I.—l

28

Mr. J. E. Dalton.

• 521. Has he made this statement to you more than once ? —Tes, I have often heard him say so. 522. Has he ever mentioned this to any one else in your presence ?—I think so, but lam not perfectly certain. 523. Do you remember his telling Mr. John Webster that he had power to excise blocks in reference to Omahuta, and that he would do so in his case?—No, I think I was not present at that time. 524. Did he tell Mr. Yon Stunner that he held this power, to buy land for others, from the Government, and promised to get him a block ?—I have heard Mr. Yon Stunner say so. 525. The Chair man.~\ Did Mr. Brissenden procure Mr. Yon Stunner any land to your knowledge ?—I think not, but he was to have done so. 526. Tou mean he was to have done so, but did not ?—From what Mr. Yon Stunner told me, he was to have done so in a block I surveyed, called Manganui o wae. 527. Do you remember being at Mr. Wright's, Mangakahia, in October last (ISth), that is, yourself, Mr. Brissenden, and Colonel McDonnell, when you were on your way to Kaihu ?—I do. 528. Do you remember any conversation that took place at that time in reference to kauri timber, and Mr. Brissenden saying he wished he could manage to get a block of kauri for himself, alluding to Mr. Thomas Eussell's contract with the Home Government ?—I cannot say I heard Mr. Brissenden say that; but I often heard him say he would like to get kauri for himself. I cannot distinctly say that I remember that conversation. 529. Did he say he would like to get such a block for himself, alluding to Mr. Thomas Russell's contract with the Home Government?—l do not remember mention being made of Mr. Eussell's contract. 530. Do you remember hearing any conversation between Colonel McDonnell and Mr. Brissenden when you were camped for dinner on the banks of the Wairoa, on your way to Kaihu, in the punt, having reference to kauri timber and Mr. Eussell?—l cannot say that I remember Mr. Eussell's name being mentioned, but I recollect Colonel McDonnell and Mr. Brissenden talking about kauri timber. 531. About acquiring a block of kauri land ?—I cannot say that. We were pulling down the river; there were kauri bushes on each side of it, and I remember them talking about the bushes. 532. About kauri bushes ? —Tes. 533. Do you remember being at Kaihu on the 19th or 20th of October, 1874 ? —I remember being there in company with Colonel McDonnell and Mr. Brissenden. I suppose that was the date. 534. Do you remember Colonel McDonnell giving you his memorandum book to copy out of it the names of the boundaries of Tutamoe and Kairara, that he had purchased for the Government ?— I do. 535. Do you recognize this (memorandum book handed in by Colonel McDonnell) as the book in question, and are these the boundaries ? —[The following entry from the memorandum book was here read:—" Boundaries of land offered for sale by the Mangakahia Natives, and Parore of Te Wairoa : Commencing at the surveyed line of the Karaka block, Te Waitoto, on to the line of Pekapekarau, thence to Walton's boundary, thence towards the Wairoa (still on Walton's boundary line) to Uekiki Stream, across to Tai Mahue, on to the road to Kairara Eakapou, on to the Kowhai, and along the Awakino Creek to the mouth of Waiwhaka Tahitahi on to Erikarikari ki Orere Whakaupoko te Hua a Kawhite, thence on to the Karaka line."] —I cannot say that I recognize the book, but those are the boundaries. 536. Did you adhere to those boundaries ? —I did, as far as I possibly could, until I was stopped by the Government. 537. Who stopped you on behalf of the Government ? —Mr. Percy Smith. 538. Did you show Colonel McDonnell a letter from Mr. Brissenden to yourself, dated 12th November, 1874 ? —I did. I think that is the date. 539. Will you produce and read that letter to the Committee ?—The witness handed in and read the following letter: —" Kaihu, 12th November, 1874. —Dear Sir, —I have just been interviewed by Messrs. Dargaville and Parore about the piece of land you have taken into the survey of Tutamoe block. I enclose a sketch of the locality. Tou should not have gone to the east bank of Tangowahihne Creek, but kept the west bank. I have arranged with Parore that such shall be the case, so you will please return and cut out the piece encroached upon. Mr. Dargaville is to pay for all expenses you are put to, such as loss of acreage, loss of time, &c, &c. Have no fear, I will see that he fulfils that part of his agreement. I am most anxious to see you for many reasons. I am informed you wrote an account of your work to McDonnell. I am somewhat astonished not to have been the one chosen by you for such statements. I have received the Patetere survey money for you, and have stuck to it till we meet, for there was so much said about it, and so many claimants, I thought it best for you to make the distribution. lam now off to Wanganui with Mr. Nelson. Shall make the Bay of Islands, go North, return, this way via Hokianga in about three weeks. Be sure to leave directions here for me where you are to be found. If in future you wish to write about your work, or have any other information, please remember that I am the one to write to. —Tours truly, E. T. Beissenden." 540. Did you show this letter to Colonel McDonnell yesterday ?—I think it was the day I arrived, here. 541. Did you tell Mr. Brissenden you had shown this letter to Colonel McDonnell ?—I did; yesterday, I think. 542. Did the boundaries told you by Colonel McDonnell include the piece of timbered land that was excised for Dargaville ?—They did. 543. Did Mr. Brissenden tell you what authority he had for excising the land ? —He did not. All the information I received is contained in that letter. 544. Was it good kauri timber land? —Tes; I think there was a great deal of kauri upon that piece ; but I will not be sure. 545. What do you estimate as its size ?—lt is impossible to say within a few acres.

16th Sept., 1875,