9

I.—7a

2. That it had been alleged by one James Hendry Jenkins, a former employe of the contractors, that in carrying out the said contract they wilfully made certain overcharges and mistakes of weights and measures in respect of goods supplied. Clause 1, as amended, agreed to. Clause 2.—The Hon. Mr. Seddon moved to insert the following words in lieu of clause 2 : " The Committee have made an exhaustive inquiry into the aforesaid allegations, and have sat for twenty-two days hearing evidence, and have examined twenty witnesses for and against the allegations made." Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— Ayes, 4 : Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner. Noes, 6 : Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McGowan, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Sir B. Stout, Mr. T. Thompson. So it passed in the negative. The clause as printed was amended by striking out " have to report that they," and inserting " allegations " in lieu of " accusations." Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 3. —Mr. Guinness moved to strike out the name " J. H. Jenkins." Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 5: Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Sir B. Stout, Mr. Tanner. Noes, 5 : Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. T. Thompson. The votes being equal, the Chairman gave his casting-vote with the " Noes." So it passed in the negative. Words retained. The words " the accuser " struck out. Resolved, on the motion of Hon. Sir E. Stout, to strike out the words " cannot come to any other conclusion than," and insert " find." Mr. Guinness moved to insert " some " between " been " and " carelessness." Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— Ayes, 3: Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Tanner. Noes, 7 : Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McGowan, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Sir B. Stout, Mr. T. Thompson. So it passed in the negative. Word not inserted. Hon. Sir E. Stout moved to strike out all the words from " and for which " down to " contract" inclusive. Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 6 : Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Sir B. Stout. Noes, 4: Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. Tanner, Mr. T. Thompson. So it passed in the affirmative. Words struck out. Hon. Mr. Seddon moved to insert, in lieu of the words struck out, the words " and for these irregularities the Committee consider the manager and servants of the contractors responsible." Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 6 : Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Mr. T. Thompson. Noes, 4 : Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Sir B. Stout. So it passed in the affirmative. Words inserted. Mr. Guinness moved to strike out "manager and." Upon the question being put, it passed in the negative. Words retained. Mr. T. Mackenzie moved to strike out all the words from "but there" down to "Government " inclusive. Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 3 : Hon. Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. Tanner. Noes, 7 : Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. T. Thompson, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Sir B. Stout. So it passed in the negative. Words retained. Resolved, on the motion of Hon. Mr. Seddon, to strike out "at any attempt by," and insert " of fraud on the part of" in lieu thereof, and strike out at the end of the clause " to defraud the Government." Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 4. —Mr. Montgomery moved to insert " most " in place of " many," line 3. Upon the question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 5: Mr. Button, Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Sir E. Stout. Noes, 5: Mr. Larnach, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Mr. Tanner, Mr. T. Thompson. The votes being equal, the Chairman gave his casting-vote with the " Noes." So it passed in the negative. Motion lost. Mr. Montgomery moved to add at the end of the clause "but that the evidence does not prove that this was intended by the contractors, and it may have been done in error." 2—l. 7A.