I.—B

3

The Committee then adjourned to 11 o'clock a.m. on Tuesday, the 19th instant. Subsequently the Chairman instructed the Clerk to call the Committee together at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the 19th instant.

Tuesday, 19th August, 1890. The Committee met pursuant to notice. iVesent; Major Steward (Chairman), Mr. Feldwick, Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. Moss, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders. The minutes of the two previous meetings were read and confirmed. Mr Barron, Chief Reporter, Hansard staff, was in attendance, and produced the transcript proofs and revises of Mr. Hutchison's speech of the 2nd July, 1890, which he handed to the The Clerk then handed the Chairman the balance of the copy of the transcript of Mr. Hutchison's speech, showing erasures, additions, and alterations in red ink, and the Committee proceeded to examine the same, and the examination of the same was completed. The Chairman said that the position of the Committee stood thus: that they must either report to the House the resolution passed by the Committee on the 14th instant, or by resolution defer that report, or move to rescind the same, in order to enable the presentation of any further report which the Committee might agree to. Mr. Hutchison, who had been present during the examination by the Committee ol the transcript proofs and revises, asked that he might be allowed to say a few words m explanation. The Committee having assented, — Mr Hutchison said he had nothing to add to what he had stated in the House, except to explain how he came to correct the transcript. On the day after the delivery of the speech he went to the Government Printing Office for the purpose of ascertaining when he could get the proof for correcting, as he intended to be absent from Wellington on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Mr. Didsburv stated that it would probably be too late to correct it on Monday night, as the matter might be wanted for Tuesday's Hansard, and that he did not think the proofs could be ready for Friday. Mr. Didsbury found, on inquiry, that the printers had not begun to set up the copy, and it was arranged that he (Mr. Hutchison) might go over the transcript The same day he received the transcript, which he considered somewhat rough and full ot abbreviations, and, after going over it, and making a number of corrections, he decided not to leave but remain and see the proofs. This he intimated to Mr. Didsbury when returning the transcript. As to the alterations in the transcript and proof-sheets, they were only such as were required to make the Hansard report a correct report of his speech. Mr. Hutchison then withdrew. , . . , After considerable discussion as to the best mode of procedure, m which all the members ot the Committee took part, — ■ Mr. Feldwick gave notice that he would move, at the next meeting of the Committee, mat the resolution of the Committee of the 14th instant be rescinded. _ Mr Moss moved, That the Committee have carefully compared the original manuscript and proofs of the speech delivered by Mr. Hutchison, the member for Waitotara, on the 2nd July, with the report as published in Hansard of that date, and find (1) that the corrections made were not m any respect such as to alter the sense or call for notice; (2) that the report, as published in Hansard, is a correct report of the speech delivered by the honourable member m the House Mr O'Conor moved, That the question be amended by the omission of all the words after the word " That " with a view to the insertion of the following words in lieu thereof: "this Committee adjourn till Thursday for the purpose of considering a report, and that, in the meantime, the transcript and revises remain in the hands of the Clerk for the purpose of examination by members ot the Committee." \ ... , Hon. Mr. Hislop then moved, That the Committee adjourn the consideration of bringing up a leP °And the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 3.—Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. O'Conor. N OCS} 4._ Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders. So it passed in the negative. Mr. Moss here asked leave to withdraw his motion. Mr. O'Conor objected. So the question was put. And the question being put, That the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question, it passed in the negative. , . ~ , And the question being put, That the words proposed by Mr. 0 Conor to be inserted, in lieu ot the words struck out, be so inserted, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 3.—Hon. Mr. Hislop, Mr. Lawry, Mr. O'Conor. Noes, 4._ Mr. Feldwick, Mr. Moss, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Saunders. So it passed in the negative. ™ m,, uiv^i.;*!, Mr. Saunders then moved to add the following words after the word " That, "whilst both the reporters' manuscript and the printers' proofs have been very carefully corrected, and some manliest reporters' and printers' errors rectified, all alterations have been in the direction of making the report a more clear and faithful representation of what was said in the House. In one or two cases the sense and intention of the speaker had been reversed, in the first draft reports, by .hat very common mistake of simply omitting or adding a negative, but even these occurred m immaterial