H.—9a.

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reports of the Inspector of Nuisances, of any rotten potatoes, after searching. The 9th of September, 1875, was the annual election, when Mr. Barrett left the Borough Council by effluxion of time. I think Mr. Hawkins could not have been in the Council later than 1874. He has not been re-elected since. He has not been a member of the Council since September, 1874. I remember something being said in the Council about lumbering up the wharf with goods, and prosecutions in consequence. I can ascertain the particulars of these. I think this was after Mr. Bonar was elected, some time in 1875. So far as I remember, it was said the Inspector was to get the potatoes removed away to the manure depot, but I cannot remember the date. Peter Helming sworn and examined. lam living in Hokitika. lam a mechanical engineer. Mr. Bonar stated here that all immigrants who were sent to Jackson's Bay went of their own freewill, I remember a shipment of immigrants that arrived in Hokitika were transhipped from one ship into the " Waipara." They came hero in tho "Murray." The " Waipara " laid alongside the wharf, between the wharf and the " Murray." They were not allowed to come ashore. I was present. Women and children were crying and wishing to go on shore ; and, as most of the immigrants were married people, their luggage was packed from the " Murray " into the " Waipara" down below. There were eight single men came on shore, one by one. As soon as the captain of the " Waipara" saw them going ashore she was moved away from the wharf. Actually one man jumped ashore as tho " Waipara" was slewing round when her stern touched the wharf. Bystanders on the wharf reached their hands to help the man coming ashore, to prevent his going overboard. This was in the year 1876, on the sth of February. Then Mr. Bonar was asked to take these immigrants into the Immigration Barracks, but he refused. They were left on the wharf. Mr. Bonar was asked by two persons to take them into the barracks—by Mr. Davidson, the draper, and Mr. Apple, the tobacconist. This was on a Saturday night. I went and asked the men why they would not go, as they were ordered for Jackson's Bay. They told me they were not desirous of any land. They told me that they were told in Wellington to come to Hokitika; that there was plenty of work in Hokitika —railway making, and plenty of other works—so that people could not get hands. They could not speak English. That was their reason for not going to Jackson's Bay. Besides, one of them was a shoemaker, another a baker, aud another a silk-ripping weaver, and one a butcher. The others were general labourers. After I found they could not be admitted to the barracks 1 took them to my own house and provided supper for them. At the time they were at supper I received a note from the Immigration Agent. [Order handed in.] I tendered a bill for lGs. to the Immigration Agent, but was refused payment. The others who went in the " Waipara " afterwards came back from tho Bay. One of the eight men is in Greymouth. His name is Fred. Grafansky. Ido not know where the others are. They threw the small swags they had on the " Waipara "as they came off. They wero single men. I was standing on the wharf. I did not go on the " Murray." I cannot say what was told to the men here. I had no conversation with tho men before they refused to go to Jackson's Bay. I had a conversation with them after they lauded. I did not advise the men not to go. They asked me if they were compelled to go. I said, " You are iv a free country, and you can do as you like." I saw Apple and Davidson conversing with them. I heard them ask Apple if he advised them to go. He said they should do as they thought best. An interpreter was on board the ship they came out in; he was the doctor of tho ship. Ido not think they went into depot iv Wellington, but I cannot state positively. I was Inspector of Works here at the time under Mr. Mueller. I had no contract at the time. The eight men had no food or money when they landed on the wharf. My object iv making this statement is to contradict tho statement of Mr. Bonar, quoted at the beginning of my evidence, and to show that compulsion was put upon the immigrants I refer to to try to force them to go to Jackson's Bay. It is my opinion that compulsion was used also in the case of the rest who were not allowed to laud, but were forwarded on to Jackson's Bay in the " Waipara." John Skipper sworn and examined. I live at Dilman's Town, near Kumara. I was one of the first settlers in Jackson's Bay, iv 1875. When I signed I was supposed to bo going down there to work three days for the Government and three days for myself. When wo first landed there we put up at the Government buildings ; after that we were told to put up a place to live in on our own ground ; then I went to Mr. Macfarlane and told him I had a place completed to live in, and I was ready to go to work. He told me that there was no work yet; that all the work was going to be let by contract. I told him I was not acquainted with taking contracts, and I could not take any. He told me if I did not take a contract I could not get work. I declined for a little while taking the contracts, and I went to him again, anil he told me the same again. I could do nothing else but take one, so I took one. After I. was doing those contracts I complained to Mr. Macfarlane and Nightingale that I was not making any money at it, and they told mo I was not to make any money then —that all the money had to bo expended on the settlement. I sent for my wife over to Jackson's Bay. I brought over a lot of goods, fowls, mining tools, crockeryware, and after that I got a boat built. There was a contract let for carrying stores across the bay, aud the contract was taken away from me again. When I started fishing, 1 offered Mr. Macfarlane that I would supply the settlers with fish, and he should give me credit for the amount in the book, which ho refused to do. When I found that I could not make a living, then I made up my mind to go away myself. I had all my things packed up to send by the " Waipara," Mr. Macfarlane went on board and stopped them from going. The things are now in Jackson's Bay. There are also half a dozen of sealskins, which ho refused to give me. My complaint is, there are a few pounds standing in my book against me ; and if the inquiry leaves here it is likely they might come on me about this amount, so that I wish to see myself righted about the goods that are there. I waut to know what has been done with those goods. I owe somewhere about £12. I heard Mr. Macfarlane two or three times tell the captain of tho " Waipara" not to take my things. My things were on the beach, and when I found that I could not get them off to the " Waipara" I took them back to the Government cottage. I took up a section at Jackson's Bay, and started to build a house on it. My wife never lived there. We lived in one of the Government