5

I.—2a.

to the bank with me. And he did so, and, when the cheques were produced with the slips, I referred to Mr. Kissling at that time, and asked him to be kind enough to allow me to take those cheques and slips to Wellington, with my petition. He said he would send them to the bank in Wellington, and he did so. These are the cheques. 60. You say you paid £20 on account of the boys: to whom did you pay it, and why did you pay it ?■ —For food and clothing, to one of the storekeepers. 61. Did the guardians of the boys, or either of them, authorize you to incur liability for them ?— I may state that they did not authorize me ; but Adam Clark wished me to do so. 02. You say you were informed that Arama Karaka received the £20: who told you that ? — Colonel Haultain. Not the £20, but £200. G3. Have you any personal knowledge of that £200 ? —None whatever. 64. You say you asked repeatedly for an examination into the matter: was that by letter or personally ?—Both by letter and personally, when I was in Wellington. 05. Have you copies of your letters ?—I have one —that is a copy of my last letter to Sir George Grey. [Letter dated 21st July, 1879, read, and reply dated 25th August, 1879.] 66. Mr. $lwelian.~\ These transactions took place in 1873, I think. The sale of the Pakiri Block was in 1874, I think ? —I cannot say anything about that. 07. It must have been sold before Bth December, 1874 ?—Of course. 68. But you know, as a matter of fact, that it took place ?—No, I do not. 69. Have you not seen the document yourself ?—No, I have not. 70. Do you not remember when the land was put through the Court at Kaipara ? —No, I do not. 71. You were not there ?—I was not. 72. Adam Clark was there, I suppose ; was he not ? —I suppose so ; I could not positively say. 73. Did you not pass through Helensvillo at the time the Court was sitting ? —I cannot say whether it was tho Pakiri Block. 74. Did you not hold service there ? —Not that I recollect. 75. Just recollect, please, because I had the pleasure of hearing you ? —I cannot say whether it was the Pakiri Block. 70. Did you not pass through while there was a sitting ?—You say "a " Court ? 77. Yes?— Yes. 78. You heard from Adam Clark, I presume, what had been done with Pakiri Block?— No. 79. Did you not hear when you came back ?■ —No. 80. Did you not hear that tha land had been put through ? —Not until this matter cropped up. 81. Not until after the sale ?—No. 82. Do you mean to tell me that you were not aware until this matter cropped up that the land had been passed through the Court ? —-No. 83. Is not Adam Clark a neighbour of yours ?—He lives on the other side of tho river. 84. He is a member of your church, is he not ? —Yes. 85. Did ho consult you about business matters ? —He does now ; he did not at that time. 86. Do you mean to tell me that in 1874 you were not aware that the land had passed through the Court ?' —I was not aware of it until 1874. 87. That you were not aware until 1874. Remember, that is an interval of five years ?—lt would be before 1874, inasmuch as I had a conversation with you before that. 88. This Pakiri Block runs from the West Coast ? —Yes. 89. Ordinarily, in going from Port Albert you would pass through it ?—Yes; you would pass through the Pakiri Block. 90. And the owners of it lived close to your own place ? —Yes. 91. But was not Wi Apo consulting you on business matters?— Not at that time. 92. Was Wi Apo a member of your church then ? —Yes. 93. You tell me that from 1809 until the end of 1874 you were not aware that this land had passed through the Court; that you had never heard it was surveyed and put through the Court? —-Yes, I heard it was put through the Court. I simply heard of it; I was not aware of it. 94. Did you hear who had been appointed trustees for this boy Wi Apo before December, 1874? —Shortly before. 95. Who told you ?—Arama Karaka. 96. Then you had heard before you saw me that the land had passed through the Court, and that there were trustees appointed ? —Just before. 97. Did you hear who they were ?—Yes. 98. Myself and Adam Clark, I think ?—Yes. 99. In regard to that £20, Mr. Gittos, do you remember meeting me in 1877 in the Government Buildings here in Wellington? —Yes. 100. Did you express to me your satisfaction that this matter had been heard by the Public Accounts Committee ?■ —Not that I am aware of. 101. Did you not say to me that you were glad to hear that the matter was being inquired into? —Yes, I said that. 102. Did you not say you were glad there was only this matter of £20 outstanding ?—I did not say that. 103. Did I not tell you that if anything like reasonable proof was produced that this money was due that I would pay it ?—Yes. 104. Did you furnish me with that proof ? —I thought my statement would be sufficient. 105. Did you send me that cheque or any reasonable proof after you left in 1877 ? —Do you mean the cheque ? 100. Any reasonable proof ?—No, I did not give you that proof. 107. Have you ever, from the time the cheque was sent to me for my signature, taken any legal steps for the purpose of compelling me to refund ? —None.

Rev. W. Gittos. Aug. 2,1880.