77

H.—B

2199. Supposing one were established there how many voters would go to vote there?— All the people in our district would go there, and all the people north of Ahipara would go there. 2200. How many do you suppose ? —I should think there would he one hundred. The Commissioner : Does any other witness wish to give evidence ? Wiremu Katene : I wish to give some explanation in reference to the evidence which I gave at Whangaroa about the persons I mentioned there. One of the persons is here. 2201. In reference to the signing of the petition do you mean ?—I stated there that I had been told by certain people belonging to AVaipou that they did not sign their names to applications. What I stated there was that those people told me they did not sign their names to the rolls or applications. At AVhangaroa I was shown the applications to vote, aud I found Hetaraka's name. I stated there that it was not his signature. 2202. Raniera te Wharerau has admitted that he only saw about 10 out of 203 sign.—l thought it was desirable that you required to ascertain the truth of my statement. 2203. Y rour statement is sufficiently corroborated. Ido not require any further evidence on the point.—That was my only object in coming here in reference to those people. The Commissioner: If there is ono witness present I will take his evidence on the point as to whether he signed his name or not. Edward Alahsh Williams re-sworn. 2200. Mr. Lundon.] What was the ground of your objection to me in 1877 ?—As stated on the paper : " Qualification sold." 2207. Were you satisfied that my qualification was sold ? —lt was represented to me on inquiry that the qualification was sold. 2208. And you objected to me on representations ? —Yes; it was represented to me that the qualification was sold. The Revising Officer received a letter from Air. Lundon, and asked me a question, and I withdrew the objection. 2209. Was there any objection to William Lundon? —I never saw him in the district. 2210. Does it not look queer objecting to me, and leaving a brother on the roll ?—-I had no cause to find fault with his qualification. 2211. AVhy were not the Natives you objected to left on the roll ? Are not those left on the roll holding in common the same as the others objected to ? —Alany of them have been left on. 2212. Do you think you were justified in objecting to people at the North Cape ?—I consider I was quite justified in the acts I have done in regard to the roll. 2213. AVere you acquainted with the people you objected to who voted for me? —Very few of them did. 2214. Were you acquainted with any of them ?—Yes ; with Timoti Poihipi. 2215. Has Timoti Poihipi as good a right to be on the roll as anybody else? —That I could not say without going into the merits of the case. I had a perfect right to object to those names, if I had any right whatever. 2210. Do you maintain that you had a right to leave eighty or ninety Natives on the roll in your own immediate district? —I decline to answer that question. 2217. Did you leave as many as eighty names on the roll in your own neighbourhood or near it holding in common ? —No. 2218. Can you say how many you did leave on? —I would not like to answer tho question, uuless I had time to go into the roll. 2219. Do you think there are any Natives on the roll with a qualification of that description ? — There are. 2220. Where residing ?—Some in the neighbourhood. 2221. Did you object to neighbours—to Natives —purporting to claim and holding in common ?— Yes. 2222. AVhy make a distinction? —-Because I was not in possession of knowledge I have gained since—knowdedge acquired since. I believe there were very many that I omitted that I ought to have objected to on all sides. 2223. As a rule, were those you have omitted friends of your family—of yourself and your brother ? —Some of them are. 2224. The bulk of them are, think you ? —Decidedly not. As I pointed out yesterday, I objected all that I thought I had good reason to object to —all personal friends of my brother. I never omitted one of these names because they happened to be his friends, and not oue of those Natives ever renewed the claim last year. 2225. AVhat were the objections you raised to the friends of your family yesterday?—l acted on information give me. 2220. That they were friends of Air. Lundon's ? —Decidedly not. 2227. AVas Hupata te Kaka's qualification as good as Timothy Busby's (Timoti Poihipi)?—l cannot say. 2228. Has Timothy Busby a freehold ? —I believe in common with others. 2229. Had he an individual title? —I cannot say. lam not supposed to know the claim of every resident. 2230. Have you objected to Timothy Busby more than three times ? —Perhaps. 2231. If willing to swear that it was three times would that be correct ?—Possibly; I cannot say how many times I have objected to him. 2232. You have objected to Frank Harris ?—I stated in my evidence at Russell that I gained my information principally from Air. yon Stunner. 2233. And you acted on his information wholly ?—No such thing. 2234. Did he give it to you in writing ? —Yes. 2235. AVhich you object to produce ?—I do not produce private letters. 2230. Do you think you were justified in having a polling-place at Haruru ? —[The witness replied that all these matters were gone into when Aiajor Clair held his investigation at Russell.] 11— H. 8.

hu Ngawaka,

March 26,1879.

Mr. Williams.

March 26,1879,