3

I.—B

On motion of the Hon. Sir E. Stout, Resolved, That details be furnished to the Committee as to the items of the statement put in by the Hon. Mr. Seddon. The Committee then adjourned until Monday, the 4th September, at 10.30 a.m.: business, to draw up a report.

Monday, 4th Septembee, 1893. The Committee met, pursuant to notice. Present: Hon. the Speaker (Chairman), Mr. Guinness, Hon. Sir John Hall; Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. W. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Sir E. Stout, Mr. T. Thompson, Mr. E. Thompson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Details of statement asked for by the Committee were put in by Hon. Mr. Seddon. Moved by Hon. Sir J. Hall, " 1. That the following resolution of the House of Eepresentatives, passed on the 28th August. 1862, should be adhered to and continue to be acted upon—viz., 'That the clerks and other officers of the House of Eepresentatives should be appointed by the Executive on the recommendation of the Speaker, with the exception of the First Clerk-Assistant, who, acting as Clerk of Committees, should be similarly appointed on the recommendation of the Chairman of Committees.'" Moved by the Hon. Mr. Seddon, as an amendment to the foregoing, " That all the words after the word ' That' be struck out, and that the following words be inserted in lieu thereof : ' The House having directed by resolution, in passing the Legislative estimates in the second session in 1891, that the vote be reduced by £1 as an indication that the Legislative estimates should be under the control of the Government (see Journals, 17th September, 1891, and Hansard,. Vol. lxxiv., 17th September, 1891, page 729), there was therefore no invasion of the privileges of the House in the Government appointing Hansard Eeporters Gore and Eussell; and, in making the selection from the officers in the Service, such course was in keeping with " The Civil Service Act, 1886," giving as it did promotion to two deserving officers, and at the same time making a saving in the public expenditure, seeing the services of these reporters are available for reporting Commissions during the recess, and that this will in no way interfere with their independence as Hansard reporters during session.' " Upon the question being put, " That the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question," a division was called for, and the names taken down as follows : — Ayes, 5 : Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. G. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Captain Eussell, Hon. Sir E. Stout. Noes, 6 : Mr. Guinness, Mr. W. Hutchison, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. E. Thompson, Mr. T. Thompson. And so it passed in the negative. Words struck out. Upon the question being put, "That the proposed amendment be inserted," a division was called for and the names taken down as follows :— Ayes, 6 : Mr. W. Hutchison, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. E. Thompson, Mr. T. Thompson. Noes, 5 : Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. G. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Captain Eussell, Hon. Sir E. Stout. And so it was resolved in the affirmative. Words inserted. Upon the question being put, " That the resolution as amended be agreed to," it was resolved in the affirmative, on the voices. Moved by Hon. Sir J. Hall, " 2. That the officers of the House should continue to be subject to the directions and control of the Speaker, acting for the House, and be independent of Ministerial control." Upon the question being put, " That the resolution be agreed to," a division was called for, and the names taken down, as follows :— Ayes, 5 : Hon. Sir. J. Hall, Mr. G. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Hon. Captain Eussell, Hon. Sir E. Stout. Noes, 6: Mr. Guinness, Mr. W. Hutchison, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. E. Thompson, Mr. T. Thompson. And so it passed in the negative.. Hon. Sir J. Hall withdrew his third resolution, viz.: "3. That the following are the officers of the House referred to in the above resolution: The Clerk of the House, the First Clerk-Assistant, the Second Clerk-Assistant, the Eeader and Clerk of Bills and Papers, the Interpreters, the Hansard Eeporters, and the Committee Eeporters," as the previous one to be read with it had been negatived. Moved by Hon. Sir E. Stout, " 1. That all the appointments to be made of officers connected with the House should be made by the Governor, on the recommendation of the Speaker of the House, and so with officers of the Council." Upon the question being put, " That the resolution be agreed to," a division was called for, and the names taken down, as follows :— Ayes, 5: Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. G. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Hon. Captain Eussell, Hon. Sir E. Stout. Noes, 6: Mr. Guinness, Mr. W. Hutchison, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. E. Thompson, Mr. T. Thompson. And so it passed in the negative.