Page image

L—6

Hon. Mr. McKenzie moved to add, " But at no one time shall counsel be allowed to speak to the question for more than ten minutes." And, on the question being put, " That the words proposed to be added be so added," a division was called for, and the names were taken clown as follow :— Ayes, s.—Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. Noes, 4.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin, Mr. Montgomery. So it was resolved in the affirmative. And upon the motion as a whole being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 4.—Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon. Noes, s.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Major Steward. So it passed in the negative. Mr. Guinness moved the motion of which he had given notice at last meeting. Hon. Mr. McKenzie moved, That the motion be postponed until to-morrow. And the Hon. Mr. McKenzie's motion being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 7. —Mr. Graham, Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. Noes, 2.—Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin. So it was resolved in the affirmative. Hon. Mr. Seddon moved, That the Committee deliberate as to the advisability or otherwise of continuing Mr. Booth's evidence to-day. A division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 6. —Mr. Graham, Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. Noes, 3.—Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Maslin. ' So' it Was resolved in the affirmative. The Committee then deliberated, and strangers withdrew. Hon. Mr. Seddon moved, That Mr. Booth be excused from attendance until Friday next. Mr. Hutchison moved, by way of amendment, That the reason before the Committee in deliberation being the letter already read from Mr. Booth before the open Committee, the Committee in deliberation is of opinion that the public interests require that the evidence of Mr. Booth, or some other witness, be proceeded with. And upon the amendment being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 5. —Mr. Graham, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Tanner. Noes, s.—Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. And the votes being equal the Chairman gave his casting vote with the " Ayes." So it was resolved in the affirmative. The Chairman put the amendment as the substantive motion. Hon. Mr. Seddon asked, as a point of order, if this could be done. The Chairman ruled that it could. Upon the amendment being put as the substantive motion, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 5. —Mr. Graham, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Tanner. Noes, s.—Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. And the votes being equal the Chairman gave his casting vote with the " Ayes." So it was resolved m the affirmative. Hon. Mr. Seddon moved, That Mr. Booth be excused till Tuesday next, and that Mr. J. C. Hanna and Mr. O'Hara Smith be required to attend on Friday next at 10.30 a.m. to give evidence and produce documents. Mr. Montgomery moved to strike out " Friday ' and insert " to-morrow." And upon the question being put that " Friday " stand, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, s.—Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. Noes, s.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Tanner. And the votes being equal 'the Chairman gave his casting vote with the " Noes." So it passed in the negative. Mr. Montgomery proposed, That " to-morrow " be inserted in lieu of " Friday." And the question being put, That " to-morrow " be inserted, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 5. —Mr. Graham, Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Maslin, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Tanner. Noes, s.—Mr. Guinness, Mr. McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. And the votes being equal, the Chairman gave his casting-vote with the " Ayes." The motion, as amended, was then put, and a division being called for, the names were taken down as follow^: — Ayes, 3.—Mr. Hutchison, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Tanner. Noes, 7. —Mr. Graham, Mr. Guinness, Mr. Maslin, Mr, McGowan, Hon. Mr. McKenzie, Hon. Mr. Seddon, Hon. Major Steward. \ -

XXIX