeting of the Committee after the adjournment, the petitioner deliver to the Committee and to the sitting member a list of all the cases of bribing and treating on which he means to rely, and that he be confined to the cases therein specified. Resolved, That the Chairman do make application to the House for leave for the Committee to adjourn for one week. The Committee then adjourned till 10 o'clock a.m. to-morrow.

Thursday, 6th July, 1876. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment at 10 o'clock a.m. Present: Mr. Johnston, Mr. Whitaker. Mr. Stout, Mr. Curtis in the Chair. Extract from the Journals of the House of Bepresentatives was read, granting leave to the Committee to adjourn for one week. The Committee then adjourned till Wednesday next, 12th July instant, at 10 o'clock a.m.

Wednesday, 12m July,* 1876. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment at 10 o'clock a.m. Present : Mr. Curtis, Mr. Stout, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Wason, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Whitaker. Mr. Moorhouse in the Chair. Mr. Shaw, for the petitioner, delivered to the Chairman, and to Mr. Bartou, for the respondent, a specified list of all the cases of bribing and treating on which he intended to rely, in accordance with the resolution of the Committee. (Vide Appendix.) Mr. Shaw also handed in affidavit of George Bentham Morris, the petitioner, asking for a further adjournment of the Committee, to enable him to procure the attendance of certain important witnesses from Tauranga in support of his petition, and stated that he was prepared to proceed with such evidence as he could then produce. Resolved, That Mr. Shaw proceed with his case, the Committee agreeing that they would hear such evidence as he was prepared to produce. A shorthand reporter attended. Mr. Shaw then called George Edward Bead, who was sworn by the Chairman, and examined by the Committee. Mr. Shaw then called Fairfax Johnson, who, being sworn by tho Chairman, was examined by Mr. Shaw and the members of the Committee, and then withdrew. Mr. Barton addressed the Committee, and asked for further time to cross-examine the last witness, as he was not prepared to do so at present. Resolved, That the Committee do adjourn until to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock, and that Mr. Bartou be then prepared to state to the Committee when he would be prepared to cross-examine the witness Fairfax Johnson. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at 10 a.m.