11

H.—6

66. Where any such notice has been given, the givers thereof, their counsel or agents, may appear and be heard on the examination, and may call wit-, nesses in proof of their complaint; but if no such notice be given, the Petition shall be treated as unopposed. 67. The Examiner shall indorse on the Petition the words " Standing Orders complied with" or " Standing Orders not complied with," as the case may be, and shall sign the indorsement. 68. If these Orders have not been complied with, the Examiner shall report the fact to the House, and shall state what requirements have not been fulfilled, together with any special circumstances connected with the case. 69. If the Examiner be in doubt as to the true construction of any one of these Orders, or as to its application to a particular case, he shall make a Special Report of the facts, without deciding whether the Order has or has not been complied with, and in such case he shall indorse the Petition with the words " Special Report." If all other Orders have been complied with, no further indorsement shall be made on the Petition ; but if non-compliance with any other Order be proved, the Examiner shall add to the words " Special Report" the words " Standing Orders not complied with." 70. Where the Examiner reports that these Orders have not been complied with, or where he makes a Special Report, the Petition and Report stand referred to the Joint Committee. 71. The Joint Committee shall report to the House whether, in their opinion, such Orders as have not been complied with ought or ought not to be dispensed with, and whether the promoters should be allowed to proceed with their Bill, or any part thereof, and under what conditions (if any). 72. When any Special Report by the Examiner is referred to the Joint Committee, they shall determine, according to their construction of the Order in question, and on the facts stated in the Report, whether the said Order has or has not been complied with. If they find that it has been complied with, they shall report to the House accordingly ; if they find that it has not been complied with, they shall then proceed to consider whether it ought or ought not to be dispensed with. 73. All Petitions praying that any of these Orders or any Sessional Order of the House relating to Private Bills be dispensed with in the case of any particular Bill, and all Counter-Petitions praying for the enforcement of any such Orders, shall be presented to the House by depositing the same in the Private Bill Office; and every such Petition or Counter-Petition so deposited shall stand referred to the Joint Committee, who shall report to the House whether, in their opinion, the Orders in question ought or ought not to be dispensed with. 74. Evidence of compliance with these Orders and of any other facts required to be proved before the Examiner, or before the Joint Committee, may be given by affidavit or declaration sworn or made before a Solicitor of the Supreme Court. Introduction or Bill. 75. When a Petition for a Bill has been indorsed : by the Examiner, it must be presented to the House j by a Member, with a printed copy of the Bill annexed, j not later than three clear days after the day whereon the indorsement was made, or, if the House be not sitting on that day, then not later than three clear days after the first sitting held subsequently to that day.

Proceedings at examination. 5.0., Nos. 13 and. 15.

Indorsement on Petition. Ibid., No. 52.

Report by Examiner.

Special indorsement and report. S.O. of House of Commons, No. 78.

Reference to Joint Committee. 5.0., No. 11.

Report of Joint Committee. Ibid., No. 53.

Proceedings of Joint Committee on Special Report by Examiner. S.O. of House of Commons, No. 94.

Petitions for dispensing with Orders. S.O, No. 54.

Proof of compliance with Orders. Ibid., No. 51.

Presentation of Petition to House. Ibid., No. 55.