II

II

presents at such place or places in our said Colony of New Zealand as you may deem expedient; and to call before you and examine such person or persons as you may judge necessary, by whom you may be better informed of the matters herein submitted for your consideration, and to inquire of and concerning the premises by all other lawful ways and means whatsoever. And We do further appoint you, the said James Fulton, to be Chairman ot the said Commissioners, and do direct that the mode of holding the said inquiry shall, subject to the terms of these presents, be as follows :— 1. Any three or more of the said Commissioners, of whom you, the said Chairman, shall be one, shall hold such inquiry at such centre or centres of population in our said colony as shall be thought fit, the Commissioners to sit with the Chairman in such case being those as nearly as may be usually resident in or near to the place at which the inquiry is held ; and such three or more Commissioners shall, in and for the purposes of such inquiry hereby authorised, have and may exercise all the powers vested in the said Commissioners as a whole: Provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to interfere with or prevent the said last-mentioned Commissioners from sitting at any place or for any purpose authorised hereby should they deem it necessary for the purposes of this inquiry. 2. At each sitting of the Commissioners the evidence given before them shall be carefully taken down and recorded, and then or afterwards fairly transcribed and signed by the person giving such evidence, and the same shall be preserved for consideration and transmission as hereinafter directed. 3. On the completion of the inquiry the several Commissioners shall assemble at such place or places in our said colony as they may determine, and, after consideration of all the evidence taken, shall make a report to Us of their proceedings under these presents, as hereinafter provided. 4. The powers of the Commission shall continue and subsist although the sjune be not regularly continued from time to time or from place to place by adjournment. . . And We do lastly direct that, using all diligence in the premises, and not later than the thirty-first day of March next, you, the said Commissioners, shall, after due consideration of all the evidence taken under these presents, report to Us, under your hands and seals, your opinion in the said several premises? and shall transmit such report to Us on or before the date aforesaid, together with the evidence aforesaid, and all records and documents relating thereto. In testimony whereof We have caused these our Letters to be made .Patent, and the Seal of our said Colony to be hereunto affixed, at Wellington, in the said colony, this twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety, and in the fifty-third year of our reign. Witness our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Cousin William Hillier, Earl of Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Salop; Viscount Cranley, of Cranley in the County of Surrey ; Baron (1.5.) Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Salop, and of West Clandon in the County of Surrey ; Baron Cranley, of Imbercourt; Baronet; Knight Grand Cross of our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George; Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief in and over our Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same. ONSLOW. By His Excellency's command. W. R. Russell.