1.—7

11

It was resolved, on the motion of Hon. Sir J. Hall, That the Committee adjourn till 2.15 p.m. The Committee then adjourned. At 2.15 p.m. the Committee resumed. On the motion of Mr. Seddon, the following interim report was adopted :— Your Committee has the honour to report to the House that a difficulty has arisen m the conduct of its inquiry, resulting from the refusal of the Bank of New Zealand to produce a certain portion of the books and documents requisitioned for. This portion contains the private accounts of certain members of the Ministry. / ... Appended to this report will be found fully set forth the original requisition made upon the bank together with subsequent reductions thereof; and communications between the Chairman of the Committee, the President of the Bank of New Zealand, and Mr. John Murray, who is present in Wellington in order to represent the bank. T o-rr Appendices to Interim Beport: 0 1, O 9, 0 11, 0 13, 0 14, O 17, 0 20, 0 22, 0 25, 13,1 5, I 9, I 10, I 11, I 12, I 15, I 16, I 17, I 18, I 19. Extracts from minutes, 23rd July, 1890. The Committee then adjourned.

Friday, Ist August, 1890. The Committee met at 11 a.m. Present: Mr. Withy (Chairman), Hon. Mr. Ballance, Hon. Mr. Bryce, Dr. Fitchett, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. Macarthur, Mr. Ormond, and Mr. Seddon. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following outward correspondence was reported : To Mr. John Murray (0 27). Hon Mr. Hislop and Mr. Hutchison attended the Committee. The Chairman reported that he had presented the interim report to the House, which, on his motion had ordered that the report be printed, and resolved that it be taken into consideration at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, the Ist August; and that permission be given to the Bank of New Zealand to be first heard by counsel at the bar of the House. . It was moved by Mr. Seddon, That the Chairman be requested to move the following resolution in the House : " That Mr. John Murray and Mr. Eichard Butler Eigg, of the Bank of NewZealand do attend the Select Committee on the Accusations by Member for Waitotara, and bring with them, or one of them, the banking books and documents that the said Committee has already ordered to be forwarded, or may hereafter require." ~;',, Mr Macarthur moved, That the resolution to be submitted to the House be amended by the addition of the following words : " Provided that the bank shall not be compelled to disclose the private accounts and documents until after the Committee shall have reported, as alleged m the speech of the member for Waitotara, that public funds have been improperly used or raised to the advantage of the bank and the disadvantage of the colony." The Committee divided on the question with the following result :— Ayes 4 —Hon. Mr. Bryce, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. Macarthur, Mr. Ormond. N o es 4 —Hon. Mr. Ballance, Dr. Fitchett, Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. Seddon. The Chairman gave his casting-vote with the Noes, and the amendment was consequently lost. Dr Fitchett moved, That the motion before the Committee be amended by the addition of the following words : " That the foregoing resolution is not understood to pledge the Committee to its order of procedure." . . The Committee divided on the question, with the following result :— A Y es 4 —Hon Mr. Ballance, Dr. Fitchett, Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. Seddon. Noes' 4 —Hon. Mr. Bryce, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. Macarthur, Mr. Ormond. The Chairman gave his casting-vote with the Ayes, and the motion was accordingly amended. The motion, as amended, was then put and carried nemine contradicente. The Committee then adjourned.

Tuesday, sth August, 1890. The Committee met at 11 a.m. • Present: Mr. Withy (Chairman), Hon. Mr. Ballance, Hon. Mr. Bryce, Dr. Fitchett, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. Macarthur, and Mr. Ormond. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman reported that on Friday, the Ist August, Mr. H. D. Bell had been heard at the bar of the House as counsel for the Bank of New Zealand; that the Chairman had then submitted to the House a motion framed on that day by the Committee ; that an amendment to that motion had been carried; and that in consequence four members of the Committee had intimated their intention to ask to be relieved from taking further part in its proceedings. The Chairman had, however, asked those members to attend the Committee to do what might be necessary until they were discharged by the House. . Hon. Mr. Ballance and Hon. Mr. Larnach retired. It was resolved, on the motion of Dr. Fitchett, That the Committee report to the House that it is of opinion that it cannot usefully proceed further in the inquiry committed to it, inasmuch as five of its members have expressed a desire to be discharged from further attendance. That the Committee, therefore, respectfully recommends that it be discharged or reconstituted. The Committee then adjourned.