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53. What salaries do the Hansard reporters receive?— Under resolution of the Eeporting Debates Committee they begin at £250 and go up to £300, I believe. They do not come within my cognisance. 54. What is the term of their engagement—during the session ?—Yes, and a few days after, finishing up their work. 55. How many days are they required after the session ?—I am afraid you would have to ask the Chief Reporter of the Hansard staff. They come a few days before the session, and they have to stop to wind up their work to the satisfaction of the Chief Reporter. 56. At the furthest, they are not engaged more than four months ?—Yes, not more than four months. 57. For that they receive from £250 up to £300 a year as the highest?— Yes. 58. Now we come to the Interpreters—that is, the Native Interpreters; there are two engaged ?—There are two engaged. 59. What are their salaries? —£225 each. 60. How long does their service last ? —lt is simply sessional. I have a copy of a telegram from Sir Maurice O'Rorke offering an appointment to Mr Hamlin at £245 per annum. " Attendance only during session required. Reply if you can come at once." That is dated June, 1883. 61. The Government would not be consulted in that at all?— Apparently not. 62. Sir Maurice might have made it £500?— No, it was for a vacancy he was appointed, and I suppose the amount was on the estimates at the time. 63. The salary was then £250 ?—lt was £245. 64. There are two Interpreters in our House ?—Yes. 65. And in the Legislative Council ?—One, I believe. 66 And the salary would be over £200?— He gets either £200 or £225. 67. How many Committee reporters are there?— Attached to the Department there are two. There used to be four .before the report of the Legislative Committee. There are only two now since 1888. • 68/ Do you know the number for both the Legislative Council and House of Representatives? —There are no other. There used to be four —three for our House and one for the Legislative Council. 69. What reporters do you allude to ?—Mr. Kinsella and Mr. Mitchell. 70. I mean other reporters ?—I cannot give you any information about the number. 71. There are three Native Interpreters and two Committee reporters besides the special Committee clerks ?—Yes. 72. Mr. Mitchell's salary—what is that a year? —£150. Bach of the reporters get that. 73. Mr. Kinsella gets £150?— Yes. 74. And their work is only sessional ?—I think both were on the Hansard staff, but the work becoming too heavy for them they were given these appointments. Sir Maurice O'Rorke thought it would be better to give them these appointments than to pay for extra reporters. A great number have sometimes to be employed as extra Committee reporters. When the permanent reporters are engaged we have to employ special reporters if they are required by the Committees. 75. They vary the amount paid to the Committee reporters?—l think not. I think the scale was fixed before my time. I think it is a guinea for attendance and a shilling per folio for transcribing the notes. It comes to £4 or £5 for attendance and notes. Last year it came to £5 or £6 a day for reporting the Public Accounts Committee. The work was very heavy. 76. Sir J. Hall.] Is that for extra reporters ? —Yes. 77. Hon. B. Seddon.] Within your knowledge one of these reporters made £6 or £7 a day?— No, because it might have taken him several days to transcribe his notes. One guinea is the actual charge for the day. The charge for transcribing the notes depends upon their volume. 78. Whose place is it to see whether economies could be made —is it the Government or is it that of the Clerk of the House ?—The Clerk of the House has no control over it. The expenditure incurred is under the control of the Chairmen of the Committees. Mr. Guinness, I believe, incurred a great deal of expense as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. I receive a requisition for a reporter, and ask Mr. Otterson, who has the engaging of them, to supply one. 79. The Committee only say they wish to have a reporter. Do you not think it would be your business to fix what remuneration he was to get ?—That was a matter which, I think, was arranged between the Committee reporters and the then Speaker, Sir Maurice O'Rorke, and Mr. Barron, who knew the charges. It was a fixed scale. Ido not know whether you could get reporters to do it cheaper. 80. These charges were fixed by a Speaker some years ago who is not now in existence ? —The charges are approved and certified to as reasonable by the Chairman of the Committee before they are passed. 81. He does not engage the reporters, does he?—No; but he certifies to the service being necessary and approves the charge. 82. Then if the charge was £20 a day and the Chairman certified to it, it would be passed and paid ? —Perhaps so; I cannot say—if the Chairman of the Committee approved the payment. 83. Does the Chairman of the Committee certify for the amount, that the services have been performed, or for the length of time for attendance ? —He approves the account in every case before it is passed for payment. 84. Mr. T. Thompson.'] With regard to the Hansard reporters, do you know whether in the case of two sessions in one year they get any extra payment ? —No. 85. And the interpreters ?—No. 86. Nothing in the shape of a bonus?—No, 87. Mr. Guinness.] Is it not the duty of the officer of the House who supplies to the Chairman of a Committee a reporter, when he engages that person to fix the remuneration that should be paid