51

I.—l

As far as I can understand there are certain charges brought against me which I will enumerate:— (1.) I am charged that I got or excised from a Government purchase some kauri land for Mr. Dargaville. (2.) That I assisted Mr. Holdship in getting land at Whangaroa. (3.) That I sent Mr. Hardiman to Whangaroa to tell the Natives there not to sell to Lieut.Colonel McDonnell, but to me. (4.) That I got Mr. Yon Stunner some land from a block called Monganui o wai. (5.) That I allowed some one to treat for a piece of land at Pakanui. (G.) That I did something or another against the Government in connection with a block at Whangape held by a Melbourne Company. (7.) That there was something wrong in my transactions with "We Tana Papahia in connection with Otnahuta block. (8.) That I purchased, or tried to purchase, land for Sir Julius Vogel, Dr. Pollen, and Mr. Eussell while employed by Government. (9.) That I took commission from surveyors employed by me for Government. (10.) That I was a party to a cheque being cashed for a lesser sum than it was drawn for. (11.) That I paid a Mr. Davis, a surveyor, £20, and took a voueher«from him for £50. (12.) That I swindled Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell and Mr. Stannus Jones (vide Colonel McDonnell's evidence). (13.) That I sent Mr. Dalton to Patetere to obstruct the Government land purchase. (11.) A letter from Mr. Dalton (marked X), of December 19, 1874, with remarks attached, relating to answer to question (G96), which I omitted to include in statement (page 34). (1.) That I purchased, or excised from a Government purchase, some kauri land for Mr. Dargaville. In June, 1874, I made satisfactory arrangements for the purchase of the Kairara and Totarapoko block (afterwards called Tutamoe by Colonel McDonnell), for Is. per acre, then estimated to contain 15,000 acres. Subsequently, in September, 1874, while I was in Wellington, Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell was then acting for me, and had my instructions to see the Native owners of Pekapekarau and Wnirekawakawa blocks about reducing the price, which was arranged for by the Colonel in 1873 at 2s. 6d. to Is. 3d. per acre, otherwise we would not survey more land than would cover the advances already made. The Natives agreed to this. While there, he entered into arrangements with the Natives for the purchase of Kairara and Totarapoke, grouping them under the name of Tutamoe, for Is. 3d. per acre, being 3d. more per acre than the original agreement. The block has been surveyed and contains 31,000 acres, and its purchase will cost the Government £387 10s. more than it would had Lieut.Colonel McDonnell not interfered with the first arrangement. Kairara or Tutamoe block would have been much larger had not a large portion of it been taken into the survey of Opoutike by Colonel McDonnell's instructions. Ido not know why, unless it was to enable him to account for a certain sum of £200, which he promised in writing to Wharepopo as a bonus. When the surveyors went to work on this Kairara or Tutamoe block, it was found that the lines, as given by the Natives, encroached on land which had been previously purchased by Mr. Dargaville. Considering, then, that the Government would not be a party to such injustice as to attempt to take away from private individuals lands or rights for which they had paid, I arranged with Mr. Dargaville, at Parori's request, that if, when this block passed through the Native Land Court, his statement was found to be correct, he would secure his land, otherwise I should take it for the Government. Mr. Dargaville was to pay all the expenses of survey. Had I not agreed to this, Parore would have stopped the survey. It was in consequence of this that I wrote to Mr. Dalton, 12th November, 1874. I think tho copy of a telegram (marked B) will pretty well convince the Committee as to what my share was in this transaction. But as I have had insinuations cast at me about this block, I would much have liked to have asked Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell whether it was not his wish that Mr. Dalton should survey Tutamoe. My knowledge of the matter is that Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell was trying very hard to get a large piece, a part of Tutamoe, and called Mangakirikiri, claiming it on some old claim of his father's. Parore was the Native most interested in it, and I have grounds for believing that Wliarepapa, the individual to whom Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell promised a bonus of £200 for his assistance in obtaining the Kairara or Tutamoe block for the Government, was the man who did persuade Parore to have the above land surveyed for the Colonel. Wharepapa was to become the sole grantee in the Court, and Mr. Dalton was to survey it, because Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell could trust him to make it as large as possible. Mr. Dalton's letter to me of 17th November, 1874, copy of which (marked C) is attached, will show that lie knew the Colonel's attempt to get land for himself. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell ■wished me to take this block over for the Government at the same price as the Kairara block so soon as it passed the Court, so that the only difference would be that Colonel McDonnell would have the money instead of the Maoris. I can only add that Colonel McDonnell has not got the block, though Parore writes to him for payment. (2.) That I assisted Mr. Holdship in getting land at Whangaroa. This of course refers to the Kauri Putete, and is an absurdity, as I was prohibited from purchasing land in that district for the Government. This is a block of about 2,500 acres. In May 1875, Mr. Holdship came to me at the Native Land Court, Mongonui, and told me he had paid for the survey of the Kauri Putete and Otongaroa, and that he wished to lease or purchase them. He said he had purchased timber from the blocks from time to time. He then saw Judge Monro and Mr. Preece: they said they were through the Court, and there could be no objection on the part of the Government to any one purchasing. I learned then that about six different people were in the market for them. The price offered was 7s. Gd. per acre I think, but refused. I know that £1,000 was offered for Kauri Putete, which made it quite impossible for me to touch it for the Government. The offer was made at Herd's Point. Mr. G. Clarke was then acting as agent for Mr. Holdship. I attach a telegram {marked 82.)