I.—B

4

parts of the speech, and no alteration whatever was made to either mitigate or exaggerate the charges brought against the Government by the member for Waitotara." And the question being put, That the words proposed to be added stand part of the question, — Mr. Feldwick moved, That the words proposed to be inserted be amended by the omission of the following words after " and no: " " alteration whatever was made to either mitigate or exaggerate," with a view of inserting the following words in lieu thereof: " alterations seriously affect." And the question being put, That the words proposed by Mr. Feldwick to be inserted be so inserted, in lieu of the words proposed to be struck out, it was resolved in the affirmative. And the question being put, That the words proposed to be inserted as amended be so inserted, the Committee divided, and. the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 3.—Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Saunders. Noes, 3.—Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. Reeves. The votes being equal, the Chairman gave his casting vote with the Noes. So it passed in the negative. Mr. Reeves moved to add the following words after the word " That" in the original motion : " the Committee has made the examination directed, and finds that the greater part of the alterations made by Mr. Hutchison were merely literary corrections, and that, as regards the remainder, the charges made against the Government were not materially altered thereby." And the question being put, That the words proposed by Mr. Reeves to be added be so added, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 4.—Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders. Noes, 2. —Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry. So it passed in the affirmative. And the original question, as amended, being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 4. —Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders. Noes, 2. —Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry. So it was resolved in the affirmative. Resolved, That the Committee has made the examination directed, and finds that the greater part of the alterations made by Mr. Hutchison were merely literary corrections, and that, as regards the remainder, the charges made against the Government were not materially altered thereby. A further amendment was offered by Mr. Lawry, as follows : To insert after the word " That " " the Committee, only having heard the Chairman read the manuscript and proofs of the speech made by the member for Waitotara, are not in a position to state whether the accusations made against the Government are mitigated or exaggerated, as they have had no opportunity to examine the manuscript and proofs beyond the casual one indicated above. This amendment could not be put, the Committee having by the previous vote decided the issue. Moved by Hon. Mr. Hislop, That the Committee do now adjourn till to-morrow, Wednesday, the 20th instant, at 10.30 a.m., and that the Clerk have the custody of the transcript proofs and revises of Mr. Hutchison's speech, and that members of the Committee have access to the same.

Wednesday, 20th August, 1890. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Major Steward (Chairman), Mr. Feldwick, Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. Moss, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Whyte. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Feldwick, in accordance with his notice of motion, now moved for leave to amend the same by retaining the words down to and including the word " witnesses " in the resolution of the Committee of the 14th instant, and to strike out all the words after " witnesses." And the question being put, That leave be so given to Mr. Feldwick to amend the motion, it was resolved in the affirmative. Mr. Feldwick then moved to amend the resolution of the Committee of the 14th instant by the omission of all the words after the word " witnesses." And the question being put, That the words proposed to be omitted be so omitted, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 3.—Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Saunders. Noes, 5. —Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Whyte. So it passed in the negative. Mr. Feldwick moved, That the Chairman report to-day in accordance with the terms of the resolution of yesterday and that of the 14th August. A debate on the question of bringing up a report, in which all the members of the Committee took part, lasted for a considerable time, when Mr. Whyte moved the adjournment of the debate. And the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 4. —Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Whyte. Noes, 4.—Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders. The voting being equal, the Chairman gave his casting vote with the Ayes. So it was resolved in the affirmative. Mr. Whyte gave notice that he would move at the next meeting of the Committee, That all