H.—9a.

54

Thursday, 10th April, 1879. James Cox sworn and examined. I am living in Hokitika. I am a brickmaker. I went down to the Bay in February, 1875, I think. I went down because I saw in the newspaper a statement that the Government would give a bonus to any one starting brick-making at the Bay. I went and got a pamphlet from Mr. Woolcock, in Greymouth. I saw in the pamphlet that the statement in the paper was corroborated. I went and saw Mr. Macfarlane. He recommended me to a man called Fred. Carmichael, the ferryman, to point out to me the reserve where the clay was. I went up to his house, about three miles from Jackson's Bay. He took me to a place where there was a bit of a hole by, aud pointed it out as the brick-yard reserve, on the south side of the Arawata Eiver. It is by the cemetery, past the settlement road. I asked Carmichael if he was sure that was the right place; and he said he was quite so, as he was living close by. Incoming back I met Mr. Browning and Mr. Marks together. I asked Mr. Browning by whom the representation was made about the clay. He said he did not know; it was not by himself. I told him that it was falsely represented. I told Mr. Macfarlane that I considered whoever said it was good clay knew nothing about it. He asked me if I would go for a week prospecting for good clay. I went out with William Latham. I found no indications of good clay. When we came in William Latham, died three days afterwards. I told Mr. Macfarlane it was a hard case for mo to pay my own passage down, whilst others were taken free. He said he would speak to Mr. Bonar, and get my pass-age-money back. The steamer had gone, and Mr. Macfarlane offered me work at boating, or other work. There was a rumour about coal, and I was one of the first who worked at the coal-pit. I worked there some time. People were talking about different percentages in coal. I made the remark that Jackson's Bay coal ought to be the best in the world —I said I thought it was all gas and no coal. Three days after that I was ordered out of the drive, and Mr. Macfarlane's brother-in-law Mr. Lindsay, was put in my place. I asked the reason, but was not told ; but I am not sure Mr. Nightingale was present when I made the remark about the gas. Since then, recently, Mr. Nightingale has told me I was dismissed because the men working with me refused to work with me because of my constant disparagement of the coal. This he told me about three days ago. Mr. Nightingale also told me that the man working with me complained of my inability to do my work. I think about six weeks after I was out prospecting for clay, aud took a young fellow of the name of McKay with me. I was finding myself at this time. I came in at last and spoke to Mr. Woolcock, and told him I had given up all hope of finding clay in the neighbourhood. I went to Mr. Macfarlane and told him that 1 had tried my best, and could not find clay. I asked him to give me work. He told me I could get work if I could put up a house, the same as the rest of the settlers, or have one put up. I went out to the Arawata and sawed some stuff for a house, and split some shingles, and cleared a small bit of ground, being enough for a site for a house on the section. When I had finished this, I told Mr. Macfarlane I had the timber, shingles, &c, for the house, and asked for the windows and doors. He told me he would not give them to me. I asked him his reason, as I understood by the pamphlet that Government would supply materials of this kind to the settlers. He said I had ready money, and if I did not pay for them I could not have them. I refused to pay for them out of my own pocket, thinking that, as I had taken up a section, I was as much entitled to them as any other settler. I joined the fishing company some time after. I came up to Hokitika to get some money that was due to me from the company. I left with a promise from Mr. Meyer that the money should be forwarded by the next steamer. I say that I have had the boat for use, on condition of giving for the use of the boat half the fish that were caught. I selected my land on the Arawata —past the school-house, on the righthand side from Mr. Porter's. I was one of the last of those who selected. I have transferred to Murdoch, and received from him the two instalments which were paid up. Ido not think any of the land is good for anything. I think it is shingle, and sand, and sediment. I did not see anything better. The sand seems to grow the best crop of potatoes. I did not report that the clay was firstclass potting clay. I never worked in a pottery. I never said I got good clay on Murdoch's land. Mr. Macfarlane never refused me the use of the land, f had had no experience in coal-mining. My business is brickmaking. Mr. Nightingale stated that Nelson came down to Mr. Macfarlane and complained that I was always runniug down the coal, and that I could not do my work, and that he would not work with me. My complaint is, that the Government did not encourage the industry as mentioned and promised in the regulations, aud that the land was not what it was represented. I have not received a refund of my passage-money. 1 had a store account. My passage-money has not bceu credited in my store book. I paid up all my store account before I left. I went down as a brickmaker, but I took up a section, and meant to remain as a bond fide settler. I have since abandoned the land. I held my laud about twelve or eighteen months ; I cannot say exactly. Alexander McCrea sworn and examined. I live in Christchurch. I formerly lived in Hokitika. I remember the formation of the Jackson's Bay Settlement. I was in Hokitika at the time. Prior to the calling for tenders for supplies for the settlement we sent some flour down once or twice. We made not the slightest difference in purchasing goods to be sent to the Bay. They were quite as good as supplied usually. They were of the best quality. I never saw a bad package sent down of any description. I only remember once supplying the settlement with goods through Captain Malcolm, of the " Maori." He gave the goods to tho Government, and I collected the amount. I think Mr. Bonar took off 10 per cent, from these goods, because he thought they were charged too high. I think I remember a talk about the potatoes sent down to the Bay at the time there was a failure of the crop. I never knew of any bad potatoes being sent to tho Bay. Ido not remember any being sold at Is. 3d. per bag. Ido not think I ever bought any potatoes from Samuel Jacobs. I do not remember any potatoes being bought to make up for the failure of the crop of potatoes at the Bay. We may have supplied other little articles to the Bay, but lam not certain. I sent some sheep down to Collyer to breed at the settlement. I was part owner of the " Waipara." If goods were purchased from us my name might be on the manifest. I think I