t.—ll.

2

STANDING ORDERS AND FORMS OF PROCEEDINGS . RELATIVE to LOCAL AND PRIVATE BILLS.

* # * Alterations are shown in erasure type and italics. New Clauses by a line in tlie margin.

i. In the construction of these Standing Orders the words and phrases following shall have the meaning here attached to them, unless there be something in the context repugnant to or inconsistent with such meaning. The word "House" shall mean the Legislative Council or the House of Eepresentatives, as the case may be, in which the Bill may be at the time; and the expression "other House" shall signify the House of the General Assembly in which the Bill shall not be at the time. A quorum shall consist of an equal number of either House. There shall be as4ssa»iaer-c^Sfeffldi»g-o*der9 a Clerk of Bills* to bo appointed by the Speaker of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives. 2. Local Bills are those which, not being Private Bills, affect particular localities only. 3. Private Bills shall be understood to be Bills which are promoted for the private interest of individuals or companies, or which, by their provisions, directly interfere with the private property of individuals. 4. There shall be nominated at the commencement of each session a Joint Committee of six, consisting of three members chosen by the Legislative Council, and three members chosen by the House of Eepresentatives. This Committee shall be named " The Joint Committee of Classification," and four shall be a quorum, with power to make joint reports. 5. There shall be nominated, at the commencement of each session, one or more Committees, to be designated " The Local Bills Committees A and B," each to consist of five members of each House respectively, of such Committees four shall be a quorum, with power to call for persons and papers, and to make all such inquiry as they think proper, and to make joint reports, stating whether the Bill proposed shall be proceeded with, together with any special circumstances connected therewith. G. There shall be nominated, at the commencement of each session, a Committee, to be designated "The Private Bills Committee," to consist of five members of each House respectively, of which Committee four shall be a quorum, with power to call for persons and papers, and to make all such inquiry as they think proper, and to make joint reports, stating whether the Bill proposed shall he proceeded with, together with any special circumstances connected therewith. Initiation oe Bills. 7. All Bills shall be introduced as Public Bills, in accordance with the Standing Orders of either House. 8. All Bills, other than Bills introduced by the Government affecting matters of general public policy, shall stand referred to the Joint Committee of Classification before the second reading. 9. Such Committee shall report what Bills shall be dealt with as Public Bills, what as Local Bills, and what as Private Bills.

As to Local Bills. 10. Local Bills shall be referred by the Joint Committee of Classification to the Local Bills Committee. 11. No Local Bill shall be read a second time unless notice shall have been given of the said Bill in the locality to which the Bill refers. 12. Such notice shall state explicitly the object which such Bill is intended to effect, and shall have been published once at least in each of three successive weeks before the second reading, in a newspaper circulating in such locality. 13. Local Bills reported on by the Local Bills Committee shall be set down for second reading on the following Thursday, on which day Orders relating to private Members' Local Bills shall have precedence of Notices of Motion. 14. At the time of the first publication of such notice, a copy of the Bill shall be deposited in the Eesident Magistrate's Court of the district, and shall be open to public inspection. 15. That, when it is intended in such Bill to take power to deal with any lands, plans or surveys of such lands, on a scale of not less than two inches to a mile, and certified by an authorized surveyor, shall be deposited with the Bill. 16. In the case of Bills authorizing the construction of harbour works, or the raising of further loans for the completion of harbour works previously authorized, such Bill shall be accompanied by a statement of the financial position of the promoters, an estimate of the cost of construction, and the estimated increased revenue to be derived from the proposed works, together with the plans or surveys before mentioned. 17. Before the Bill is introduced into the Legislative Council or House of Eepresontatives, the beforementioned plans or surveys and estimates shall be forwarded to the office of the Clerk of tke-___esse4a -whieh-_ie-Bill4s4e-fee4nitiate4 Bills ? _ 18. Any parties desirous of opposing any Bill, either for non-compliance with Standing Orders, or on any other ground, shall, previous to the second reading of the Bill, apply by petition, to he lodged with the Clerk of the Bills, for leave to be heard, by themselves, their counsel, agents, or witnesses, before the Local Bills Committee. The Committee shall inquire whether the Standing Orders have or have not been complied with, and shall report to the House whether, in the opinion of the Committee, such Standing Orders as have not been complied with ought or ought not to be dispensed with, and whether, in their opinion, the parties should be permitted to proceed with their Bill, or any portion thereof, and under what (if any) conditions. 19. The Clerk of Bills shall give two days' notice, by affixing the same in his office, of a day to be appointed by the Committee for the hearing the parties promoting and those opposing any Bill. 20. All questions shall be decided by a majority of voices, including the voice of the Chairman ; and

* Throughout these Orders the " Clerk of Bills" is substituted for the "Examiner."