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Sess. 11.—1879. NEW ZEALAND.

CITY OF CHRISTCHURCH ELECTION (REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON), TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND APPENDIX.

Report brought up on 28th October, 1879. REPORT. The Committee to whom the petition of the Hon. Edward Richardson, C.M.G., against the return of the Hon. Sir George Grey, X.C.8., as member for the City of Christchurch Electoral District, in the Province of Canterbury, was referred, beg to report as follows:— 1. That His Excellency the Governor did by proclamation fix the 17th day of September, 1879, as the day on which all writs should be returned, and for the meeting of Parliament, and in the writs issued the Returning Officers were required to return the said writs to the Clerk of the Writs on or before tbe 17th day of September, 1879. 2. That on the 18th day of August, 1879, a writ was issued for the election of two members for the Electoral District of Thames, and was made returnable on or before the 17th day of September, 1879. 3. That the nomination of candidates was appointed by the Returning Officer to take place on the 2nd day of September, 1879, and at such nomination Sir George Grey, X.C.8., was declared to be duly elected as one of the members for the said district. 4. That the 23rd section of " The Regulation of Elections Act, 1870," provides that the names of the persons so declared to be elected shall be indorsed on the writ by the Returning Officer as the persons duly elected in pursuance thereof, and he shall make a return accordingly. 5. That on the 2nd day of September, 1879, the Returning Officer indorsed on the said writ the name of Sir George Grey, X.C.8., as one of the persons duly elected, and returned the same to the Clerk of the Writs, who received the same on the 6th day of September, 1879. 6. That, in pursuance of a writ, dated 18th day of August, 1879, duly issued, the nomination for the City of Christchurch Electoral District took place on the Ist of September, 1879, and the election on the 10th of September, 1879, and Sir George Grey, X.C.8., was, among others, declared to be elected. 7. That on the 11th day of September, 1879, the Returning Officer indorsed the name, among others, of Sir George Grey, X.C.8., on the said writ, and returned the same to the Clerk of the Writs, who received the same on the 12th day of September, 1879. The Committee, having read the petition and heard the evidence adduced, and counsel for petitioner and the sitting member, do hereby determine:— 1. That the Hon. Sir George Grey, X.C.8., was not duly elected for Christchurch at the last general election of members of tbe New Zealand House of Representatives. 2. That the Hon. Edward Richardson, C.M.G., was duly elected, and ought to haye been returned, as a member in this present House of Representatives for the City of Christchurch. James Fulton, 28th October, 1879. Chairman. Resolution unanimously adopted by the Committee, and reported 28th October, 1879 : — " That this Committee is of opinion that the provisions of the present law for the trial of election petitions are unsatisfactory, and require amendment." 28th October, 1879.