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I.—B

Thursday, 24th August, 1893 (Hon. W. J. Steward, Chairman). In connection with the evidence given at last sitting of the Committee by Mr. Friend, the Chairman said he had been supplied with the following information relating to the appointment and salary of the Eecord Clerk, which he read to the Committee :— " Memorandum for Mr. Speaker. " Mr. Ernest Bell retired from the Eeadership, leaving off at a salary of £225 per annum. Mr. O'Eorke was appointed to the vacancy at a salary of £150. On Major Campbell's retirement, Mr. Friend took his place as Clerk of the House; Mr. Otterson, Mr. Friend's, as Clerk of Committees ; Mr. Eutherfurd, Mr. Otterson's, as Second Clerk Assistant; and Mr. O'Eorke was given the salary of £250 per annum, taking over the duties of Bills and Eecord Clerk which Mr. Eutherfurd had previously held at a salary of £250 per annum, and Mr. Bell's billet of Eeader, for which he (Mr. Bell) had received a salary of £225 per annum, the two offices being merged into one, and a saving of £225 per annum being effected." The Chairman said he had also received the following letter and enclosures from Mr. Friend: — " Sir, — " Office of House of Eepresentatives, Wellington, 22nd August, 1893. " As the tendency of the questions asked by the Hon. Mr. Seddon on Thursday last, on the subject of the expense attending the employment of special shorthand reporters, might be to create an impression that due supervision of this expenditure was not exercised by the department: I have the honour to request that you will kindly lay before the Committee the following memorandum which I addressed on the 26th September last to the Hon. the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives, as showing that I have called the attention of the Government to this expenditure. The memorandum was forwarded to the Hon. Mr. Cadman {vide Mr. Speaker's letter, 26th September, 1892), who at that time had charge of the Legislative estimates, with the result that provision was made on .the supplementary estimates for the expenditure ; but I received no intimation to the effect that the Government considered that the expenditure was in any way excessive, or should be curtailed. " I have, &c, "George Friend, " The Chairman, Privileges Committee." " Clerk, House of Eepresentatives.

Enclosures. " Memorandum for the Hon. the Speaker of the House of .Representatives . " As the Committee work of the present session has already been heavier than usual, and there is a probability of at least another fortnight of it, I wish to call your attention to the fact that the expenditure for extra reporters, &c, will be considerably in excess of the vote, which is calculated for a session of ordinary duration. " I am at present unable to indicate by what amount the vote will be exceeded, but there are still large accounts passing through my hands for payment (as to-day, for instance : Eeporting for Midland Eailway inquiry, £50; expenses for witnesses for same, £50; expenses of witnesses, &c, Eailway Eoutes inquiry, £50), and I am informed that there are also large liabilities outstanding on the part of Committees still at work. " The department has no control whatever over this expenditure, which depends entirely upon the number of Committees appointed, the nature of their inquiries, and upon a practice, which is growing very fast, of nearly all Committees calling for the services of shorthand reporters. " There have been as many as four or five additional shorthand reporters employed in one day during the present session, and, as each means an expenditure of some £5 for every occasion on which his services are required, the expenditure is necessarily very large. " I do not know whether you will ask the Government to make provision on the supplementary estimates to cover the additional expenditure which is caused by the heavy eases before some of the Committees, notably the Chemis inquiry, the Eailway Eoutes inquiry, and the Midland Eailway inquiry, or whether it will be charged, as I think it fairly may be for the present session, as expenditure in excess of votes; but if the practice is to be continued of allowing all Committees to call for the services of outside shorthand reporters in addition to the permanent staff, it will be necessary in future to ask for a much larger vote upon the estimates. "George Friend, " 26th September, 1892." " Clerk, House of Eepresentatives.

" Speaker's Booms, House of Bepresentatives, " Dear Sir,— " 26th September, 1892. " I forward herewith, for your and the Government's consideration, a memorandum from Mr. Friend on the subject of the unusually largo expense of Committee reporting, which calls for some action being taken in order to provide the necessary funds. "Yours, &c, " W. J. Steward, " The Hon. Mr. Cadman." " Speaker.

' 'The Chairman having stated that he had prepared a memorandum for the information of the Committee, it was resolved that it be printed and laid before the next meeting.

3—l. 8.