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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.

Feiday, 3rd August, 1883. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Beetham, Mr. Cadman, Mr. Larnach, Captain McKenzie, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Postlethwaite, Mr. Seddon, Mr. Shephard, Mr. Sutton, Mr. J. W. Thomson. Order of reference read. On motion of Captain McKenzie, Besolved, That Mr. Shephard be Chairman. On motion of Mr. Sutton, Besolved, That the Surveyor-General be summoned to attend the Committee at its next meeting, and to produce maps showing main roads gazetted under the Act; also applications received and not yet gazetted, and all other documents and correspondence relating to the question. The Committee then adjourned till Monday, the 6th August, at 11 a.m.

Monday, 6th August, 1883. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Shephard (Chairman), Mr. Beetham, Mr. Cadman, Mr. Larnach, Captain McKenzie, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Postlethwaite, Mr. Seddon, Mr. Sutton, Mr. J. W. Thomson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. On motion of Mr. Seddon, Besolved, That the action of the Chairman, in requesting the attendance of a shorthand writer at the meetings of the Committee for the purpose of taking notes, be approved. Mr. McKerrow, the Surveyor-General, attended and gave evidence, which was taken in shorthand by the reporter. On motion of Mr. Seddon, Besolved, That the roads named on the Order Paper of the House for the 12th July, &c, relating to this Act, in the motion of the Hon. Mr. W. W. Johnston, be taken into consideration seriatim. On motion of Mr. Seddon, Besolved, That the Tauranga-Cambridge Eoad (50 miles), Tauranga, Piako, and Waikato Counties, be agreed to. On motion of the Chairman, at Mr. McKerrow's request, Besolved, That the consideration of all roads in Manawatu County be postponed for the production of further maps. On motion of Mr. Beetham, Besolved, That the Kaikoura Eoad to Inland Clarence Eiver (28 miles), Kaikoura County, be agreed to. On motion of Mr. Beetham, Besolved, That the Ahaura Eoad to Orwell Creek (8 miles), Grey County, be postponed for further evidence. On motion of Mr. Beetham, Besolved, That Greenstone Eoad, via Lake Brunner, to Teremakau (20 miles), Grey County, be agreed to. On motion of Mr. Seddon, Besolved, That the consideration of the roads in the Maniototo, Bruce, Wallace, and Clutha Counties be kept in abeyance until a definition is arrived at as to what constitutes a main road. Mr. Seddon moved, That main roads be those which connect two or more counties or road districts ; or, where there are no Eoad Boards, the ridings of a county; or which connect a country district with a port. . Mr. Sutton moved to add the words, " and are generally used for through traffic, and are not less than 20 miles in length." The proposed addition was put to the meeting, and, on a division, it was negatived by 6 to 3. Ayes, 3.—Mr. Postlethwaite, Mr. Seddon, Mr. Sutton. Noes, 6.—Mr. Beetham, Mr. Cadman, Mr. Larnach, Captain McKenzie, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. J. W. Thomson. Mr. Mitchelson moved, That this Committee do now adjourn for the purpose of asking the House to extend the Order of Eeference, so as to enable the Committee to review the whole of the roads gazetted last sessiofi as main roads, with the view of recommending a new schedule in accordance with, the resolution of the Committee and the opinion of the Surveyor-General as to what are main roads: On the question being put it was carried, on a division, by 6 to 3. Ayes, 6. —Mr. Cadman, Mr. Larnach, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Postlethwaite, Mr. Seddon, Mr. Sutton.

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