I.—3a

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139. Did you translate that deed ?—I did. I read the written interpretation on it made by Mr. Nelson. 139 a. How many deeds did they sign ? —They signed the original and a duplicate, and they also signed a voucher for the money. 140. Did they sign any other paper for the postmaster ?—No ; I think Mr. Clarke, J. P., signed an attested sheet of the amount of money, and the number of the cheques received by each man. 141. Will you explain what Mr. Millar did after all the papers were signed?— When the deed was completed and signed, they were required to sign a voucher for the money, and Millar called upon me to identify each man before he paid him the money. On the vouchers being completed, he pulled off the cheques as they were drawn up, and would attach his signature to each cheque. The cheques were already filled up. When the cheques were completed he would tear them one by one out of the cheque-book, and at the same time state the number of the cheque and the amount of the money on a sheet of foolscap paper. When the whole of the cheques were torn from the book, he added them up, showing the amount of money which each man received, counting the cheques over to Mr. Clark. He being satisfied that the cheques were there, and the amount of money represented as shown on the voucher, he attested the sheet of paper as being correct. Having done so, he turned the cheques into his hand and compared them with the receipts. He took them up one by one off the table and pinned them together. He handed out of the window in the post-office the sums to which each person present was proved to be entitled to. The sellers received the cheques and held them up in their hands. Mr. Jjundon being in the background, they turned round and handed the cheques over to him. That is as far as I know about it. 142. Are you aware that I held all the money?'—Yes; I believe that the whole of the purchase-money was handed over by the vendors to you at different times. 143. Do you recollect me sitting down at the table with two of the petitioners present— Papahia and Herewini te Toko? And do you recollect me handing their money to you?—l think it was only on the first occasion that that was done. 144. I kept that portion which I said w T as mine ?—Yes. • 145. There was no objection raised to that at the time ?—No. 146. Were there any Natives there with the appearance of liquor ? —I do not remember any having the appearance of liquor. 147. Do you recollect me getting you to write a telegram to Wi Eikihana to attend with you?— Yes. 148. Did you see the answer that came ?— J saw the answer :it stated he was in trouble about some sick child or another, and that he could not come. He requested you to go to Opanake to him, and to take the deeds and the money there. 149. Did he say anything further ? —I do not remember. 150. Did he say he would sign them ?—Yes ; he agreed to sign them. 151. Do you recollect me sending Ned Howe for him?—l do. 152. Some time after?— About a month after. 153. Did he come with Howe?—Yes; he came. 154. Did he go to your office after coming?— Yes. 155. Did you read that document to him?—l did—the document making you his agent. 156. Did he make any objection to sign it ?—No, none whatever. He said Waaka had agreed to it. 157. Are you quite satisfied that he knew the purport of the document he was signing?—Of course he did ; he knew quite well. 158. Did he also sell for 4s. an acre?—l do not know that he agreed to the 45., but he agreed to the 4s. 6d. 159. Did he go with you to Millar's office to sign the document ? —Yes, he did. 160. I ask you to explain here, as carefully as you can, what transpired at the office, because, as to Eikihana, the thing will not stop here. I ask you to be careful in stating what happened at the office ?—I have no recollection of anything extraordinary happening there any more than what happened in the case of the other grantees. 161. Give an explanation to this Committee ?—He attested the signatures and the payment of the money. 162. Did Millar act the same with him as he did with the others?—He did; exactly the same. 163. Did Millar pin the cheques together, and hand them into his hand?—He did. 164. What did he do with the money when he got it?—He handed it over to Mr. Lundon. He did not leave the public room in the post-office until he handed it over to Mr. Lundon. 165. Did you read that deed to Eikihana ?—I did ;it was written on the deed before I saw it. 166. Did he say he understood it ? —Yes, he was quite satisfied ; he was clear about it. 167. Was I present? —You were. 168. Was Tom Mood present ?—Yes. 169. Was Clarke, the Justice, present? —He was. 170. And Mr. Millar ?—Yes. 171. Then if Eikihana said, in his evidence, that you did not read that deed to him, would the statement be true ? The Chairman : Mr. Cochrane says he did read it. Mr. Lundon : I ask the witness to state if Eikihana said he did not, would it be true ?—I put the question to Eikihana that if Flood, Cochrane, Clarke, and I swore that he did, would we be swearing a lie, and he said " Yes." The Chairman : You have put the question already. Mr. Lundon : No, I did not.