133

G.—7

received the letter ? He said that it was on account of that letter that he consented to sell. Was not this after Karaitiana's return from Auckland? Yes. Between the time of Karaitiana's going to Auckland and his return, did anything take place with reference to the sale ? Yes. What was the first thing? Air. Tanner's coming for mo to sign the document —coming up to Pakowhai. Was Tanner alone ? Only Mr. Tanner. What took place then ? I said I could not consent. He then left. He came again alone, and asked me to sign an agreement to sell. I said I would not consent. Karaitiana was absent. Mr. Tanner said Karaitiana would be wrong. He said, If you and Karaitiana took that document into the Supreme Court, the Court would decide the correctness of your having signed. He said that he would not pay the £1,000 —the £1,000 which he said was to be paid during ten years. That was all wo said on that occasion. I said, Never mind; wait till Karaitiana returns. Did Tanner come again a third time ? Yes. Alone ? With Mr. F. E. Hamlin. What was the object of their coming ? For me to consent to sign. Hamlin said, Why are you delaying signing your name? your consent has been long given. I replied, The absence of Karaitiana; if he were here and consented, I would sign. He said that Karaitiana would be really wrong. It could be loft to the Supreme Court to decide, and he would not get the money —the same money that I mentioned before. He said, You will bo taken to gaol for your debts; lam the person who is holding the debts back. I said to him, My creditors havo not been to me talking that way; you are tho only person continually speaking to me about my debts. They returned. On another day I came in here. I saw Mr. Cuff. He said, At 12 o'clock to-morrow come to my house—not his office, his residence at Waitangi. I said to him, For what ? He said, To show you some way of securing yourself from your debts. At 11 o'clock next day I went to Mr. Cuff's ; it was getting on to 12. I had been there a long time when Tanner, Hamlin, and Cuff arrived from Napier. They found me sitting on the sofa. When I saw Air. Tanner coming in, I know that what the Pakeha had said was deception —that Air. Cuff had said when he told me he would show me a way to get out of my debts. Air. Tanner, Air. Cuff, and Hamlin came in. I then ran to the door ; I wanted to get away. Hamlin then went to the door, and prevented me from going out. AYe pushed each other at the door. Tanner said, AVhat do you want to go for ; our table is good. I said, You arc deceiving me. Tanner said, You must remain quiet, and not go. Hamlin was holding on to the lock of the door, and I was still pushing him away. His hand was strong to hold on, and mine was to push away. I then saw the door leading to the kitchen. I went towards that door. Tanner perceived I was going to that door, and went in front of me to the door. I said, If you desire to quarrel, I shall get the worst of it, but one of you will be killed in reality. Mr. Tanner clapped me on the shoulder and said, That was not a chief's work to talk in that way; it was a foolish man's. I remained. Air. Cuff asked me if I would have a glass of wine, and I said No. Tho dinner was laid at that time. They alone partook of it; I did not eat. I had some fear on account of our previous contention. They asked me to have something to eat. I said No. Mr. Tanner told me not to be sad. They produced the agreement which they wanted me to sign. They asked me to sign, but I could not consent. I did not speak. It was 4 o'clock when I agreed to sign the document. I wished to get out before, but they would not allow me. At that time I had not partaken of anything; I was in fear. After I had signed that document, another document was produced —a document for me to consent to Tanner's giving Sutton £1,000. It was a document of mine, but they were the writers. [Voucher No. 8 produced.] That is the document. What next took place ? I went to Pakowhai. AVhen I got there, I told Manaena that I was killed (mate). I told Manaena to wait till Karaitiana came before he signed his name. That was all the work that was done respecting myself. Chairman.] AVere the documents you signed at Cuff's read over and explained to you before you signed ? Yes. I did not listen, because I was vexed. Mr. F. E. Hamlin read them. I rcollect Karaitiana's return from A uckland. I told him what I had done the same day he landed, when he came to Alatahiwi. When I told Karaitiana, he was sad ;he knew Heretaunga had gone. Did Karaitiana remain at his settlement, or did he come into town ? He did not come in. The Europeans asked the reason of Karaitiana's not coming in. Perhaps he thinks he will keep Heretaunga. The next thing is Karaitiana's getting the £100. AVas that when Karaitiana showed the letter? Yes. Did you take any money when you signed at Cuff's house ? I do not know. Was any money offered ? No. Did you sign more than one order ? Only Sutton's; that was the only order signed at Cuff's. Between the time of Karaitiana's arriving and your signing the order, did you sign others? Yes. AVhat happened after Karaitiana had taken the £100? After he received tho £100 he came to the Club and informed me of it; he had asked for Arihi's money to bo divided, and it had not been agreed to. That was all he said, and he went to Pakowhai. Was anything said about the other witnesses being sent for? He said, on his return, Noa aud the others would be fetched, that they might come in and sign. Tn the morning they came in. They went first to my residence, and from there to Cuff's; myself, Karaitiana, Manaena, Noa, Paramena, and Pahora. I saw Cuff, Tanner, Martyn Hamlin, and Air. James Williams. What was said first was, that all my money had gone to pay my debts ; that was after we signed. They explained how the share of each person was expended. I don't know how much remained. The only money remaining was the lease. It was shown that some of the money for the rent remained. The money I explained as being expended was not Karaitiana and Alatiaha's, but the others'. Mr. Tanner sakl for myself and Karaitiana to go into a back room. He was with Air. AVilliams. Mr. Martyn Hamlin was there. They were going to explain about the division of Karamu. Tanner said, The reason of my coming in here is that the other people shall not hear our talk respecting Karamu ; is it to be given back to the whole of you, or to whom? That was the question put to us. My thought is that it be given back to you two. This is net according to law, but it was according to Maori custom. If it was according to law, all the persons in the grant would be interested. Let you two be appointed to look after the land, so that the other persons be not included. He was to name tho persons to be trustees. Tanner mentioned Mr. Locke and Williams. Karaitiana and I agreed. At the end of the conversation I said it would not be right for all the persons in the grant to be included; that land was ours only, and not belonging to all the persons in the grant. 1 said, not ours alone, but Manaena's also, but for all our

Heretaunga.

Complaint No. 1 — -continued.