Service and evidence of application.

18. The notices required by the three preceding orders shall be served and the service thereof proved in the same manner as directed in Standing Orders Nos. 7 and 8.

Service of notice and application when invalid.

14. No notice served or application made on a Sunday, Good Friday, or Christmas Day, or before eight o'clock in the forenoon, or after eight o'clock in the afternoon of any day shall be deemed valid, except in case of delivery of letters by post.

Plans and Books of Reference to be deposited with the Superintendent.

15. In all cases of Bills applied for in pursuance of these Standing Orders, by which any lands or houses are intended to be taken, a plan of the work proposed to be made, maintained, varied, extended, or enlarged, together with a book of reference, shall be deposited for public inspection at the Office of the Superintendent of the Province, not less than thirty days before the commencement of the session in which it is proposed to make application for the Bill.

Contents of Book of Reference.

16. Such book of reference to every such plan shall contain the names of the owners, or reputed owners, lessees, reputed lessees, and occupiers of all lands or houses in the line of the proposed work, or within the limits of deviation, as defined upon the plan, and shall describe such land and houses respectively. (See Schedule).

Superintendent to endorse Memorial on Plans.

17. The Superintendent shall make a memorial in writing upon the plans and books of reference so deposited with him, denoting the time at which the same were lodged in his Office, and shall at all seasonable hours of the day permit any person to view and examine the same, and to make copies or extracts therefrom; and the plans so deposited shall be retained in the possession of the Superintendent until the session of the Provincial Council next ensuing shall be about to be held, when they shall be forwarded by the Superintendent to the Office of the Clerk of the Provincial Council, so as to be deposited there as nearly as may be within a week of the commencement of the session.

Parties objecting may petition.

18. Any parties complaining of a non-compliance with the Standing Orders or objecting to the principles of the Bill may petition the Council against it, and such petition shall be referred to the Select Committee on the Bill for their consideration, and such petitioners may appear and be heard by themselves, their agents and witnesses before such Committee.

Bill to be printed at the expense of Promoters.

19. Before leave is given to bring in a private Bill, and at subsequent stages whenever the Council shall order the reprinting thereof, such Bill shall be printed at the expense of the parties applying for it, in the same form as public Bills, and a sufficient number of copies delivered to the Clerk of the Council for the use of the members thereof.

Constitution and Duties of Select Committees on Bills.

20. When a Bill shall have been read a first time it shall be referred to a Select Committee, to consist of the Speaker, the member in charge of the Bill, and three other members not locally or otherwise interested, to be appointed on motion, of which notice must be given; and such Committee shall report whether the Standing Orders have been complied with, and if not, whether they ought or ought not to be dispensed with, and generally on the merits of the Bill.

Chairman to have casting Vote only.

21. In every Select Committee three shall be a quorum, and the Chairman shall only have a casting vote.

Bill to be dealt with as a Public Bill. Stages prescribed.

22. Upon a private Bill being brought up and reported by the Select Committee, such Bill shall be proceeded with as in the case of public Bills, a future day being appointed for the second reading: Provided that there shall always be an interval of not less than two days between such report and the second reading, and not less than two days between the second and third reading.

Standing Orders with regard to giving Notices not to be dispensed with.

23. No motion shall be made to dispense with the Standing Orders 1 to 14 inclusively, which refer to the giving of notices.

Remaining Orders not to be dispensed with unless twenty-four Members present.

24. No motion shall be made to dispense with any of the remaining Standing Orders without due notice thereof, and such motion shall not be considered by the Council unless there be twenty-four members present.

Scale of Fees.

25. The scale of fees to be paid by parties promoting private Bills shall be as follows:—

£ s. d.

On the first reading ... 3 0 0

second do. ... 4 0 0

third and passing... 3 0 0

And any Bill shall be stopped by the Speaker in any stage of its progress, if any fee then due is unpaid.