31

H.—B

737. Mr. Williams (through the Commissioner).] I think the witness is confused. He is imagining that the questions put to him are in reference to his application paper. His name is amongst the applicants. What I should like to ask him is, whether what he refers to —the public list of objections—was shown to him. Is that your signature on that electoral form ?—I do not know how to write, nor can I read. 738. Did you authorize any one else to put your name to that paper?—My name must not be written. Let me ho alone. In reply to the Commissioner, Mr. Lundon said he had no questions to ask. Hemi Rihari sworn and examined. 739. Your name appears on this letter, which has been repeatedly read. Did you authorize Pera Hakena to attach your name to it ? —That is correct. These are my parents, Heremaia te Ara and Pera Hakena. 740. What do you mean by the statement that your name was numbered at Hokianga ?—My namo was borrowed by a person at Hokianga. 741. By what person?—By a person (or persons). My name was written without my consent there. 742. Do you know who wrote it ?—I do not know. 743. Now we will take the electoral roll. [Claim to vote shown to witness.] Did you sign that paper ? —I am unable to write. Ido not know how to write. 744. Did you authorize any person to sign that paper for you ? —No. 745. Did you authorize Heremaia to Ara to attach your name to that paper? —No. I had forgotten to say something about the letter to Mr. AVilliams. That was the correct one. My hand did touch that. I did not sign this form. 746. Mr. Lundon (through the Commissioner).] Do you remember Heremaia to Ara being at Meri Hepi's place at Hokianga, in last March ?—AVhen he went to point out the boundaries of his land, to have it surveyed ? 747. I refer to an occasion on which Hepi was dying ? —I remember when they two went. 748. Did you not hear then that Heremaia te Ara signed your name to a roll-paper? —No. Pumipi te Puhi sworn and examined. 749. You are a resident of AVhangaroa ? —Yes ; I belong to AVhangaroa. 750. Do you remember being present with Heremaia te Ara last March at a place called Pikiwahinc, Hokianga ?—Yes. 751. Did you hear anything said about the signing of voting papers —claims—at that time ?—Yes. 752. Do you remember what passed ? —I do remember what took place when Lundon came to me. 753. Just describe it.—Mr. Lundon came to us two [that is, he and his younger brother], and ho said to us, " You two had better roll now, or have your names placed on the roll." Heremaia said, " Sir, my name is already ou the roll." Mr. Lundon said to mc, " Have you no roll or vote ?" I said to him, " I have not sent in an application to have my name on the roll, or my name is not on the roll, but all my lands are Crown granted; yet I have no vote." Mr. Lundon then said to us two, " You must write a roll, or sign an application." Heremaia wrote his name; I wrote my name. Mr. Lundon said, " Are you two the only ones ?" We two said to him, " There are many in our hdpu; we have a large hapu." Mr. Lundon said, " AVhat is the name of your hapu ?" Heremaia replied, " Ngatiuru." Mr. Lundon said, " AVrite down the names of your children or people." The names of the people belonging to the Ngatiuru hapu were then written down. I said to Mr. Lundon, " AYe have no wooden houses." AYe said, "There are four of us who have wooden houses." I said to him, "The only name my house has is " house ;" I call it a house, and I have Crowu grants." AA'e wrote iv those documents and finished. Next morning the document was taken to Mr. AVilliams by Mr. Lundon's younger brother—l mean the roll papers. 754. Then you saw Heremaia te Ara signing the names of a number of his people, including his own ? —Yes, that the names might be placed on the roll. 755. Had those people given Heremaia authority to sign the names ? —No, they did not tell Heremaia to write their names. 756. Were they afterwards informed that Heremaia had written their names ?—AVhen we returned, and they knew that we had arrived, the whole hapu came to our place of abode. AYe said to them, " All your names have been written in a paper by us two." 757. Did they express satisfaction ? —Yes. 755. Mr. Williams (through the Commissioner).] Did you see Raniera Wharerau at Pikiwahine on that occasion ? —I did not see him at all. 759. He was not there ?—He was not there at all. 760. How many papers did you see Heremaia sign ? —He wrote the names of the twenty people in four papers like these. 761. How many times did you see Heremaia writing ? —Only on one occasion. 762. And how many names did he sign ?—He wrote twenty names. 763. AVhat did he write them on—on a piece of paper or each sheet ?—He wrote them with ink on paper. 764. On one paper ? —On four papers. He signed the names one under the other. 765. Do you not mean first on one paper and then on the other underneath, and so on ? —When one paper was filled up with one lot he commenced with another. 766. Mr. Lundon (through the Commissioner).] Is Heremaia related to you ? —Yes; he is a teina (younger cousin) of mine. lam by the elder brother, and he is by the younger brother. 767. The Commissioner.] Are there any other persons present who desire to give evidence on the subject-matter of this inquiry ?

Moihi fe Rahiri.

Maroh 13,1879,

Hemi Sihari.

March 13,1879,

Pumipi ie Puhi,

March 13,1879.