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respect to your services are hereby determined. At the same time I desire to notify you that the Government is prepared to enter into negotiations for your re-engagement on the understanding that your services will be available at any time during the recess, if required. I have, &c, A. J. Rutherfurd, Esq., House of Representatives, Wellington. A. J. Cadman. Note. —Similar letters were sent to Mr. O'Eorke, Captain Mair, and Mr. Hamlin, of the House of Representatives.

HANSARD APPOINTMENTS. Sir, — Speaker's Rooms, 18th August, 1892. I have the honour to forward herewith an application by the Chief Reporter for the appointment of Mr. A. M. Kay to the Hansard staff. Mr. Kay has been employed almost from the beginning of the session as an "extra" hand, and the work is now so heavy that it is impossible to overtake it without a permanent addition of one reporter to the staff. This will, of course, involve the necessity of placing £250 on the supplementary estimates, but it is unavoidable. I have, &c, W. J. Stewaed, The Hon. the Premier. Speaker, House of Representatives. Sir,— Hansard Office, 18th August, 1892. I have the honour respectfully to recommend that Mr. A. M. Kay be appointed to the Hansard staff. I am compelled to make this recommendation because the work has become so heavy that it is with the greatest difficulty the staff can overtake it. Indeed, through the illness of members of the staff, I have been obliged to engage Mr. Kay's services, at extra expense, almost from the beginning of the session, and shall have to continue to do so. Mr. Kay is a reporter of tried ability, and would be a valuable addition to the staff. I shall feel obliged by your forwarding this application, with your favourable recommendation, to the Hon. the Premier at your earliest convenience, as otherwise I may lose Mr. Kay's services altogether. I have, &c, C. C. N. Barron, Chief Reporter. The Hon. the Speaker, House of Representatives.

Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 26th October, 1892. I have the honour-to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th August, addressed to the Hon. the Premier, recommending that Mr. A. M. Kay be appointed to the Hansard staff, at a salary of £250 per annum. In reply I have to inform you that, aftei> full consideration, the Government regret they cannot see their way to give effect to your recommendation in this instance. I have, &c, The Hon. the Speaker, House of Representatives, Wellington. P. A. Buckley.

Dear Mb. Barron,— Ashburton, 29th October, 1892. Enclosed I send on to you a reply just received by me from the Government to my letter of the 18th August. Please return it, with any remarks you may desire to make, which I will forward in my acknowledgment of the letter in question. Yours, &c, W. J. Steward.

Sir,— Ashburton, 6th November, 1892. Referring to your letter No. 759 (92/2939), I have the honour to state that I transmitted same to the Chief Reporter (Mr. Barron) for his remarks thereon, and now beg to enclose his reply for your information. After reading this I think that you will see that the recommendation made by me on the 18th August rested upon good grounds. I have, &c, W. J. Steward, Speaker, House of Representatives. The Hon. Sir P. A. Buckley, Colonial Secretary.

Sir, — Hansard Office, Wellington, 2nd November, 1892. I regret the Government have not seen their way to appoint Mr. A. M. Kay to the Hansard staff. As you are aware, I had to employ Mr. Kay throughout almost the whole of last session, in consequence—first, of the illness of Mr. Spragg, who got knocked up shortly after the opening of the session, and was never right till the end ; secondly, of the absence of Mr. Gray, another member of the staff, who went to his home on medical certificate some time before the session closed ; and, thirdly, of the work being too much for the remainder of the staff. It would be all very well if I could secure Mr. Kay's services during the session at two guineas a sitting-day—which is what I paid him last session—but, seeing that he can make three or four times as much, with three or four times less work, on Select Committees, I am not likely to get his services so cheaply next year. He lost pecuniarily by working on Hansard last session, and it would not be fair to ask him to do the same again. Of course, I did not apply lightly for' an additional reporter. It does not mean an additional expense of £250 or £300 a year, but about half that, for every session I have to get additional