8 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

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 Members 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 at which such Committee would
have sat had no such adjournment taken place.

Absent Members to be reported.
96. If any of the Members shall not be present
within half-an-hour after the time appointed for the
meeting of the Committee, or if any Member shall
absent himself from his duties on such Committee,
every such Member shall be reported to the House
at its next sitting.

Deficiency of Quorum to be reported.
97. 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 Committee, or
by death or otherwise, the Chairman shall report the
circumstances of the case to the Committee of Selec-
tion, who shall substitute another Member in lieu of
the Member having become incompetent to act, and
shall take such measures as may enable the Com-
mittee to proceed with the business referred to such
Committee, or as the exigency of the case may
require.

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

Two days' notice of consideration of Bill to be given.
99. The Committee on each Bill shall, from time to
time, appoint the day upon which they will enter
upon the consideration of such Bill, and on which
they will require the parties severally promoting or
opposing the same to enter appearances, and two
clear days' notice at the least of such appointment
shall be given by the Clerk in the Private Bill Office;
and in case the Committee shall postpone the con-
sideration of any Bill, the like notice shall be given
of the day to which the same is postponed.

Adjournment to be specially reported.
100. Every Committee on an opposed Private Bill
shall report specially to the House the cause of any
adjournment over any day on which the House shall
sit.

When opposed Bills may be treated as unopposed.
101. In all cases of opposed Private Bills in which
no parties shall have appeared on the Petitions
against such Bills, or having appeared, shall have
withdrawn their opposition before the evidence of
the promoters shall have been commenced, the Com-
mittee on such Bills shall forthwith refer them back
with a statement of the facts to the Committee of
Selection, who shall deal with them as with unop-
posed Bills.

VIII.—PROCEEDINGS OF AND IN RELATION TO COM-
MITTEES ON BILLS, WHETHER OPPOSED OR UN-
OPPOSED.

Bill to be laid before each Member.
102. At the First Meeting of the Committee, copies
of the Bills as proposed to be submitted to them, and
signed by the Agent, shall be laid by him before each
Member of the Committee.

Local Members not to vote.
103. No Member locally or otherwise interested
of a Committee on any unopposed Private Bill shall
have a vote on any question that may arise, but every
Member shall be entitled to attend and take part
in the proceedings of the Committee.

Names of Members to be entered on Minutes.
104. The names of the Members attending each
Committee shall be entered by the Clerk on the
Minutes of the Committee, and if any Divisions shall
take place in the Committee, the Clerk shall take
down the names of Members voting in any Division,
distinguishing on which side of the Question they
respectively vote, and such Lists shall be given in
with the Report to the House.

Cause compelling payment of Subscriptions.
105. In all Bills presented to the House for carry-
ing on any work by means of a Company, Commis-
sioners, or Trustees, provision shall be made for
compelling persons who have subscribed any money
towards carrying such work into execution to make
payment of the several sums subscribed by them.

Provision in Bills by which Tolls, &c., may be levied.
106. In all Bills where parties are authorized to
levy fees, tolls, or other rates or charges, clauses
shall be inserted providing for the following objects,
except in so far as any of such objects shall have
been provided for in some general Act applicable
to the subject matter of the Bill:—

Security to be taken from the Treasurer, Collector,
or Receiver, and every other Officer entrusted
with the collection or custody of moneys under
the Bill, for the faithful execution of his office.

Full and accurate Accounts to be kept of all
moneys received and expended under the pro-
visions of the Bill, and that such Accounts be
balanced once in each year at the least.

Such Accounts to be duly audited once in each
year at the least, and that for that purpose
an Auditor or Auditors be appointed by some
person or persons not immediately connected
with the Commissioners, Directors, Trustees, or
other party by whom, or by whose direction or
authority such fees, tolls, rates, or charges shall
be levied.

For the purpose of auditing such accounts the
Commissioners, Directors, Trustees or other
such party as aforesaid to be required to cause
the Accounts, together with all their Books
and Vouchers to be produced to the Auditors.

The remuneration of the Auditor and his expenses
to be defrayed out of the funds levied under the
Bill.

An annual Account in abstract to be prepared of
the total receipts and expenditure of all funds
levied under such Bill during the past year under
the several distinct heads of receipts and expendi-
ture, with a statement of the balance of the said
account duly audited and certified by the Chair-
man of the Commissioners, Directors, Trustees,
or other parties aforesaid; and also by the
Auditors thereof; and a copy of such Annual
Account to be transmitted free of charge to the
Superintendent of the Province within which
the Chief Office for the management of such
funds shall be situated, on or before the 31st day
of January in each year, under a sufficient
penalty for not preparing and sending in the
said Account, to be levied by summary process;
the said Accounts to be open at all seasonable
hours to the inspection of the Public on payment
of a Fee.