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1877. NEW ZEALAND.

DISQUALIFICATION COMMITTEE.

HON. FREDERICK WHITAKER'S CASE (REPORT ON, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND EVIDENCE).

Report brought up and ordered to be printed, 18£/j October 1877.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representative!. Thursday, the 20th day op September, 1877. Ordered, That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into and report upon the alleged disqualification to sit in this House of Martin Kennedy, the Member for Grey Valley, and J. T. Fisher, the Member for Heathoote. The Committee to consist of Hon. Mr. Bowen, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Stout, Mr. Macandrew, Hon. Mr. Stafford, Mr. Harper, Mr. Rees, and the Mover: five to be a quorum; to hare power to call for persons and papers, and to report in a fortnight. {Son. Mr. Whilaker.) Monday, the Ist day of October, 1877. Ordered, That the case of the Hon. Mr. Whitaker be referred to the Disqualification Committee, and that the case of that gentleman be first taken after Mr. Kennedy's be disposed of, and for that purpose that the name of Mr. Button be inserted in that Committee in lieu of that of the Hon. Mr. Whitaker. But that the name of the Hon. Mr. Whitaker be not discharged from the Committee until after the case of Mr. Kennedy has been disposed of.—(-Hon. Major Atkinson.) Monday, the Bth day op October, 1877. Ordered, That the name of the Hon. Mr. Stafford be discharged from the Disqualification Committee, and the name of the Hon. Mr. Fox substituted in lieu thereof.— (Mr. Sees.)

REPORT. The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the alleged disqualification to sit in the House, of the Hon. Frederick Wbitaker, the member for Waikato, have the honor to report:— That the Hon. Frederick Whitaker's connection with the purchase of the Piako Swamp does not, in the opinion of the Committee, bring him under the operation of the Disqualification Acts. W. L. Rees, 18th October, 1877. Chairman.

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.

Thtjbsday, 4th October, 1877. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment at 11 o'clock a.m. Peesent: Hon. Mr. Bowen, Mr. Sees, Mr. Button, Hon. Mr. Stafford, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Stout. Mr. Harper, I—l. 13.