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41. Do you know if Mr. Bannatyne, the other Trustee, has any information to give in regard to the management of this school ?—I am not aware. He has always been present at all the meetings. 42. Is ho likely to have any additional evidence ? —I think not. 43. Hon. Mr. Gisborne.] From your reading of the grant, would you understand it to mean that the children of the poor should have education free ? —I think that would be the broad interpretation, but we never had funds. 44. It is the rule that all children taken there shall be required to pay fees ?—Tes ; that is the rule. 45. What industrial training has been given ? —I am not aware if any practically. 46. Is there any given now ? —I think not. What has been given is stated in the report. 47. The ordinary instruction, I suppose, that is given in grammar schools ? —I presume so. 48. Eeligious education is given to the youth. What has been given in this direction ?—The Bishop will be able to inform you on that point when he gives his evidence. 49. Mr. Godwin says in his report what the form of prayer was ; that those pupils who were Eoman Catholics remained outside the school ?—I suppose that was the rule at that time. 50. Is that the rule now ? —I believe so. There is certainly religious instruction given. 51. Have you found any difficulty in carrying out these trusts ? —No. 52. AVhen did you visit the school last ? —Not for several years. 53. How many years since you saw it last ? —I cannot tell exactly—five or six years, at least. 54. Then, as Trustee here, you have been obliged to look after the school from hearsay information ?—From the information furnished by the present and previous Bishop of Wellington and Mr. Churton. 55. Tou have no chance of seeing the school ? —Nothing beyond seeing the reports. 56. Mr. Bunny.] Have you any objection to the Bill ? Do you think the Trustees would be in a better position than at present? —I have no reason to believe that they would, of my own knowledge. 57. Do you think that the Trustees, living 120 miles away from the place, and only one of them visiting the district at certain lengthy periods, would have better control than those living on the spot ? —I do not think it would make any material difference. 58. Could you furnish a list showing the leases which are being let at the present time ? —No doubt it could be got. 59. I think they should be obtained as soon as possible: it is very necessary that we should have a copy. 60. Mr. Wright.] What terms of years have the leases generally been granted for ?—For various periods. In the early part of the trusts the property was not worth very much, and consequently the leases were longer than now. 61. What is the term now? —The terms are various, depending upon circumstances. 62. Considerable dissatisfaction has been felt in the district for the last six or eight months. Do you not think a local body would give more general satisfaction?—ls that stated in the evidence given by the Bishop ? 63. Tes. —That, I believe, was because the master was not doing his duty as expected at the time of his appointment. Ho eventually got into bad habits, and gave the Trustees some trouble, the consequence being that he was removed, and a competent person put in his place. 64. That is scarcely answering my question. Do you not think a locally-constituted body would have put a stop to the dissatisfaction ? —I believe the matter was corrected as soon as the Trustees thought it was necessary. It was reported to the Trustees that this gentleman was not attending to his duties—l may explain, was given to drink. He promised to reform, and the Trustees thought it was only right to give him another trial. At the same time, it was pointed out to him that if he did not alter his ways he would be dismissed. The same thing, I apprehend, might happen with a local body. He was a very excellent man, and we were loth to dismiss him at once. 65. Mr. Hislop.] Have there been any instructions between the Trustees and the schoolmaster ?— Tes. 66. Have they been agreed upon by the Trustees ?—Tes. 67. During the Bishop's absence, there is no person in charge? —If anything happened Mr. Churton would look after it. If anything of importance occurred, notice would be sent to Wellington, when it would be considered at once. 68. I see in the report that there is a complaint as to the manner in which the Trustees cut up the land ? —They did what they considered best to improve the value of the property. 69. Mr. Macandrew.] I understand the present rental is £690 a year; assuming that the leases fall in now, what would be the present value ? —A very much larger amount than that, but I have no idea. 70. How many free pupils are there at present attending the school?—At the present time 1 am not sure if there are any absolutely free. 71. Then how can you reconcile that with the terms of the grant, when it says you are to provide for the destitute persons' children ? —lf we had funds there is no doubt we should be most happy to do so. 72. Tou say you have fees amounting to £700 a year ? —Tou must bear in mind that we have the salaries of two or three masters to provide for, which amounted last year, I think, to £416. Then there was an item for fencing in the playground (£9O), and other expenses. 73. It seems somewhat strange, after reading the grant, that there are no free pupils attending the school.—l do not see how you can reconcile the two facts. 74. Hon. Mr. Gisborne.] How often do the Trustees meet ? —We have no regular time for meeting ; we meet very frequently, whenever any letters or correspondence is received. 75. How often have you met during the last twelve months ? —The Bishop will be able to answer that more accurately than myself. 76. Mr. Hislop.] Are there any minutes kept of your meetings ?—Te»,