a.—B.

44

1099. How did you manage in previous years for thore who could not write ? —They generally got some one to write for them, aud put a cross between, and " his" and " mark" were written above and below. 1100. Aro you valuator for.the Highway Board?—No ; I belong to the Board, but have not been valuator. I have been collector of the rates. 1101. Is Matarau valued at £1 per acre ? —lt is valued at £1 per acre ; it is a fictitious value. 1102. The value on the assessment roll is £1 per acre? —Yes. 1103. Has one-half of Kareponia not got another name?— Yes, Waimaru; hut that does not belong to the Kareponia Block—it is a separate piece. Tho AVaimaru and Kareponia are two different blocks. 110-1. The Commissioner.] Are you prepared to say there aro not twenty grantees in the Kareponia Block ? —There are ten for Kareponia, and ten for AVaimaru. Mr. Lundon : That will account for the twenty in the Kareponia Block. 1106. You know Heteraka Taumataiti ?—-Yes ; he is living at the Kau. 1107. Do you know how many sons he has got ?—No ; I do not know. 1108. Do you know his son Henare?—Yes ; I know him well. 1109. How old do you think he is? —He is older than I am, and I am nearly forty—at least, I take him to be so. He has been living at Waimanoni a great number of years; seventeen years ago he appeared to be as old as he is now. 1110. The Commissioner.] You are quite sure he is twenty-two ? —Yes. 1111. Mr. Lundon.] AVhere Natives have not signed themselves, are you in a position to say that you have heard Natives ask men to write for them ?—Yes ; often. 1112. That is from experience of Natives ? —Yes. 1113. That is the way it is generally done ? —Yes. Wiremu Kanara sworn and examined. 1114. Will you state your name and address ? —Wiremu Kanara ; I live at Awanui. 1115. Do you remember signing, as attesting witness, a number of claims of Natives to bo placed on the electoral roll last year ? —Yes. 1116. Is that your signature ? —Yes. 1117. Did you see that person [Hare Alikara] sign?— Yes. 111 S. AVhere did this person sign his name?—At Awanui. 1119. Did you attest it—that is, did you sigu your name at the same time and place ?—Yes. 1120. AVas there more than one bottle of ink ? —There was only one bottle of ink there. 1121. Is your signature and that of the claimant in the same ink ? —I think so. 1122. Did you see Nopera Alohi sign his name ?—Yes. 1123. AVas that at the same place ? —At Awanui. 1124. At what house ? —At Simpson's house. 1125. Who were present when he signed his name?— They are not here. 1126. Tell me who they were?— Patrick Lundon was one ; Air. Bates was another. 1127. Any others ? —Simpson himself. 1128. AVere there any Alaoris present ?—There were some Alaoris there. There were many Natives there. Nopera Alohi himself was there. Hotararu was not. 1129. Did you see AVata Alohi sign his name ? —I did not see him sign his name. 1130. How did it happen that you have stated that you did see him sign it ? —I never said formerly that I did see him sign his name; but I said I saw Nopera Mohi sign. 1131. Do you know that AVata Alohi signed ?—I do. 1132. I find in the form before me this statement: " Signed and declared by the claimant (Wata Alohi) this 14th day of March, IS7B, before me, William Conrad, an elector of the district." Is that correct or not ?—lt is correct. 1133. But you just stated previously that he had not signed ?—I did not see him sigu. 1134. Then how came you to attach your name ? —■ At this point the witness fainted, and had to be carried out of Court. 1135. The Commissioner.] Is the witness subject to fits ? Mr. John Lundon : No, Sir ; I have known him since he was a boy. Hupata te Kaka sworn and examined. 1136. Do you know Wata Neho ? —I do know him. 1137. Do you know Rapana Paengara ? —I do know him. 1138. AVhat sort of a dwelling does he live in ? —An ordinary house. 1139. Do you know Henare Ngaru ? —I am acquainted with him. 1140. Are you acquainted with his household ? —I am. 1141. What sort of a house is it ? —lt is a common house. 1142. AVhat size is it?—A little larger than this. 1143. What height ? —The two side walls are about four feet, the two end ones are about nine feet high. 1144. Is it a well-constructed house ?—Not very well constructed. 1145. AVhat would be the value of it —£5 ? —No, I think about £3 would be the value of it. 1146. Do you know Hohepa Kaka, and his dwelling ? —I am acquainted with him. I know nothing about his house ; but my companion, Timote, knows about his house. 1147. AVhat sort of a house does Wiremu Kanara live in ?—lt is an ordinary house. 1143. Of what value do you suppose —£5 ? —I think, from the appearance of his house, it is worth about £4. 1149. What sort of dwelling does Hopa Toamiia reside in ? —lt is a wooden house. 1150. Has it door, window s, and chimney ? —Yes.

Mr. Williamson.

March 17,1879,

Wiremu Kanara.

March 17,1879,

Hupala te KaJca.

March 17,1879.