I,—6a.

6

or for withholding a title for the land purchased after her agent has complied with all the conditions demanded from him by tho land officers. 11. Nor would there be any justification for singling out any ono Government officer as a scapegoat for prosecution where his superior officers have been so clearly implicated. Clause 6.— Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Sir E. Stout, to strike out all the words after the word " Christchurch " in the fourth line. Besolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, to insert the words " which gave illegal currency in Canterbury to a large quantity of scrip held or conditionally sold by Mr. Whyte," in lieu of the words struck out. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 7.— Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Sir E. Stout, to strike out the words "has done," in lines 1 and 2, and insert the word " put" in lieu thereof. Hon. Sir E. Stout moved, That the words " plain reading of the Acts," in line 3, be struck out. Upon the question being put, That the words proposed to be struck out stand part of the question, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 4: Hon. the Premier, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Tanner, and Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 5: Mr. Guinness, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Dr. Newman, Hon. Sir E. Stout, and Mr. Wright. Words struck out. Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Sir E. Stout, to insert the words "provisions of the 1888 Act," in lieu of the words struck out. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause B.—Hon. Sir J. Hall moved to strike out the words "or disregarded " in line 2. Upon the question being put, that the words as printed stand part of the clause, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 5 : Mr. Guinness, Hon. the Premier, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Tanner, and Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 4: Hon. Sir J. Hall, Dr. Newman, Hon. Sir E. Stout, and Mr. Wright. Words retained. Besolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, to insert the word "Crown" after " Ellesmere," struck out. ' ■ Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 9. — Besolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, to strike out all the words down to the word " received." Mr. Tanner proposed to insert the following words in lieu of the words struck out—viz.: " The sales of Ellesmere and other Crown lands at Christchureh, we find that certain persons have used scrip on an understanding, obtained directly or indirectly, from Ministers or land officers, that it would be accepted in payment for them, whilst the general public were left under the impression that cash only would be received." Upon a division being called for, that the words proposed to be inserted be so inserted, the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 4 : Mr. Guinness, Hon. the Premier, Mr. Saunders, and Mr. Tanner. Noes, 5 : Hon. Sir J. Hall, Dr. Newman, Hon. Sir E. Stout, Hon. Mr. Ward, and Mr. Wright. Motion lost. Besolved, on the motion of Mr. Tanner, to insert the following words in lieu of the words struck out: "We find that information that scrip would be accepted in payment for the Ellesmere lands was obtained in a semi-private manner from Ministers or officials by persons who thus obtained an undue advantage over the general public." The Hon. Mr. Seddon moved to insert the words " and other Crown lands " after the word "Ellesmere." Upon the Question being put, a division was called for, and the names were taken down as follow:— Ayes, i : Mr. Guinness, Hon. the Premier, Mr. Saunders, Hon. Mr. Ward. Noes, 5: Hon. Sir J. Hall, Dr. Newman, Hon. Sir E. Stout, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Wright. Motion lost. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 10 agreed to. Clause 11 : On the motion of Mr. Wright struck out. Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Sir E. Stout, to insert the following in lieu of the clause struck out : " The Committee approve of the action of the present Minister of Lands in disallowing the surcharge against the late Eeceiver of Land Eevenue at Christchureh." Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Sir E. Stout, " That the report as amended be agreed to, and that the Chairman report the same to the House." :); Us * * * The Committee then adjourned till Tuesday next.

Tuesday, 22nd August, 1893. Present: Mr. Shera (Chairman), Mr. Guinness, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr. G-. Hutchison, Mr. J. Mills, Dr. Newman, Hon. the Premier, Hon. Sir E. Stout, Mr. Tanner, Hon. Mr. Ward, Mr. Wright. Minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. The Chairman brought down the printed report on the scrip transactions as agreed upon at the last meeting, and mentioned that it would be necessary to make some alterations therein. After some discussion it was Resolved, on the motion of Hon. Sir E. Stout, that the report be recommitted, to consider verbal alterations in paragraphs 1, 2, and 6. Besolved, That the verbal alteration as shown on the printed copy of the report be agreed to, and that the Chairman present the same to the House this afternoon. [Vide report as brought up.]