The Banking Legislation.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 15, 17 July 1896, Page 2

The Banking Legislation.

(Per Press Association) 1 Wellington, July 16. At a meeting of the Evidence Com- [ mittee it was decided to recommend ■ that Mr Hutchison's notices of motion, ! with slight amendments, be agreed to > with the exception of the one refer- > ring to the appointment of the two 1 accountants to enquire into the bal- | ance-sheets of the Ward Farmers' Association, which it was considered . was not a matter for the sub-Comniit- > tee to deal with. Other matters, in • regard to the calling of witnesses and 1 papers, were also decided by the BubCommittee. c ' Mr Guinness gave notice to move 3 for the balance-sheet and all returns since their formation with a certified copy by duly qualified accountants up to June 30, 1896, of Walter Guthrie and Co., the Fine Co., Colonial Hardware and Implement Co. and Colonial Implement and Engineering Co. The motion also asked a large amount of other information in regard to these \ Companies and requested that the various persons connected with these • Companies be summoned as witnesses. i It was decided to summon the fol- ■ lowing additional witnesses :— Mr - Graves, manager of the Bank of New ; Zealand at Ashburton (late of the lavercargill branch) ; Mr Geo. Buckley, son of Hon. G. Buckley; Mr ' Hanna, Inspector N.Z. Insurance Company ; Messrs Lyons, McCaul and Cuff, officers of the Realisation Hoard ; Mr Foster, manager of the Estates Company ; Mr T. G. McCarthy, Director of the Bank of New Zealand ; all the Directors of the Colonial Bank aud Bank of New Zealand ; Mr G. E. Tolhurst, of the Union Bank of Auß--i tralia ; and Major George. i This Day. Prior to the meeting of the Banking Committee this morning the sub-corn* mittee met to consider the evidence to be called. Considerable discussion took place upon the motions, of which Mr Guinness 1 had given notice, relating to the firm of Walter Duthie and Co. and other companies connected with that firm. Mr Montgomery moved the sub-com-mittee could not, in the absence of proof of connection of these motions with the subject matter in the order of reference, recommend that this evidence is re* qnired at present. Mr Seddon objected to this, contending Mr Guinness should be given an opportunity of showing that the evidence asked for in his motions was relevant. Relevancy of evidence could be found in the Insurance and Banking Record. Mr Steward moved that Mr Montgomery's motion be not now put, but this was lost, and Mr Montgomery's motion was carried on the voices.