I.—B.

No. 8. Messrs. Harper & Co. to the Clerk of the Committee. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 27th July, 1882. J. Fynes Clinton, Esq., Clerk Election Petitions Committee, Wellington.—Your letter of 24th inst. received, and we are much surprised at extract of evidence kindly forwarded, as over half of costs of both sides are shown in our books to have been paid by Mr. Wason, by two instalments, on 22nd March and 29th April respectively, and balance was arranged to be paid, in the ordinary course, out of moneys coming to Mr. Wason, through his agency account with us. If any statement, such as mentioned in the evidence, was made by the clerk on taxation, it was without the knowledge of principals, and entirely without foundation. Letter follows to-day.—Harper & Co.

No. 4. Messrs. Harper & Co. to the Clerk of the Committee. Sir,— Hereford Street, Christchurch, N.Z., 27th July, 1882. We have received your letter of the 24th inst., forwarding extract of evidence of Mr. Bloxam, the Eegistrar of the Supreme Court, given before the Committee on Elections Petitions Enquiry, for which Aye have to thank you and the Chairman of the Committee. The receipt of this evidence is the first intimation that we have ever received of the supposed arrangement between ourselves and Mr. Wason, by which we were to forego some of our costs, we have, therefore, only to assure the Committee that no such arrangement was ever contemplated by us, or by Mr. Wason, nor was the subject ever mentioned between us. Our clerk, who appeared on the taxation of the costs, on being shown the evidence, informs us that he may have made some such observation as that mentioned, but, if he did so, it was entirely without reference to any communication between him and ourselves, or without having the slightest authority for saying so. He was at the time ignorant of the fact that two sums, amounting together to £382, had already been paid on account of these costs. We have also to state that Mr. Wason had previously instructed our accountant, who has charge of an agency account (which we have had with Mr. Wason for the last five years), to pay, on his account to our costs department, any balance which might be shown to be due by him after taxation. In conclusion, we beg to repeat that no such arrangement as that suggested by the evidence was ever contemplated by us, or as far as we know by Mr. Wason ; and should the committee require any further evidence on this point, we shall be glad to furnish the same on affidavit or in person. We have, &c, J. Fynes Clinton, Esq., Clerk to Committee on Elections Harper & Co. Petitions Enquiry, Wellington.

No. 5. Mr. J. C. Wason to the Clerk op the Committee. Sir,— Corwar, Banhill, July 26, 1882. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 24th instant, enclosing portion of Mr. Bloxam's evidence before the committee. While I cannot think it is the intention of the committee to offer a gratuitous insult to either Messrs. Harper or myself, I must take immediate exception to the bare suggestion that there has been any, or is any, collusion between Messrs. Harper and myself with regard to the costs incurred. Application to the Messrs. Harper or myself would have settled the question without any such innuendoes. Messrs. Harper's business seems divided into two branches, one legal and one agency, and they have been acting for me for years in both capacities. When the trial was concluded, and before I had any idea of petitioning the House, I called at Messrs. Harper to see Mr. Parkinson, the manager of the agency business, and requested him to pay the costs to the legal department and charge my agency account with them; and having done so, and Mr. Parkinson always having paid sums for me on a like request, for instance, rent (law charges to their department), property law, land law, and other matters, I concluded that the costs were paid, and am still of the opinion that they are. Some time after the decision, I told Mr. Harper, as I intended to petition the House, I must have his bill of costs taxed. No bargain or arrangement of any description was at any time made between us. I mentioned to Mr. Harper that I must have his bill of costs taxed simply because during all the years he has acted as solicitor for me I have paid his costs without question. I have, &c, J. Fynes Clinton, Esq., Clerk to Committee, J. Cathcart Wason. Election Petitions Enquiry.

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