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E.—lα.

3. Dictate the passages at the following rates of speed:—■ (a.) 50 words per minute. (b.) 80 „ (c.) 100 „ N.B.—lt will be well to practise reading these aloud some time beforehand, looking at a watch or clock, so as to accustom yourself to reading at the exact rate indicated.* 4. Candidates are at liberty to take clown one, two, or three passages, as they choose. All the passages required by candidates are to be dictated before any one begins to transcribe, and there should be as little delay as possible between the readings. 5. Inform candidates that rapidity in transcribing notes into longhand is essential, and note carefully on the transcribed copy the exact time taken in transcription. Candidates must not look at their notes while a passage that does not concern them is being read. 6. Inform them also that the clearness and accuracy of the shorthand notes (which must in every case be sent in attached to the transcript) will be taken account of by the examiner, and that they must not alter the shorthand notes after the dictation is finished.

Passages itor Dictation (a.) At the rate of 50 words per minute. Takes 10 minutes. That appears to be the leading question. Yes and No. Doctors differ I must therefore judge for myself, having little faith in doctors at any time, and not much in financiers who fancy they see farther into a millstone than plain folks. Their distinctions occasionally re--1 mind me of the boy, in Sir Walter Scott's novel, who was rated by a traveller for losing at pitch-and-toss the half-crown he had given him. The boy was equal to the occasion and at 2 once boasted that he had not lost it at pitch-and-toss, but at " neevie-neevie-nack." Let us see. Borrowing, as a rule, is bad, and lending is not much better, but it is only curmudgeons that neither borrow nor lend, the maxim of Polonius to the contrary notwithstanding , and to lend money at a cheap rate to the struggling farmers of the colony seems 3 to |me one of the most desirable things that could possibly be proposed to us, if it can be done consistently with the welfare of the people as a whole, and with the fitness of things. 4 The Government evidently believe that it can be done, and they propose to ask those [ who have money for investment to lend it to our farmers, and the State will guarantee that these farmers shall repay it, with the interest agreed upon. Is not the proposal on all-fours with 5 that of a man wanting to borrow, say, £50, who cannot get his bill discounted without an indorsement ? He asks his friend to assist him, and the friend does so. Is this friend, in these circumstances, borrowing money ? I dare say honourable members will agree with me in think--6 ing that he is not. He is, unquestionably, responsible for the money, but he relies upon the solvency and the honour of his friend to hold him scathless, and in most cases he is quite safe. I need not repeat—it must have been often said already—that in the proposed borrowing the 7 State, as I understand it, is asked to back a bill for the settlers. We are guarantors, but not borrowers; and we are safer than the ordinary guarantor because we take security for our guarantee. But in a transaction of this kind everything depends upon the details, and I 8 should decline to commit myself in the slightest degree until these are clearly before us. Besides, I may say at once that I am not enamoured with the idea of going to the English market for money, even for farmers. It may be a necessity, but it should only be a dire 9 necessity that should drive us to it. The London Stock Exchange is very expensive, and as unscrupulous and immoral as Monte Carlo , and we have no call to spend the money of settlers in helping to keep up such a dead-weight. If we can find the money in the colony 10 many objectionable features at once disappear The interest would not leave us (b.) At the rate of 80 words per minute. Takes 10 minutes. lam sure, Sir, that we have all listened to a very pleasant speech—l may say, almost an airy speech—delivered in a style of jocosity which for some years has been foreign to the bench occupied by the honourable gentleman. Like him, I have to begin my speech with an expression of regret and with a compliment. As he complimented the honourable member for 1 Ellesmere upon the manner in which he has borne himself upon his first appearance |in a new character, I have to compliment the honourable gentleman on the same thing, and I have also to compliment the Opposition upon having at last made up their minds to appoint so capable and so reasonable a leader The honourable gentleman followed that compliment up by very properly expressing regret at the absence of the worthy and experienced politician who is succeeded by the honourable member for Ellesmere. So I may be permitted, although as an 2 opponent, to say the same thing, and to regret that Parliament has lost a public servant so experienced, so honourable, and so industrious as the Hon. William Bolleston. But, Sir, the honourable gentleman, in the most polite and pleasant manner, complimented the mover and seconder of the Address, and, coming from an opponent, I am sure this compliment must be very grateful, and will be well received. Though not an opponent, lam quite sure it will not 3 be considered out of place on my part if I also congratulate my young brother-members on the way in which they have acquitted themselves this evening. It is a great pleasure to my-

* The matter to be read is marked off into sections, each of which is to occupy a minute. The Supervisor will perhaps find it advisable to mark it off into smaller sections, each containing the number of words to be read in fifteen seconds, and to read one section in every quarter of a minute. As the candidates hear the passage read only once, the reader's articulation ought to be very clear, and the candidates ought to be so placed as to be able to hear well.