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other question which may arise in reference to the expediency of such petitions being heard by a special committee. 157. That on such committee reporting to the House that any such petition ought to be proceeded with, a select committee shall be appointed by the House, to whom such petition shall be referred (it being optional to refer more than one petition to the same committee), and the committee so appointed, shall proceed as follows : 158. If the petitioner shall not attend at the time and place of which notice shall be riven, or having attended shall not in a bona fide manner prosecute his petition, the committee shall dismiss the petition, and forthwith report the same to the House, when, unless otherwise ordered, the bonds given by the petitioner and his sureties, shall be put in suit and the penalties enforced. ] 59. Petitioners may appear and conduct their case either in person, or by counsel qualified to act as such, in the Supreme Court of the colony. 160. When the petitioner or his agent shall appear before the committee in obedience to the aforesaid summons, he shall hand in to the chairman a statement containing the names of the voters objected to, or proposed to be inserted, and the specific grounds in every case. 161. The committee shall then assign such further time for the prosecution of the petition as may enable the sitting member to consider and prepare his defence ; and if he shall propose to object to, or claim the insertion of any vote, he shall furnish such statement as above required of the petitioner, at such time as the committee may direct. 162. No other objection or claim shall be allowed by the committee on either side than is specified in the statement of the party offering the same. 163. Statements of objections or claims furnished to the committee as above provided, shall be deposited with the clerk of the committee, and either party shall have access thereto and may make copies thereof without charge. 3 64. In case of any petition requiring a scrutiny of votes, the committee shall enquire into each vote specified in the statements, and shall erase, or place the same upon the poll, according to the result of the evidence tendered thereon, till the sitting member shall be placed in a minority, the committee shall then, on suggestion by'the sitting member, erase or add so many as shall place the petitioner in a minority (if such the case shall be), and so alternately till it shall be determined whether the sitting member or the petitioner was in an actual majority on the poll. CHARLES CLIFFORD, Speaker. Fassed the House of Representatives this 13th day of May, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six. F. E. Campbell. Clerk of the House of Representatives. Approved. Thomas Gore Browne, Governor 17th May, 1856.