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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS. Friday, 22nd July, 1898. The State Farm Committee of the Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m. pursuant to notice. Present: Hon. Mr. Bolt, Hon. Mr. Bonar, Hon. Mr. Jenkinson, Hon. Mr. Jennings, Hon. Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Rigg, Hon. W. C. Walker. The orders of reference being read, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Montgomery the Hon. Mr. Bolt was appointed to be Chairman of this Committee. The Committee deliberated. The Hon. Mr. Rigg moved, That the Committee do visit the Levin State Farm to-morrow ; and the motion was agreed to. On motion of the Hon. Mr. Jennings, Resolved, That the Labour Department be requested to furnish a statement of the expenditure on the Levin State Farm. Then the Committee adjourned sine die.

Friday, 19th August, 1898. The State Farms Committee of the House of Representatives met at 10.20 a.m., pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Bollard, Mr. Brown, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Flatman, Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Massey, Mr. Montgomery. The clerk having read the order of reference, on the motion of the Hon. W. Hall-Jones; Mr. Montgomery was elected Chairman. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Flatman, That the Committee confer with a similar Committee of the Legislative Council. The Committee accordingly adjourned for that purpose.

The State Farm Committee of the Legislative Council met at 10.30 a.m. pursuant to notice. Present: Hon. Mr. Bolt, Hon. Mr. Bonar, Hon. Mr. Jenkinson, Hon. Mr. Jennings, Hon. Mr. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Williams. The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. The Committee proceeded to sit and confer with the State Farms Committee of the House of Representatives as a Joint Committee. Present: Hon. Mr. Bolt, Hon. Mr. Bonar, Mr. Brown, Mr. Duncan, Hon. Mr. Jenkinson, Hon. Mr. Jennings, Hon. Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. O'Meara, Hon. Mr. Williams. On the motion of Mr. W. H. Montgomery, the Hon. Mr. Bolt was elected Chairman of the Joint Committee. Letters and papers laid before the Committee :— 1. Letter from the Hon. Mr. Bolt to the Labour Department asking for details of expenditure on the State Farm at Levin. [See Appendix A.] 2. Letter in reply to the Hon. Mr. Bolt covering a statement as required by the Committee. 3. Enclosing the report from the Crown Lands Department, Adelaide. 4. Eeports of the Colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, &c, 1895. 5. Reports of the " Settlement on Lands Act, 1893," of Victoria, 1896-97. 6. Parliamentary papers, Nos. 62, 87, and 124, 1897, South Australia. 7. Report of the Surveyor-General, 1895, South Australia. 8. Report of the Surveyor-General, 1896, South Australia. 9. Extracts from Victorian Act, 1893; also from New South Wales Act, 1893. 10. Letter from Mr. Hugh Monahan. [See Appendix B.] 11. Letter from Mr. Silvester. [See Appendix C] 12. Return to an order of the House of Representatives, 2nd August, 1898. [See Appendix D.] On motion of Mr. W. H. Montgomery, Resolved, That a Sub-Committee of five members be appointed to collect evidence on the subject of State farms; to have so much of such evidence printed as they may think fit for the information of the Committee; to report thereon, and on the success or otherwise of the State farms now in operation in New Zealand and elsewhere, and to suggest a practical scheme suitable for the requirements of the colony; such Sub-Committee to consist of Mr. Flatman, Hon. Mr. Bonar, Mr. W. H. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Bolt, Hon. Mr. Williams; and to report in fourteen days from date. Then the Committee adjourned.

Friday, 23rd September, 1898. The Joint State Farms Committee met at 11 a.m., pursuant to notice. Present: Hon. Mr. Bolt (Chairman), Mr. Bollard, Hon. Mr. Bonar, Mr. Brown, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Flatman, Hon. Mr. Jenkinson, Hon. Mr. Jennings, Mr. Massey, Mr. W. H. Montgomery, Hon. Mr. Pinkerton, Hon. Mr. Bigg, Hon. W. C. Walker, Hon. Mr. Williams. The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. Order of reference to extend the time for bringing up the report of the Committee, and also the order of reference appointing the Hon. Mr. T. Kelly and Hon. Mr. Pinkerton to the Committee, were read. The Hon. the Chairman laid upon the table— 1. The report of the Sub-Committee No. 1. [See Appendix E.]