I. -8

2

MINUTES OF PBOCEEDING-S.

Tuesday, 17th July, 1900. The Committee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to notice. Present —■Mγ. Carncross, Mr. Fisher, Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones, Mr. Hornsby, Hon. Sir G. M. O'Eorke, Hon. Major Steward (Chairman), Mr. J. W. Thomson. Paper No. 66 (H.-29), Correspondence relative to Letters written by Hansard Chief Eeporter to the New York Times, also pamphlets, were considered by the Committee. Mr. Grattan Grey attended and was examined, a shorthand reporter being in attendance to take notes. Mr. Grey then withdrew. Resolved, That this Committee has inquired into the matter referred to it under the Order of Reference of the 29th June, 1900, and finds as follows :—■ That Mr. Grey claims that the terms of his appointment of 11th June, 1896, allow him liberty to take outside work after completion of Hansard and session, and that he has acted within the limits of his appointment. He admits cognisance of the report made by this Committee to the House under date 14th of September, 1899, but maintains .that he was justified in acting in defiance of that report, by writing and publishing the matter referred to, the Committee report notwithstanding, as he contends that the Committee has no power to vary the terms of his appointment. That, in the opinion of this Committee, it is no longer possible that Mr. J. Grattan Grey should remain an officer of Parliament, seeing that the report of the Committee of last year has been disregarded, and that Mr. Grey, as chief of the Hansard staff, in his statement before the Committee this morning, refuses to recognise the authority of the Committee; therefore the Committee recommends that the services of Mr. Grey be dispensed with. The Committee then adjourned.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Tuesday, 17th July, 1900.—James Geattan Grey examined. 1. The Chairman.] You are Chief Hansard Eeporter?—l am. 2. You are aware that the Committee this morning, under direction of the House, are considering certain pamphlets and correspondence purporting to be your pamphlets and correspondence? —Yes. 3. Do you admit that these pamphlets and correspondence have been written by you ?—Of course I do. 4. And also the authenticity of the letter addressed to the Premier, which appears in one of these pamphlets ? —Yes, that is my letter. 5. You received last year an instruction from this Committee as follows: " That this Committee recommends that in future members of the Hansard staff should not actively participate in New Zealand politics by writing articles for publication or otherwise "?—-I understand that was embodied in a report presented to the House. .6. You are cognisant of the fact?—l am cognisant that that was reported to the House. 7. Was there not any direct communication to that effect sent to you?—No, there was no direct communication sent to me. In the first place, you will perhaps permit me to point out that that report of the Committee was neither discussed nor adopted by the House ; and, in the second place, I cannot believe that the Committee would knowingly ride roughshod through a written contract. 8. Sir M. O'Rorke.] Do you refuse to recognise the authority of this Committee as being able to control you with regard to your writings to the Press ? —The subject was submitted to the Committee last year ; the Committee considered it and took my evidence, and made a report to the House. That report was simply laid before the House, and was neither discussed nor adopted. 9. You do not recognise the authority of the Committee to control your writings to the Press ? —I do not think, under my contract, that the Committee would attempt to ride roughshod through the written contract. 10. But do you not think the Committee might have modified the terms of that contract by agreeing to the report of which you are cognisant ? I think you have stated that you do not recognise the authority of that report to control you in any way ? —Exactly; that is the position I take up. 11. Mr. Fisher.] The position has already been put by Sir Maurice O'Eorke; but, so that there may not possibly be any mistake about it, I will repeat the question. I understand, Mr. Grey, that you adhere to the terms of your contract, and ignore the report of the Eeporting Debates and Printing Committee of the 14th September, 1899 ?—I may say that since I joined the Parliamentary