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kept up. There is, in fact, only one clerk in that room. The other is a messenger, actually engaged all the session in duties as a messenger of the House. 138. Mr. T. Thompson.] Is it a fact that the Chairman has to accept almost without question the voucher sent in by the reporter as regards the rate of pay, as being in accordance with fixed scale ?—I should think the Chairman is much in the same position as myself. lam bound to acknowledge what has been the fixed charge, and if it is not brought under my notice that the charge is unreasonable, the voucher is passed. 139. The Chairman.] Who prepares the vouchers ?—The reporters themselves. 140. Do they send them direct to the Chairman of the Committee ?—They send them to the office. Mr Eutherfurd is in charge of the office. He refers to them to the Chairman through the Clerk of the Committee. When they come back to him I never pass them until I get the signature of the Chairman. 141. Would it not be Mr Butherford's duty, in the event of a person making an excessive charge, to point that out to the Chairman? —Yes, certainly. 142. In point of fact, if such a circumstance was not pointed out, the Chairman would assume that it was regular ? —Yes. < 143. Mr. W. Hutchison.] The rate charged by the reporter is a guinea a day, and a shilling a folio for the transcription of the notes taken ?—Yes. 144. Mr. B. Thompson.] Would it not be possible for arrangements to be made for a permanent officer to perform the duties of Becord Clerk—any officer from the Government Buildings ? —No, it must always be the same officer. There is an immense amount of information and training required. After four or five years he becomes a valuable officer. He might be a different officer every year if he came from the Government Buildings. 145. Mr. W. Hutchison.] Could not your deputy with Mr. Eutherfurd do it ?—No. He might do it sometimes. The Journals would remain unwritten. 146. I mean during the recess ?—Mr. Otterson and Mr. Eutherfurd both supervise the work of the Journals and Appendices during the recess. The two work together. In supervising presswork it requires two persons working together to perform such service efficiently. 147. Hon. B. J. Sedclon.] There is not much of that during the recess ? —There is a great deal of it. An enormous number of papers have to be read, and there is the printing and indexing of the Journals, and compiling of the schedules, which is all technical work and has always been done by Messrs. Otterson and Eutherfurd. 148. How long after the session is it when the Journals are got out and sent to members?— They used to be got out in three or four months after the close of the session, but before Major Campbell left he found that there was great dissatisfaction among members at not getting the Papers out at an earlier date, and since then the printers have taken up the work of the Appendix and Papers first for the convenience of the members. The Journals, I daresay, could be got out earlier if the printers kept up an extra staff to do the work. 149. There would not be any difficulty about that ?—lt is entirely a matter for the Printing Office. They would have to increase their staff. It could not be done otherwise. 150. Hon. Mr. Bollcston.] Are not the Papers printed during the session all struck off?— Yes; but that is not one-fourth of the total number. The Papers have to be taken up and printed after the House rises. 151. Sir J. Hall.] Who is responsible for the Bills after they are passed by the House being correctly reprinted ?—Mr. O'Eorke is, and has been since Mr. Bell's time. Previous to Mr. Bell Mr. Otterson was. 152. And the Acts themselves—who is responsible for them being in strict accordance?— The Clerk of Parliaments. 153. Captain Bussell.] You said it was customary for officers of the House to be appointed by the Executive Government on the recommendation of the Speaker. Supposing the Government refuses to agree to the appointment as recommended by the Speaker, what course would be taken then ?—I can only refer you to the case I before referred to —that is, in 1862, when Mr. Fox refused to concur with Sir David Monro's recommendation. He offered to take any further recommendation, but Sir David Monro refused to make any further recommendation and brought the matter before the House. 154. You mean to say that the appointment rests ultimately with the Speaker—no appointment could be made except with his consent ?—That would be the virtual result. 155. Was there no appointment made in the case of Mr. Fox ?—That was the case of reference to the House in 1862, when the House settled the question. ■ 156. What happened for the time being before the appointment ?—That will be seen in the correspondence. A legal gentleman was sent from Auckland to do the work. 157. Then the Minister did make the appointment ? —No. Sir David Monro accepted his services (as he stated) to avoid inconvenience at the time, but would not accept him as a permanent officer. 158. The Chairman.] A locum tenens was appointed pending the permanent appointment ?— Yes; while the question was being referred to the House. 159. Hon. B. J. Sedclon.] Suppose the Government made the appointment, and the Speaker did not recommend it, would you say it was not an appointment under the Act?—l should say it would be an appointment. There is nothing to prevent the Government making appointments. 160. Supposing it was opposed directly to the will of the Speaker, would he accept that officer ?—I think, decidedly, the Speaker could refuse. 161. What would be done ?—I do not know.