(.;.—2.

[Note.- — The following telegrams, being additional Questions to and Answers by Major Brown, are inserted here for convenience of reference.]

Telegrams relating to the Vouchers for £2,000 charged to Waimate Plains. (See Evidence of Major Brown, pp. 72-74 ; and of Mr. Gill, pp. 85-88.)

I. — The Commissioners to Major Brown. Major Brown, Hawera. Government Buildings, 12th May, 1880. In the examination of Mr. Gill it appears that the £1,000 charged to Waimate Plains was not received by Teira, but that the money passed directly into the hands of other people in payment'of accounts for food and supplies for the Waitara meeting. Mr. Gill relates what passed between himself and Mr. Rennell on the subject, and we gather that the accounts of the various payments are (or were) in his (Mr. Rennell's) hands. We wish to have these accounts, and a statement of the persons who were the actual recipients of the £1,000, as well as of the four sums of £100 charged to the same account. When can you let us have these ? Commissioners.

2. — Major Brown to the Commissioners. The West Coast Commissioners, Wellington. Hawera, 12th May, 1880. I go to New Plymouth on Friday, and will there see that receipted accounts re Waitara meeting are correct, and post them to you on Saturday. C Brown, CC

3.— Major Brown to tlie Commissioners. The West Coast Commissioners, Wellington. New Plymouth, 17th May, 1880. Did not arrive [here] till Saturday. On searching I found that the supplementary and subsequent expenditure was £1,000, and not £400, as stated by me from memory. The accounts showing the expenditure of the £2,000 were posted (to leave by this morning's overland mail) to Mr. Gill, by instructions of the Hon. Native Minister. I have informed him that the Royal Commissioners request to see them. C Brown, CC

4. — The Commissioners to Major Brown. Government Buildings, Wellington, 26th May, 1880. Major Bbown, CC, New Plymouth. The following questions respecting vouchers to Teira and others, to be appended to your evidence with your answers: First, what were the " former claims "of Teira and others to land on the Waimate Plains, in respect of which they signed the original vouchers ? Had such claims been investigated or recognized by the Government to any, and what, extent at any previous time ? Secondly, did the Government obtain any advantage in regard to the acquisition of the Plains, from your recognition of any claims of Teira and the others ? And were such claims, and the payment of takoha for them, made known by you to the resident Ngatiruanui people and admitted by them ? Commissioners.

5. — -Major Brown to the Commissioners. The West Coast Commissioners, Wellington. Hawera, 26th May, 1880. Re vouchers Teira and others, I am under the impression that they were in respect of " confiscated land west of Waingongoro," which would probably include former claims to a greater extent than they signed for ; which claims had not been investigated or recognized by the Government at any previous time. The Government did not obtain any advantage in regard to the acquisition of the Plains from my recognition of the claims of Teira and others, except the indirect and temporary effect that the [Waitara] meeting had while the Natives believed that Rewi had joined Sir George Grey on the questions of railways, roads, &c. The payment of the takoha to them was not made known to other Natives. The proposition arose from Teira and others complaining to the Native Office that they could not do what their positions required of them as hosts at the Waitara meeting; they having been left particularly poor and landless through the confiscation—more so than those who fought against us. I thought they deserved great sympathy ; hence my telegram to the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, approved by hira, that they should be the hosts. C. Brown, CC.

6.— The Commissioners to Major Brown. Major Brown, Hawera. Government Buildings, "Wellington, 27th May, 1880. Received your telegram last night. There are, however, two points which the telegram leaves uncertain : The first is as to what you designate the " former" claims of Teira and the others. It is very essential we should have a clear idea of what those former claims were, and to what extent you think they would have been, or would now be, admitted by the Ngatiruanuis. Secondly, you say that these former claims would probably have extended to a larger amount than the £2,000 which the vouchers include. This has a serious bearing on the distribution of the total sum which, in your evidence at Taranaki, you mentioned having estimated as the probable amount of takoha for the Plains ; because the proportion which the £2,000 comprised in the vouchers bears to the total present charge, is already a fourth; and, if the claims you allude to would reach a greater extent, what would become of your total estimate ? • Commissioners. 12—G. 2.

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