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I.—3a.

210. Wi Bihihana.] You know that there has been confusion concerning this purchase of Mr. Lundon's?—l never heard of any trouble before, but only since your petition. 211. Hone T. W. Papaida.] Do you remember the day that I signed the agreement, the authority to Mr. Lundon to act as our agent?— You signed several times; two different times. You signed on your own behalf in the first instance. Two months afterwards you signed because you had been appointed successor to two quarter-shares. 212. I am asking you about the first time you went? —You signed at the same time as Te Waaka and others. 213. And are those words contained in the document that you read over and explained to us ? —Yes. I read it over from beginning to the end. 214. Do you think that I would sign such a document ?—Yes, well knowing the contents of it too. lam surprised seeing a man like you denying your signature. The Chairman : Confine yourself to answering the questions. 215. Hon. Mr. Mitchelson.] Did you make it quite clear to each of the Natives, when signing the agreement appointing Mr. Lundon agent, that one paragraph in that document distinctly stated that any price received by Mr. Lundon in excess of the 4s. 6d. per acre was to be the sole property of Mr. Lundon, in consideration of expenses incurred by him ?—Yes, on one or two occasions they said it did not matter what Mr. Lundon got; they were quite content with the 4s. 6d. 216. Did Papahia and Herewini te Toko sign the agreement appointing Mr. Lundon as their agent in the presense of each other ? —Yes, on one occasion ; the second occasion Papahia signed by himself. 217. Did they sign the agreement upon the same day as they signed the deed ?—I do not think so; no. 218. When did they sign it ?—Shortly afterwards. 219. When was the agreement, appointing Mr. Lundon agent, signed ?—lt was signed before the transfer was signed. 220. How long before ? —Well, perhaps a day ; perhaps two :I am not quite certain. I did not bring the dates-with me. I have the dates at home, every one of them. 221. When the Natives were signing the deed before the Postmaster, did you fully and clearly translate the deed in such a manner as would make it clear to them that the Government were paying a larger sum for the land than they had agreed to sell it for ? —Yes ; I read the translation as endorsed on the deed. I asked them if they were perfectly clear, and they said Yes. All the witnesses present will bear that out. 222. The evening upon which Eikihana arrived at Eawene, did you place before him any documeut to sign purporting to be a list of those owners who had agreed to sell at 4s. 6d. per acre ?—I placed before him the agreement with the names of those who had already appointed Mr. Lundon as their agent. I read over the agreement to him. He was satisfied with it, and, as the others had signed, he had no objection. 223. Then you are quite sure that you fully explained to Wi Eikihana, when signing this document, that he thoroughly understood that he was signing an agreement appointing Mr. Lundon as his agent ?—Yes. 224. When Mr. Millar paid the money over to each of the Natives when signing, did you see Mr. Lundon receive the same out of the hands of the Natives ?—Yes ; in Bikihana's case I did not see the actual delivery of the money from one to the other, but I know that the money was delivered. 225. You stated that Mr. Clark before witnessing the deed counted the cheques and added up the amount before signing?—Y'es, Mr. Clark, in testing the list of cheques, went over them with Mr. Millar, and tested the number of cheques and the amount of money, to see if it was correct, and then Mr. Millar handed them over to all the Native owners. 226. Then he must have been under the impression that he was witnessing the full payment to each Native? —Yes. 227. Hon. Mr. Richardson."] As licensed interpreter, do you think you were performing your duty in not explaining the deed fully except to the first one of the Natives who sold ?—Well, strictly speaking, I would not consider I was doing my duty in not thoroughly explaining the deed; but, having read the translation, as endorsed in the deed to each of them, that was all that was required of me by law 7 . Te Waaka was an old man, and I read it to him ; but the young men would find out in a few seconds if they chose to do so. 228. How many of those in the post-office were in the inner office of the postmaster ?—There were none in the inner office; they were all in the public room. The inner office I took to be inside. 229. Who was inside the delivery-window, and who without?—No one was there but Mr. Millar ; the vendors were in the outer room. 230. Where was Mr. Clark?—He was in the room alongside the vendors. 231. Where was the document signed?—On the delivery-table of the post-office, between the public room and the post-office itsslf. 232. Was the agreement at the post-office when the deed was signed?— No. 233. You are quite sure that the agreement was not at the post-office at that time?— The Natives signed the agreement in my office, and then they went to the post-office to sign the deed. 234. That answer means that you are quite certain that no one of those vendors signed the deed and signed the agreement in the post-office at the same time ?—Certainly. 235. How did you know that the Natives, in addition to the agreement, had personally given their word to hand the money over to Mr. Lundon? —I was present when the arrangement was made. 236. Where was this arrangement to hand the money over to Mr. Lundon made ?—lt was on the road going to the post-office ? —I had a conversation with one or two of the owners. 4—l. 3a.