H.—3

XXI

Wednesday, 29th Apbil, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), A. Loughrey, Esq.,and T. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R. The Commissioners were engaged during the day in examining books and records. The Commission adjourned at 5 o'clock, resumed at 8, and adjourned at 11 o'clock.

Thursday, 30th Apeil, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), T. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R., and A. Loughrey, Esq. Mr. Thomas Redmond gave evidence, and Mr. R. C. Hamerton, Public Trustee, gave further evidence. The Commission adjourned at 5 o'clock, resumed at 8, and adjourned at 11 o'clock.

Friday, Ist May, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), T. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R., and A. Loughrey, Esq. Besolved, That, from the startling nature of the evidence taken up to the close of Saturday last, the 25th April, the same be forwarded and brought under the notice of the Government to-day; and that the secretary, -Mr. Grey, be instructed to write a letter accordingly, and to take that letter, with six copies of the evidence up to Saturday last, and hand them to the Premier in person. The secretary subsequently reported that he had an interview with the Hon. the Premier, and had handed the letter and evidence to him in accordance with the instructions from the Commissioners. Mr. R. C. Hamerton, Public Trustee, gave further evidence, and Mr. Archibald Nairn gave evidence. The Commission adjourned at 5 o'clock, resumed at 8, and adjourned at 11 o'clock.

Saturday, 2nd May, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W.J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), A. Loughrey, Esq., and T. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R. The Rev. C. D. de Castro and Mr. R. C. Hamerton, Public Trustee, gave further evidence. The Commission adjourned at 5 o'clock, resumed at 8, and adjourned at 11 o'clock.

Monday, 4th May, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), T. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R., and A. Loughrey, Esq. Mr. Loughrey reported that, while walking in the neighbourhood of Kilbirnie on the previous Saturday afternoon, he picked up a piece of printed paper, which, on inspection, proved to be a portion of the evidence given before the Commission. The Commissioners expressed surprise that any portion of the evidence should get abroad, as it had been their desire all along to prevent publicity until the completion of their labours ; and the only copies of evidence which had been issued with their authority were the six-copies which had been delivered to the Government. Besolved, That the Public Trustee be requested to furnish a return, without delay, of the several estates on which losses have been made by moneys lent on mortgages by the Public Trustee, giving the name of the estate, the date at which the loss was made apparent, and the amount of loss in each estate, and for which the colony is not responsible. Besolved, That, as a specimen of the way in which many of the books in the Public Trust Office are kept, some pages of the rough cash-book be lithographed, and form part of the evidence. The Commission adjourned at 5 o'clock, resumed at 8, and adjourned at 11 o'clock.

Tuesday, sth May, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), A. Loughrey, Esq., and T. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R. A letter was read from Mr. Willis, Secretary to the Cabinet, requesting that the Government should be supplied with six more copies of the evidence given up to the close of Saturday, 25th April. The Commissioners agreed to accede to the request, and the secretary was instructed to hand over six additional copies to the Secretary to the Cabinet. The Rev. C. D. de Castro and Mr. R. C. Hamerton, Public Trustee, gave further evidence. The Commission adjourned at 5 o'clock, resumed at 8, and adjourned at 11 o'clock.

Wednesday, 6th May, 1891. The Commission met at 10 a.m. Present: The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G. (Chairman), A. Loughrey, Esq., andT. Kennedy Macdonald, Esq., M.H.R. Mr. James Edward FitzGerald, Controller and Auditor-General, gave evidence. v—H. 3