COURT OF INQUIRY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1345, 10 June 1872, Page 2

COURT OF INQUIRY.

(Before Hanson Tijrton, Esq., Commissioner under the " Native Ltuid Frauds Prevention Act.") The inquiry into the Hevetaunga purchase was resumed on Saturday morning. The following evidence was taken : PI. R. Russell deposed : T became aware of Alice being a minor a month or two before the deed was executed ; I do not remember the precise date. Rumors to that effect wore cunen* before any wtir was made. I never employed Mr (Jrindell to negotiate for me. He positively refused; being engaged by Tanner and other. l *. —By Mr Turton : When I spoke of Arihi's share I included Hirika's. The negotiation was with the trustees, and I believe the money was paid to them by Mr Watt, £I,OOO out of £2,500 was paid to Arihi herself, as si e had to pay sub-claimants, of whom a considerable number weie present when the transaction was settled. I had at that time heard of a deed con\ eying to Mr Purvis Russell and Mr Locke 1,600 acres of the land in trust as a native reserve, and I have since seen the deed in the Registry office. I had no suspicion at the time that Arihi was a minor. By Mr Wilson : T have advanced Arihi sums on account of the purchase money. Hen a re Matua deposed : T live at Porangabau. I signed the deed produced as a witness. I had previously Hirika sign it. Mr Maunsell had translated and explained the deed Arihi understood when she signed it that it would annul previous iransactaotions. Arihi used to have land at Kaukauroa, Kaukawa, .Mahanga, and Heretaunga, but it has all been dealt with, and she now has none remaining. Arihi deposed; I know the deed produced; the mark affixed is my signature to it. The deed whs explained to me by Maunsell before I signed it, and a copy (produced) was given to me. f have executed prior deeds relating to the land; but I wished to reverse i them, I was told that if this deed I was good it would have that effect. I | had been told that the previous deeds were no good. Wilson and Purvis j Russell were the first to tell me so, j when they asked me to sign a confirmation of a deed of trust I had previously executed, i objected to sign ft, |

By Mr Wilson : I reroeuitwr signing a deed of trust of my land to you and Purvis Russell. (Deed put in.) Mr Locke interpreted the deed. You told! me it was that you should take care of" my land, so that you could advise me if any olc wanted to come and buy it. I remember selling the land to Tanncr„ but he did not, come., with, the money at the time appointed. Afterwards Watt wanted to buy it. I said,, "Give methe money, and take the land." He paid the money in presence of yourself and Purvis. ,£I,OOO was paid tome ; you and Purvis kept the remaining; .£1,500; you told me you were taking case of it. I have received interest on the money from Purvis. [Mr Wilson, asked : " What did you do with the .£I,OOO r but Mr Lascelles objected to. the question, which was disallowed.]< 1 have land at Raukawa aud Kaukauroa, but it is mortgaged. The first Pakeha who told me I was under age 'vas Kinross; that was one or two weeks before you and Purvis told me. I then understood tlv.it all my deeds were wrong. I know of a reserve being, given in trust lo Locke and Purvis.. 1 do not claim any intere-t in that reserve ; it is a disputed point whether T have any claim to it- 1 claim a reserve on land occupied by Tanner. The reason of my arrangement with Henry Russell was that 1 liked his money and he liked my land J did not wish to sell it for a small sum. If you wish to know the negotiation that twas carried on, ask the deeds. I went to Henry, and we first spoke ab&ut Purvis and Wilson wishing me to sign the confirmation of the deed of trust. 1 offered to sell my land at Heretaunga. I knew it, had already been sold and paid for ; but I knew al<o that T was a child when I received the money, and that I could no»v dispose of the land in a correct manner. Mr Tanner and Mr Kinross, had recommended me not to confirm the deed of trust; they sai<i<it would, tie up my land in the hands of Puivis. Hirika received some of the £ 1,000 paid to me. Mr Russell promised to make some advances on account of the £6OOO purchase money when the lease was signed. He had done so since—l do not know how much. I remember one sum of .£2OO. I will not say whether he has given any to Hebberley at my request. This concluded the examination of this witness, and the Court adjourned for half-an-honr. [The proceedings from this point are abridged from the report in this morning's Herald.] Hirika, being sworn, stated :—T am one of the lessors of the Heretaunga block to Henry Russell, and the husband of the last witness. The deed shewn me was read over and explained to me previous to my signing it. I know that. Aiihi had an abstract of the deed in the native language.. I never signed any deed previous to the lease to Mr Russell. I was aware that by signing that deed it would annul any deed made previously* I signed the deed so that it would have that effect; By Mr Wilson :--I do not know the year I was married toArihi. We have had five chiidien four are dead and one is alive. The living child is now in its fifth year. I recollect being at VVaipukurau when the trust deed was signed. I had nothing to say respecting it. Arihi transacted all that business. J remember the previous sale of the Heretaunga block to Mr Watt. I. heard the price was .£2,500. 3 got none of that money. I have heard that the trustees have paid Aiihi interest on the ,£1,500. 1 first heard of this lease at Poiangahau. Mr M.aunsell brought me the deed to sign. Nothing was promised me if I signed it. M r Russell has given me no money. I knew when the lease to Mr Russell was made that Arihi was to receive the purchase money. Mr Wilson stated that Mr Tannerdesired to be put into the witness-box, so as to be able to reply to statements ma do by Arihi in her evidence. Thomas Tanner, being sworn, stated: I had a conversation with Alice about two months ago. I met her in the passage of the Government offices, and asked her for what purpose she had come to town. She replied that Mr Purvis Russell lad requested her to