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House, shall stand referred to such Committee, and such member shall be entitled to be heard by such Committee in support thereof. 356 a. The Committee on Local Bills shall have power to confer or sit as a Joint Committee with any similar Committee appointed by the Legislative Council. 357. All Bills which have been committed to the Committee on Local Bills, when reported to the House, shall, if the Committee report that the Bill should be allowed to proceed, be set down for second reading on a future day, not being earlier than two clear days after the presentation of the report of the Committee, but may not be read a second time until after they shall have been reprinted showing any amendments therein ; and Local Bills that have been read a second time shall be set down for third reading on a future day, unless the House shall order that they be read a third time forthwith, or that they be committed to a Committee of the Whole. 357 a. Unopposed Local Bills shall be placed at the head of the list of Local Bills on the Order Paper, and Bills shall be treated as unopposed against which no notice of opposition has been lodged with the Clerk of the House by Five of the clock on the day preceding that fixed for the consideration of the Bill; and if no such notice be given, then no debate shall be permitted at that stage of the Bill. Note.—3s6, 356 a, 357, 357 a. These proposals, relating to Local Bills, are almost identical with those of Sir H. A. Atkinson in 1888, and, it is believed, contain some very desirable improvements upon the present procedure. Proposed new Standing Order, to follow No. 359 :— 359 a. In the event of a Local Bill introduced in any session, and in regard to which the Local Bills Committee shall have reported that the Standing Orders have been complied with, failing to be finally dealt with during such session, then such Bill may be reintroduced during the next succeeding session, and the notices, advertisements, and deposits issued, published, and made in compliance with the Standing Orders relating to Local Bills prior to or during the first-mentioned session shall be good and effectual in respect of such Bill, as if they had been issued, published, and made immediately before or during such succeeding session : Provided, however, that if it be intended to reintroduce such Bill during the next succeeding session a notice of such intention shall be advertised in not less than two issues of some newspaper published in the district within which such Bill is to have operation, or, if there be no such newspaper, then in some newspaper circulating therein. Proposed new Standing Orders, to follow No. 359 a :— 359b. Any Bill for consolidating or codifying the law, or any branch thereof, may be referred, after it shall have been read a second time, to a Committee —to be called the Law Bevision Committee — consisting of not less than fifteen nor more than twenty Members, to consider and report upon the same. 359 c. It shall be the duty of such Committee to see that, in respect of such provi-

sions of the Bill as purport merely to re-enact and consolidate the existing law, the true intent, meaning, and effect thereof is not in any way changed, altered, or varied; but the Committee shall have power to suggest such amendments, alterations, or additions as it shall think fit; and, on reporting the Bill to the House, shall attach a copy thereof reprinted in such manner as to show in italics or other distinguishing type every new or altered provision. 359 d. When the Committee shall have reported that the Bill effects no change upon the existing law, it may be read a third time without having been first committed to a Committee of the whole House, and when the Committee shall have reported that any part or parts of the -Bill contain any alteration of or addition to the existing law, then only such part or parts shall be considered in Committee of the Whole, unless the House shall have ordered any further part or parts of the Bill, or the whole Bill, to be so considered. Proposed addition to Standing Order No. 385 :— . . except in relation to Imprest Supply and Appropriation Bills, when the Report may be ordered to be received and considered forthwith. Note. —This proposal will render it unnecessary to suspend Standing Orders for the purpose. To omit Standing Order No. 387. Note.—Because in conflict with N0.'379. Proposed new Standing Order, to follow No. 395:— 395 a. An order to clear the galleries includes the Ladies' Galleries. To amend Standing Order No. 400 by substituting for the last three lines thereof the words shown in italics : — 400. Any Standing Order or Orders of the House may be suspended on Motion made with or without notice. Provided that notice extending over two clear days, and specifying the hour at which such Motion will be made, shall ahoays be given when practicable ; and that a Motion to suspend without notice shall not be entertained unless there be tioo-thirds of the whole number of Members present at the time such Motion is made; and provided further that ivhen such suspension is to extend over more than one sitting or in relation to more than one specified matter the presence of two-thirds of the Members shall, in all cases, be necessary. To amend Standing Order No. 401 by substituting for the last four lines thereof the words shoivn in italics. 401. No proposal for altering or annulling any Standing Order or adopting any neio Standing Order shall be entertained unless when notice extending over at least four sitting - days shall have been given; and if a division be demanded it shall be necessary that such proposal shall be. voted for by a number equal to an absolute majority of the whole number of Members then in attendance on Parliament. Note.—The above is intended to lay down a definite and precise rule upon a matter apon which somewhat contradictory rulings have been given.

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