I.—Ba,

1895. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTING DEBATES AND PRINTING COMMITTEE. (FURTHER REPORT RE HANSARD STAFF.)

Report brought up Friday, the 18th October, 1895, and ordered to be printed.

FUBTHEB RBPOET. The Eeporting Debates and Printing Committee have the honour to report that, in consequence of representations made by members of the Hansard staff as to the incomplete nature of the evidence printed,- your Committee considered it necessary to hold further inquiry, and that the evidence taken to-day should be printed and circulated before the discussion on the previous report of the Committee takes place. 18th October, 1895. W. J. Stewaed, Chairman.

Sic, — Hansard Office, 16th September, 1895. I beg respectfully to enclose the correspondence respecting the letter by members of the staff with regard to the mode of carrying on the work. I think, in justice to myself, Mr. Spragg, and Mr. Leslie, you should be placed in possession of this correspondence. Yours respectfully, 0. 0. N. Baeeon. The Chairman, Eeporting Debates Committee.

Deae Sic, — Saturday, 3rd August, 1895. There is certainly some mistake regarding the memorandum of suggestions forwarded to you. I understand the first suggestion to be that if you deemed assistance needful to the staff, you should consider whether a man who could go into the gallery would or would not be preferable to amanuenses. That this could express, in any degree, want of that confidence and esteem for which we have abundant grounds never occurred to me. I signed merely so as not to stand apart from those who desired to make the suggestion, believing it unobjectionable. Since it has apparently been taken by you as suggesting more than this, I regret having signed it, and assert that I had no intention whatever of expressing, in any degree, discontent or disrespect. The same opinion lam sure is held by other members of the staff. Yours truly, C. C. N. Barron, Esq. S. Speagg.

Deab Sic, — 3rd August, 1895. I have written to Mr. Grey a reply to the suggestions made by him and some other members of the staff. I presume he has communicated my letter to you. The subject is an exceedingly painful one to me, and I cannot see that anything will be gained by further discussing it. Yours, &c, S. Spragg, Esq. C. C. N. Baeeon.

Dear Sic, — sth August, 1895. Having signed the so-called respectful suggestions under an entire misapprehension, I beg to withdraw my name therefrom, and to admit that the statements in your reply set forth most accurately the facts as to the work of the staff. Yours, &c, C. C. N. Barron, Esq. S. Speagg. •■...•

Deab Sik—, Hansard Office, Friday. I may be under a misapprehension, but I have an idea that you may not have noticed the absence of my signature from a letter which I understand was given to you to-day. I refused repeated applications to sign it, and gave my reasons very emphatically for so doing. If I have, made a mistake in my assumption, 1 am sorry. I am, &c. Walteb Leslie. ~.. C. C. N. Barron, Esq., Chief New Zealand Hansard Staff. I—l. Ba.