I.—B

8

Feiday, 24th August, 1894. Present: Mr. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Mr. Guinness, Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Sir E. Stout, Mr. Tanner Hon. Mr. Ward. Minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. Mr. G. Hutchison brought up a report from the sub-committee, and the same was read, and, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, ordered to be printed. A letter from Mr. Wilson, dated the 24th August instant, as to the company completing and handing over to the colony the section of railway between Norris Gully with Motueka Valley, was read by the Clerk, and, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, ordered to be printed. Besolved, on the motion of Mr. Saunders, That the Committee adjourn until Tuesday next at 12 o'clock for the consideration of the report. Minutes confirmed.

Tuesday, 28th August, 1894. Present: Mr. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Mr. Guinness, Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Minutes of the previous meeting, and also the minutes of the last meeting of the subcommittee, were read and confirmed. Mr. G. Hutchison moved, " That the report of the sub-committee be agreed to." The Committee then considered the report clause by clause. Preamble postponed. Clause 1 agreed to. Clause 2 : Upon the question being put, " That the clause as printed be agreed to," a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 7: Mr. Guinness, Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 4; Mr. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders. So it passed in the affirmative. Clause agreed to. Section (a) of clause 2 : Upon the question being put, " That section (a) as printed be agreed to," a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow : — Ayes, 8: Mr, Fraser, Mr. Guinness, Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 3 : Mr. Graham, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders. So it passed in the affirmative. Section agreed to. Section (&) of clause 2 : Upon the question being put, " That section (6) as printed be agreed to," a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 8: Mr. Fraser, Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Mr. G. Hutchison, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 3: Mr. Graham, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders. So it passed in the affirmative. Section (b) agreed to. Section (c) of clause 2: Besolved, on the motion of Mr. G. Hutchison, That after the word " Jackson's," in line 2, to insert the words " the company be given," and in the same line to strike out the words " the same be paid for in," and to insert the word " and " after the word " contract," in line 3, and to strike out the word "under," in line 3, and insert " within " in lieu thereof; and after the word "date," in last line, to insert the following words : "such first and second deliveries of £200,000 each to be made only on the company satisfying the Minister for Public Works that the company is making satisfactory progress with the work of construction." Upon the question being put, "That section (c) of clause 2 as amended be agreed to," a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 7 : Mr. Guinness, Mr. G. Hutchison, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 4: Mr. Fraser, Mr. Graham, Captain Eussell, Mr. Saunders. So it passed in the affirmative. Section as amended agreed to. Section (d) agreed to. Section (c) agreed to. Last paragraph: Besolved, on the motion of Mr. G. Hutchison, That the last paragraph be struck out and the following inserted in lieu thereof: " That the Government be requested to give effect to the proposals, provided the company consents to rescind the original contract and accept a new contract in the terms hereinbefore mentioned." Preamble agreed to. Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Seddon, That the report as amended be agreed to, and the same be reported to the House, and that it be printed, together with the minutes of evidence, the minutes of proceedings, and the correspondence. The Hon Mr. Seddon brought under the notice of the Committee that the proceedings, &c, had been published in the newspapers during the sittings of the Committee ; and it was resolved that it be reported to the House that the evidence taken, and the documents laid before the Committee, have been published in the newspapers of the colony prior to the report being laid before the House, and that such publication is in contravention of the Standing Orders. The Committee then adjourned. Minutes confirmed.