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JEL—I3

270. Was that an arrangement by which you were to assign one of these actions to him ?—I wanted to raise a little money through him; that was the reason. 271. What did you do with the £100 you got from your son?— The £100 went nearly all to Austin. 272. When was this £100 paid to Austin ?—On the 9th June, 1886; £70 or £75 of that £100 was paid by a gentleman named McNichol to Mr. Jellicoe, for the purpose of settling Austin's and Haskins's claim ; that is the deed I am alluding to that was handed to Mr. Bloxam by Mr. Holmes. 273. Subsequently to this deed, Mr. Haskins obtained a judgment against you in the Eesident Magistrate's Court ?—Yes, for £8 or £9. 274. As regards statements in charge No. 8, what have you to say? How were you affected by the non-production of that document ?—-I understood Mr. Latter would not recognise it in any way as an asset. I cannot say how the statement has injured me. 275. Did you appeal from Mr. Weston's adjudication?— Yes. 276. What became of your appeal?—lt was not gone into, only as far as Weston's claim of £5,000 was concerned. 277. How has it affected you, Mr. Latter admitting this proof for a large sum ?—The claim still stands for the huge amount, when I really owe nothing. 278. Did you ever offer to provide funds to Mr. Latter if he would prosecute your alleged claims ?—Mr. Latter had some funds in the first instance. 279. Did you ever offer to provide him with any ?—I did not do so. 280. Had Mr. Latter funds ?—He had £35 ss. Bd. in October, 1886. 281. After paying petitioning creditors' costs the balance was used in paying costs and recovering back the costs of recovering back assigned assets ?—Yes. 282. What have you to say in reference to paragraph No. 9. Had not you done all in your power to recover that money previously to your bankruptcy ?—I did all I could; if the Eegistrar had done his duty I should never have been touched with bankruptcy. 283. You have never applied for your discharge under the present bankruptcy, have you ?—No. 284. You applied to be appointed assignee in your own estate, I believe ?—Yes, I did. 285. Why do not you apply for your discharge ?—I have been advised not to do so. 286. Your application to be appointed assignee in your own estate was refused; and you appealed against that, and the appeal was dismissed? —Yes. 287. Did any of the Judges intimate that your position would not be affected by accepting the discharge?— Yes, one of them did so. Mr. Justice Denniston said he thought that the bankrupt's position would not be affected by giving him his discharge. 288. Where was the money obtained to make the payment referred to in affidavit No. 13, annexed to the report of the Public Petitions Committee?— From my friends and from my family. All their money has gone into one pocket, so to speak. I believe my eldest son has found between £300 and £400 since 1883.

Saturday, 27th May, 1893. Ec-examination of Mr. G. W. Ell. 289. Mr. Lush.] You were asked yesterday by Mr. Beswick whether you had sent a notice of the withdrawal of Austin's retainer to Mr. Bloxam, and the letter written was put in in evidence. On the same day you sent a notice to Mr. Austin ? —Yes, I sent a notice the same day. 290. Mr. Austin is not in the colony now ?—No. [Copy of letter of withdrawal of Mr. Austin's retainer delivered to Mr. Austin : copy put in and marked as " Exhibit 69."] 291. You were asked questions yesterday in reference to the interference of the Official Assignee in your matters after the 3rd June, 1885. Do you recollect on one occasion, in the early part of July in that year, your motion coming before the Supreme Court for the removal of the Official Assignee from the record ?—Yes, either in the latter part of June or beginning of July, 1885. 292. Did Mr. Austin appear for the Official Assignee?— Yes. 293. And asked for the adjournment of the matter, and on his application the matter was adjourned ? —That is so. 294. When you made application to the Official Assignee to see papers in the first bankruptcy, can you tell me what paper particularly you required to see ?—-One important paper I wished to see was if there had been any claim made by Austin. 295. What reason had you for wishing to see that ?—Because in the latter part of February or March, 1886, I had been sued by Austin for a sum of money. I wished to see the papers to see if he had been paid for any claim he may have made under the first bankruptcy. 296. Did you go to the Official Assignee and ask for this information ?—Yes; I could get no information whatever from the Assignee ; I took a piece of paper and put down, while in the Official Assignee's office, a note of what took place. 297. When you could not get the information did you go to anybody for information?— Yes, I wrote to Mr. Martin, and went to him as well. 298. You were yesterday asked whether it was not a fact that you delayed putting in your statement of liabilities and assets in the second bankruptcy?— Yes. 299. Will you tell us the reason you did not do so at once ?—Mr. Jellicoe had drawn the deed between myself and my son on the 10th June, 1886. I did not know hardly how to put the accounts in to Mr. Latter until I had been to Wellington to see Mr. Jellicoe that he might put me right. I went to Wellington to see Mr. Jellicoe. 300. Was that the reason of the delay?— Yes ; His Honour Mr. Justice Johnston accepted that as an explanation on my return. 5—H. 13.