Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 229

FIRST MEETING.

COUNCIL CHAMBER,

Friday, 18th October, 1901.

PRESENT:

The Honourable J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G., (Chairman).

The Honourable JOHN THURBURN.

Colonel L. F. BROWN, R.E.

ROBERT GORDON SHEWAN, Esq.

E. D. C. WOLFE, Esq., (Secretary).

ABSENT:

The Honourable H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.

The Chairman. With your permission, we will take the notice summoning the meeting as read,

Agreed.

The Chairman. I do not think, gentlemen, it is necessary to have the Commission, issued by His Excellency the Governor, read. The Secretary has furnished each member of the Commission with a copy. I am sorry that Mr. Pollock is not able to be here to-day. He is engaged in the Supreme Court, but seeing this is merely a prelimin- ary meeting, his absence will not be felt so much as it would otherwise have been. The object in asking you to come here to-day is to decide as to the mode of conducting the enquiry. I have a suggestion to make, and I shall be glad to know whether you agree with it or not. I propose that first of all certain papers bearing upon the Public Works Department shall be circulated among the members of the Commission, so that they may have an opportunity of reading them. When all the members of the Com- mission have read these papers, I propose that witnesses should be called.

As regards the examination of witnesses, I think the most convenient method will be for the Chair- man of the Commission to conduct what may be called the examination in chief and then for each member, after that examination is over, to ask the witness any questions that he may wish to put. I think this plan will save a good deal of confusion. I have noticed in Commissions on which I have sat myself, that, when a witness is heckled by each member indiscriminately it leads to coufusion. If we adhere to the method of examination I have suggested-there may be of course occasions when it may be necessary to depart from it—it will, I think, facilitate our enquiry.

Colonel BROWN.-The usual way with us is to submit questions to the Chairman. Mr. SHEWAN.-I think it would be better for each member to put his own question, because an answer often leads to another question.

The Chairman.-The course mentioned by Colonel BROWN would, I fear, delay matters. In my opinion it would be better to allow each member of the Commission to ask directly such questions as may occur to him without submitting them to the Chairman.

Agreed.

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