H.—34.

Sess. 1L—1879. NEW ZEALAND.

TRAVELLING EXPENSES OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE).

Laid on the Table by the Hon. the Speaker. Memorandum from the Controller and Auditor-General to the Hon. the Speaker of the House op Representatives. The Controller and Auditor-General has the honor to forward to the Speaker the correspondence which took place with him as Speaker of the late House of Representatives, and respectfully to request that the same may be brought before Parliament, with a view to the adoption of such rules as regards the travelling expenses of the members of Parliament as may enable the accounts of such expenditure to be properly audited. James Edwakd FitzGerald, 11th October, 1879. Controller and Auditor-General.

Enclosure. T_e Controller and Auditor-General to the Hon. the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sir,— Audit Office, 30th July, 1879. The Controller and Auditor-General has the honor to submit the accompanying voucher again to the Hon. the Speaker, and respectfully to request that the House of Representatives may be moved to take such steps as may enable accounts of this nature to be passed by the Audit Office. The only regulations as to the disposition of the vote for the travelling expenses of members are contained in the resolutions of the Committee of the House in 1874. The first resolution as to travelling expenses states, — " That members of the Assembly residing more than three miles from the Assembly Buildings should receive actual fares by coach, railway, or steamboat, once each way, to and from their usual residences." The third resolution states, — " That all allowances to members of the Assembly, excepting the actual fares before mentioned, should be paid for attendance during the sitting days of the session," &c. It appears, then, that any travelling allowance to members beyond the actual fares from their usual place of residence is contrary to the Order of the House, and ought not to be passed by the Audit. In reference to the statement that such payments have, notwithstanding, been previously made, the Controller and Auditor-General respectfully submits that this has occurred owing to an irregular and highly objectionable practice, by which such payments have been made by the Cashier to the Treasury, out of moneys imprested to him, before the vouchers have been passed by the Audit Office. I have, &c, James Edward FitzGerald, Controller and Auditor-General. The Hon. the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Major Campbell. Does Mr. FitzGerald state accurately the custom of dealing with members' claims for expenses to and from meeting of the Assembly ? 2. What course was adopted by previous Speakers on receiving communications from the Controller and Auditor-General ? Did tho Speaker merely lay them on the table, or did he enter into a correspondence with that officer on the subject ? 30th July, 1879, G. Maurice O'Roeke.