THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 45

Constitution of Committee on Opposed Private Bills.
74. The Committee of Selection shall refer
every opposed Private Bill which shall have
been referred to them, or any group of such
Bills, to a Chairman and four members, not
locally or otherwise interested therein.

Constitution of Committee on Unopposed Private Bills.
75. The Committee of Selection shall refer
any unopposed Private Bill which shall have
been referred to them to the Chairman of
Committees, together with one of the mem-
bers ordered to prepare and bring in the
same, and one other member not locally in-
terested therein, or two other members, in
case the Chairman of Committees be locally in-
terested therein, if the Bill shall have origi-
nated in the House; and if the Bill shall
have been brought from the other House, to
three members, of whom two at least shall
not be locally or otherwise interested therein.

Committee of Selection to give notice to members.
76. The Committee of Selection shall give
to each member sufficient notice of his ap-
pointment as a member of a Committee on
any Private Bill, or group of such Bills; and
in every case where a declaration is required
to be signed and returned by such member,
shall transmit to him a blank form of the
declaration required, with a request that it
may forthwith be returned properly filled up
and signed.

Members returning no answer to be reported.
77. The Committee of Selection shall re-
port to the House the name of every member
from whom they shall not have received, in
due time, such declaration so filled up and
signed, or in lieu thereof an excuse which
they shall deem sufficient.

Substitution of Members.
78. The Committee of Selection shall have
the power of discharging any member or
members of a Committee, and substituting
other members.

Committee may send for persons, &c.
79. The Committee of Selection shall have
power in the execution of their duties to send
for persons, papers, and records.

11.—PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEES ON
OPPOSED BILLS.

Declaration of Members.
80. Each Member of a Committee on an
opposed Private Bill, or group of Bills, shall,
before he be entitled to attend and vote on
such Committee, sign the following declara-
tion:—

"I do hereby declare that my con-
stituents have no local interest, and that
I have no personal interest in (such)
Bill, and that I will never vote on any
question which may arise without having
duly heard and attended to the evidence
relating thereto;"
—and no such Committee shall proceed to
business until the said declaration shall have
been so signed by each of such Members.

Quorum to be always present.
81. Committees shall be allowed to pro-
ceed, if three of the five Members shall be
present, but not a less number, unless by
special leave of the House.

Members not to absent themselves.
82. No Member of a Committee on an
opposed Private Bill shall absent himself
from his duties thereon except in case of
sickness, or by order of the House.

In case of Chairman's absence.
83. If the Chairman shall be absent from
the Committee the member next in rotation
in the List of Members who shall be present
shall act as Chairman.

Proceedings to be suspended, if Quorum not present.
84. If at any time during the sitting of
any Committee three at least of the Members
shall not be present, the Chairman shall
suspend the proceedings of such Committee
until three at least shall be present, and if at
the expiration of half an hour from the time
fixed for the meeting of the Committee, or
from the time when the Chairman shall so
have suspended the proceedings, three Mem-
bers shall not be present, the Committee shall
be adjourned to the next day on which the
House shall sit, and then shall meet at the
hour on which such Committee would have
sat had no such adjournment taken place.

Absent Members to be reported.
85. If any of the Members shall not be
present within one hour after the time ap-
pointed for the meeting of the Committee, or
if any Member shall absent himself from his
duties on such Committee, every such Mem-
ber shall be reported to the House at its next
sitting.

Absence of Quorum by death or otherwise to be reported.
86. If at any time after the Committee on
a Bill shall have been formed, a Quorum of
Members required by the Standing Orders
cannot attend, in consequence of any of the
Members who shall have been duly qualified
to serve on such Committee having become
incompetent to continue such service by
having been placed on an Election Commit-
tee, or by death or otherwise, the Chairman
shall report the circumstances of the case to
the Committee of Selection, who shall
substitute another Member in lieu of the
Member having become incompetent to act,
and shall take such measures as may enable
the Committee to proceed with the business
referred to such Committee, or as the
exigency of the case may require.

Questions to be decided by Majority.
87. All questions before Committees on
Private Bills shall be decided by a majority
of voices, including the voice of the Chair-
man, and whenever the voices are equal the
Chairman shall have a second or casting
vote.

Order in which Bills are to be considered, if a group.
88. The Committee on each group of Bills
shall from time to time appoint the day on
which they will enter upon the consideration