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Alongonui, 17th March, 1879. The Commission resumed its sitting at 11 a.m. The Commissioner: I understand that this room is required for the purpose of holding an Assessment Court to-day. Aly Court will therefore be adjourned to the County Council Office. Adjourned accordingly. The Commission sat in the County Council office immediately afterwards. Isaac AVilliamson sworn and examined. 1041. Will you state your name and place of residence?—lsaac Williamson, residing in the Awanui. 1042. It is in this district ?— Yes ; Alongonui. 1043. Do you remember last year attaching your name as attesting witness to a number of electoral claims ? —To several. 1044. A considerable number. How many do you supposo ? —Well, I really could not say, because I have been attesting a great number of years, and cannot say positively how many there were. • 1045. One hundred ?—No ; I should say not. 1046. AVill you describe, Air. AVilliamson, the process that was adopted to get the signatures ? Did you carry them round, or call a meeting of the Alaoris ?—Air. Patrick Luudon had the papers. He went round to the Maoris. I attested some of them. Others I could not go round to I gave him authority to use my name. 1047. You gave Air. Lundon authority to give your name as attesting witness ? —To any he knew were right, and where they were entitled to a vote and could claim a vote. 1048. I see you state in this form, " Signed and declared by the claimant this 19th day of March, in the year 1879, before me, Isaac AVilliamson, an elector of the district." Did this man, Hone Kingi, attach his signature in your presence?—AVell, I really could not say that he did. Some few I did see sign. The others I authorized Air. Lundon to sign my name instead. Any he knew ought to claim a vote. 1049. Is that your signature, Air. AVilliamson ? —I believe this is my signature. 1050. Are you acquainted with this person, Hone Kingi ? —Yes, I know him. He lives up in the A 7ictoria V alley. 1051. Is that his signature ?—I really could not say, it is so long ago. Sometimes the Natives get others to sign for them. I could not say positively it is his. 1052. You see lam in this position: I depend upon your name to know whether this man really signed or not. I know of no other way of discovering it ?—A great number of the Natives could not write their names, and I know a great number of Natives who can write their names. 1053. Did you declare and attach your name to the declaration that they had signed, when they really had not ? —lf I was present wdien they signed, or saw one sign. I took it for granted they would authorize some one to sign for them. 1054. Will you compare these two signatures of claimants [Honi Haki and Hone Kingi], and let me know whether they are not signed by the same person —as a matter of opinion ?—Tho handwriting appears to me to be alike. 1055. I call your attention to the unusual space between the " II" and "o" in both cases ?—The writing is very much alike. 1850. Is that your signature to the latter name ? —lt is very much like it, and I should say it was my writing. 1057. Can you tell me whether it is yours, as a fact? —I know that Air. Patrick Lundon signed a great number of the names for the Natives themselves. When they could not write they authorized him to do so. He signed for any Native who could not write his name. 1058. You will observe it is stated here, "Not signed by Patrick Lundon, but the claimant," and you verified that by your own signature. If you had stated it was signed by Patrick Luudon it would have been a different thing ? —The same thing has been done for years. 1059. The Commissioner.] Two blacks do not make a white ? —For nine or ten years the same thing has been done, and the names have been knocked off. This year I merely did it as a matter of form. At the time Air. Lundon came round I was very busy and could not afford time to go round with him ; and any he found had a right to voto he had a right to sign my name for me, as long as he knew he was right. 1060. So that some one might have signed for the claimant in the first place, aud theu some other person for you ? —Yes. 1061. It is no use going through these forms. AVith the explanation the witness has given, it would be a perfect waste of time. These applications, under the explanation given by the witness, must he considered as absolutely informal: although I do not say that was the ground of objection made to them ; probably it w ras not ? JKir. Lundon: Not the whole, surely ? 1062. The Commissioner.] I will go over a number of the claims. Do you know Hone Kingi?— Yes. 1063. Do you know the nature of his qualification? —He is freehold. 1064. AVill you describe it ? —He holds it in common with several other Natives at A^ictoria Valley. If you will allow me I will go through the list. [Forms of claims to vote shown to witness.] There is one here, Nopera Mohi. He has a block at the Waimanoni; but there are several Natives in it. In fact, I do not know a piece that there are not a number of Natives in. 1065. He holds in common with others, under a Crown grant ? —Yes. Here is Paraone Kaitoa. He has a block called Alatarau, situate about two miles distant from the other. 1066. Do you know tho contents of that block which he holds?—l do not. I know the place well enough, but not the contents. 1007. What is it worth per acre ? —lt is valued at £1 per acre.

Mr. Williamson,

March 17,1879.