1.—6

4

Thuesday, 6th July, 1882. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Allwright, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Munro (Chairman). Dr. Hector attended, and gave evidence. A return of tonnage and dues collected at the Port of Westport was received from the Eailway Department. The Committee then adjourned sine die.

Wednesday, 12th July, 1882. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Allwright, Mr. Fergus, Mr. Fish, Mr. Levestam, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Wright, Mr. Munro (Chairman). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The order of reference, giving leave to tho Committee to postpone its report, was read. A draft report was laid before the Committee. On the motion of Mr. Macandrew, it was resolved, " That the draft report be printed and circulated amongst members of this Committee." The Committee then adjourned sine die.

Thuesday, 13th July, 1882. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Fergus, Mr. Fish, Mr. Hutchison, Hon. W. W. Johnston, Mr. Levestam, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Munro (Chairman). The minutes of tho previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Committee proceeded to consider its report. On the motion of Mr. Macandrew, it was resolved, " That the blank in clause 5 be filled up as £50,000." Mr. Levestam proposed, " That the words from ' taking,' in the first line of clause 6, to ' feet,' in the second line, be struck out, and the words ' expending the above sum of £50,000 in the construction of a tide-wall' be inserted in their place." Discussion of this proposition was adjourned until Saturday next, 15th instant, at 10.30 a.m.

Satueday, 15th July, 1882. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Allwright, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Levestam, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Wright, Mr. Munro (Chairman). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Committee then proceeded to consider its report. On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, "That the word 'enormous,' in clause 1 of this report, be struck out, and the word ' large' inserted in its place." On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, " That the word ' world,' in clause 2, be struck out, and the words ' Australian Colonies ' be inserted in its place ; and that the words ' far as surveyed are' be inserted between ' as ' and ' estimated ' in the second line of clause 2." On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, " That the words from and including ' as,' in the sixth line of clause 4, to and including 'market,' in the next line, be struck out." On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, "That the word 'estimated,' in the first line of clause 5, be struck out, and that the words ' asserted on behalf of the colliery companies' be inserted in its place." On tho motion of Mr. Levestam, it was resolved, " That the words from and including 'taking,' in the first line of clause 6, to and including 'feet,' in the next line, be struck out, and the words ' expending the above sum of £50,000 in the construction of a tide-wall' be inserted in their place." On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, "That the word 'gross' be inserted between the words ' the' and ' revenue' in the fifth line of clause 6." On the motion of Mr. Macandrew, it was resolved, " That the word ' amply,' in the sixth line of clause 6, be struck out, and the words ' go far to' be inserted in its place." On ihe motion of Mr. Allwright, it was resolved, " That the words from and including ' in case,' in the eighth line of clause 6, to the end of the clause, be struck out." On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, " That the words ' as it is,' in the third line of clause 7, and the words from and including ' of this report,' in the sixth line, to the end of the clause, be struck out." On the motion of Mr Hutchison, it was resolved, " That clause 8 be struck out." On the motion of Mr. Macandrew, seconded by Mr. Hutchison, it was resolved, " That the report as amended be adopted." On the motion of Mr. Macaudrew, it was resolved, " That the Chairman do present the report to the House." On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was resolved, " That the report be further amended by the elimination of all the words after ' tons,' in clause 2, and presented as amended." This concluded the Committee.