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126. I ask you again whether you can lay your hand upon any promise of mine as Minister of Public Works that a line of railway should be constructed between the Thames and Grahamstown ?—No. 127. Was there any such promise made ? —There is no record of any such promise made. There is a record of a survey being promised. 128. By me or by any other member of the then Government ? —The only promise by any member of the Government would be this, signed by Mr. Waterhouse on 14th February, 1873, and sent to the Superintendent of Auckland. 129. Did you prepare that pile of documents that were handed in, and are now on the table ?— Yes. 130. Does that file of papers contain all the documents you marked when you sent up these records to the clerk of the Committee ?—lt contained all with the exception of a petition, which I had not time to copy, but which is alluded to in a letter there. That is this petition. 131. That being a complete file of all the papers you had bearing upon the subject, are they copies of the documents laid on the table of the House in 1873?— I cannot say. Ido not know what were laid on the table in 1873 ; but if I can see what were laid on the table in 1873 I can tell you. 132. You hold Mr. Simpson's report in your hand? —Yes. 133. Can you inform the Committee if any action was taken upon that report by the Government ? —There does not appear to have been any action taken upon it, except its being printed. It is marked here, " Copy for printer;" there is no further record on it. 134. You are quite clear that if that document was handed to the Cabinet, no executive action was taken ? —There is no record of any executive action. 135. Dr. Hodgkinson.] On being instructed to forward these papers to the Committee, did you prepare and send them in in time for the Committee to consider them before they closed their proceedings and sent in their report ?—I sent them in before I signed my evidence. 136. And, therefore, they would be before the Committee ?■—l believe so, but I cannot say. 137. Then, the Committee had them at the time they finally closed?—l do not know. I have no knowledge of what goes on inside the Committee-room. 138. How long was it after you received the instructions that you sent in these papers ? — I received instructions on the Saturday. I immediately gave directions to the record clerk to go through the records of my department, and got the Colonial Secretary's officers to make a search in their department for any papers relating to this matter. I got these documents ready late on Monday, and sent them in very early on Tuesday morning. 139. Mr. McLean.] Did you send in these papers before you got your evidence to correct ?— Yes. 140. You do not know the day you sent them in ? —I believe on the Tuesday, and the reason of my thinking so is that I see this memorandum on another paper : " Papers sent to the clerk of tho Map Inquiry Committee," and it is dated " 28 —7—79 " —that would be Tuesday. 141. You sent in your evidence on Tuesday morning ?—Yes. 142. Do not you see that does not tally with your statement that you sent them in before you got your evidence to correct ? —I sent them first thing on Tuesday morning, and after I sent them I received and sent in my evidence as corrected. 143. Mr. Rees.] Did I understand you to say that you sent over this paper [Appendix No. 5, I. —2] to be put in the evidence ?—I was directed to send a copy of that memorandum over to have it put in. 144. Did this copy you sent in come over with these papers ?—To the best of my belief it did. 145. Then this part has been put in and the rest left out ?—Yes. 146. In relation to some of the questions you were asked, not merely as to the alteration of the map as alleged, but as to the building of the railway, do you consider these documents were pertinent to those questions? —These papers were sent over by direction of the Committee, in order to show whether there had been any promises by former Governments to make a railway between Grahamstown and Waikato. 147. And they were sent in by you with due speed to the clerk of the Committee ? —Yes. 148. Had you any idea or reason to suppose from what you were told by the Committee that one paper would be put in and the rest left on one side ? —I merely sent them in obedience to the direction of the Committee. 149. Mr. Pyke.] When you gave your evidence to the Committee on the former occasion were you aware then of the existence of these documents ?—No ; I said so then. 150. Then will you explain to the Committee how you obtained a knowledge of their existence?— I was told in the Committee that Mr. Macandrew had stated that this line had been constructed in conformity with promises made by previous Governments, and I was asked if there were any such promises on record. When I left the Committee I went over to the office and gave directions to my record clerk to look out the documents, in fulfilment of the instructions of the Committee, and to see the record clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office, and ascertain if there were any documents there. Then I went to the Hon. Mr. Macandrew and said, " The Committee told me this morning you said this railway was made in continuation of promises made by previous Governments : can you give me a clue to find them ?" He said to me, " You had better ask Mr. Brodie, Chairman of the Thames County Council; he is at present in Wellington." I went to Mr. Brodie, told him what I had to supply, aud asked, " Can you give me any reference to any promises made by Ministers ?" He replied, "You had better wire to the Town Clerk and Dr. Kilgour." I wired to these gentlemen, and these are tho copies of telegrams which passed: —"26th July, 1879.— F. C. Dean, Esq., Town Clerk, Thames.—Please wire me copies or reference to any Public Works or other letters or speeches by Ministers promising Thames and Waikato Railway previously to present Government coming into office. Reply, marked urgent, free. —John Knowles, Under Secretary Public Works." " 26th July, 1879.—Dr. Kilgour, Thames.— Please wire me copies or reference to any Public Works or other letters or speeches by Ministers

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