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Court, which was decided, I think, last November in the Court of Appeal. The action was brought by Ihaka te Rou, another Native ; and after that action was concluded in Mr. Love's favour, Mr. Love desired to effect a sale of the Polhill Gully lands, and mentioned this to me. This was the land affected by the action. I had some knowledge—l do not know how I got it, but I think it was through seeing the proceedings before the Trust Commissioner —that Messrs. Kirk and Atkinson were dealing in some way with the Polhill Gully lands. I met Mr. Atkinson one day in the street outside my office, and I mentioned that I had got a decision in Mr. Love's favour in the case, which he knew was going on, as I had mentioned the matter to him. I then asked him if he had a purchaser, or whether he would purchase. I could not give the actual words. I intimated that the Loves were ready to sell. The result was we had some conversation on the subject, and I asked him to send me a written offer. This is a copy of the letter of the 18th December, 1891: " Dear Sir, —With reference to a conversation with you concerning the purchase of Love's properties, we have purchasers for the under-mentioned pieces named: Part Section 41, Polhill Gully, at £6 per foot frontage Wordsworth Street; Part Section No. 3, of 15 acres, at £25 per acre (half of 6 acres 1 rood 5 perches); Part Section 27, Section 8, Johnsonville, at £25 per acre (half of 6 acres 2 roods 27 perches). If your client can give a title we are prepared to deal at once. There are, however, restrictions on all these lands, but we presume there would be no difficulty in getting them removed.—Yours, &c, Kirk and Atkinson.—C. B. Morison, Esq." On receipt of that letter, lof course submitted it to Mr. Love, and I made some inquiries as to what would be a fair price for the properties, and advised Mr. Love not to accept the offer as made. I advised him to ask instead for half of Section 3of Block XV.a £100. What was offered was about £75. There was also an advance upon the price of the other section. After Mr. Love had consented to that, I saw Mr. Atkinson, and told him I would not accept his offer, but I asked him to make a further offer. I then received a further letter from Messrs. Kirk and Atkinson, but find I have omitted to bring it. However, my reply shows what were its contents. Mr. Love had been making inquiries in the meantime, with a view of finding out what could be got elsewhere. On the 21st December, 1891, I wrote the following letter to Messrs. Kirk and Atkinson : "Dear Sirs, —I am instructed by Mr. Tamiora Love to accept your offer contained in letter of the 21st December —viz., £7 a foot for the one-sixth interest in Section 41, and £100 for half-share of Section 3, Block XV.a, Polhill Gully.—l am, &c, C. B. Morison." Shortly after this—l had not troubled to inquire who the purchaser was—the transfer came along for my perusal—a transfer to Her Majesty the Queen. I forget whether it came to my office or whether I got it at Messrs. Kirk and Atkinson's office. At all events, I got the transfer; and I think I casually made some remark to the effect that I did not expect it to be the Queen. No mention of the name of the purchaser had been made in the course of the transaction. Then the matterwas duly completed and the money paid, so far as I was concerned. 572. Satisfactorily ?—Yes. 573. We understand Mr. Love has complained of the manner in which the matter was completed?—l have heard nothing of it. Mrs. Love seemed to be under the impression when she called on me to-day that the Commission was going to give something more for her land. At any rate, she seemed in rather a hopeful state. I told her I was afraid she had formed rather a wrong impression of the functions of the Commission. 574. Mr. Baker.] When was the money paid ? —I really could not give the date from memory. There was considerable delay with the removal of restrictions. It was not until February that we got the matter through the Trust Commissioner's Court. The money was paid to me on the Natives' behalf, and was duly credited, and has since been paid to them. I have heard no complaint from Mr. or Mrs. Love, but Mrs. Love appeared to have got an erroneous idea of the functions of this Commission. Mr. Kirk : I desire to thank the Commissioners for the courtesy extended to me, and the latitude allowed me during the course of the inquiry.

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