69

A.—3

8. Mr. Nicholas's Position as Interpreter. Te Pou: Mr. Nicholas acts as interpreter in Parliament. The complaint is that he takes written messages from the Parliament, and sometimes brings back only verbal messages from the British Resident, and sometimes vice versa. The Parliament think it ought to be in writing. Mr. Moss has a record, and the Parliament should have one. 9. Resignation of Makea Daniela. Te Pou: Makea Daniela resigned his office in the presence of the Arikis, 6th September, 1897. His offices were Paymaster, Clerk of Parliament, and Clerk of Council. That letter was received when the Arikis were present in Parliament. The Arikis were surprised at this, as the troubles did not concern him but the British Resident. He was the servant of the Arikis. The Arikis at that time accepted the resignation, and appointed Mr. Goodwin. The complaint is that the British Resident will not approve of the appointment of Mr. Goodwin. Did the British Resident give any reason for this ? — [Te Pou produces the letters which passed between Mr. Moss and the Parliament, from which it appears that Mr. Moss asked on the 7th September for copies of the minutes of the proceedings of the Parliament when Daniela's resignation was accepted, and that Me. Moss, when asked to sanction the appointment of Mr. Goodwin, declined to sanction it as a permanent appointment till those minutes were furnished.] On the 14th September Mr. Moss wrote to the Parliament saying that he had not accepted the resignation of Daniela, and would in no case sanction Mr. Goodwin's appointment as he was one of the Europeans who had misled Parliament about the Federal Court Bill. Mr. Moss wrote again to the same effect on the 15th September. The Arikis wish to appoint Mr. Goodwin and the British Resident will not sanction the appointment. 11. Increase of Vote for Hospital Board. Mr. Salmon: The Parliament agreed, though did not formally pass a resolution, that it would be advisable to raise the import duty for hospital purposes from 1 to 2 per cent, on the 16th July. The result of this was sent verbally to Mr. Moss to ascertain his views, and he brought word that it was not necessary. The matter dropped. Mr. Nicholas states I am not in the habit of carrying verbal messages, and that I had no such message given me. To Utakea: Did you hear the message given to Mr. Nicholas by Mr. Salmon about the additional increase of hospital dues ?—I did. Mr. Moss explains that he never received such a message. That if he had received such a message, and that the Parliament had duly passed it, he would not have sanctioned it, unless satisfied that the general body of the residents approved of it. 12. Estimates passed under misleading Information of Mr. H. Nicholas. Te Pou : Nicholas told them that if they would pass the estimates the members would get their money. Mr. Nicholas: Mr. Moss gave me a rough copy of the estimates to be given to the Chairman, and to be laid on the table. It lay on the table two or three days before it was read. Whei it was read they found it was in English, and the members said, "We do not understand it in English; you should take it away and get it translated." I read it over to them, and translated it to them from the paper, and I took it away and got it translated. It was in English and Maori on the same sheet, and I struck off seventy copies on the cyclostyle. Then it was brought back to the Parliament, and my duty was then at an end. I sent the British Resident ten copies. Towards the afternoon some of the members wished to go home, and I said, " All you have got to do is to pass the estimates ; if there is anything you do not like strike it out, and I will take it to Mr. Mo3s." To Vaikai : What are the misleading statements you complain about? —[No answer.] Parliament books produced show that the estimates were passed by nine to two. Mr. Nicholas states that the resolution passing the estimates was signed by Moate, as Acting-Chairman, and taken to Mr. Moss. The original was kept by Mr. Moss. There are three copies signed by Moate, two of these are kept by the Parliament. 13. Appropriation Act not passed, but Moneys paid out. What I understand is that the members went away, leaving only two to dispose of Parliament business, and that Mr. Moss, being satisfied that Parliament was not going to pass the appropriations so as to provide for the public services, took upon himself the responsibility of authorising the Paymaster and other officers to issue public moneys in respect of the services appearing in the estimates. What part of his conduct do you complain of in that ? Te Pou produces a paper of authority from the members who had gone away to those remaining to act for them. Do I understand you think that was a proper way to conduct Parliament? —It is not right to do so; all the members should remain and do their work; none of them ought to go away. The members from the other islands only come here to receive their pay. Adjourned at 6.30 p.m.

Wednesday, 29th December, 1897, 9 a.m. Dr. Craig expresses his opinion on the subject of Dr. Caldwell's appointment, that Mr. Moss is to blame in not taking steps to ascertain that Dr. CaldweH's diplomas were such as to be acceptable in New Zealand. Dr. Caldwell states that his diplomas would entitle him to practice in lowa both in medicine and surgery. In most of the States the mere production of my diplomas before the Board of Health would entitle me to registration. lam registered in four of the States. Two or three of the States insist on examining all candidates. Mr. Moss explains to the Arikis who are present that he has made no complaints about them to the Governor. Makea: It is true that Mr. Moss has made no complaints, but since the last two or three months Mr. Moss has left us. Some time ago Mr. Moss suggested the formation of a Town Board, but did not see Makea Ariki before the meeting of the Europeans. That on the signature of a letter to Queen Victoria re the Jubilee—this letter was written by Mr. Moss himself, and then was brought to her to sign by Miss Nicholas from Mr. Moss. Makea signed that paper without any previous knowledge of its contents. And when a letter from Victoria about this Federal Court Bill was brought before the Parliament it was not read to Makea, or was she told about it. That Mr. Moss only laid it before Parliament, without the Arikis being told about except by Parliament. That when they listened to the discussion they did not understand it. We said, "It is good, but do not be hasty." Mr. Nicholas told them to agree to it at once. They replied, "Do you want us to agree to this before we understand it ? " Mr. Nicholas told them that Mr. Moss had told them to agree to it at once. We said," We will not agree to it at once without fully understanding it." After that I said, " Leave it to this year, and I will pass it when I understand it; we will not pass it until we understand it." The troubles then commenced. We and the Parliament wrote a letter asking Mr. Moss to meet them. [Letter of 3rd September.] Mr. Moss only wrote ;he did not come [4th September]. If Mr. Moss had come and explained the Bill, as you did your Honour, we would then have understood the Bill. They would have all perhaps have agreed to pass the Bill. Makea was not approached to agree to the payment of the members who departed from Parliament, as heretofore was done. This money was paid out without her oonsent and knowledge. She then knew that Mr. Moss had left them. Tinomana ; When the Arikis met in 1890 Mr. Nicholas read a letter to them. When he had finished Tiuomana asked Mr. Nicholas, " Who wrote that letter? " Mr. Nicholas told them that was their words to be placed before the Parliament. At what meeting did we resolve to write this letter? Tinomana spoke strongly, because she remembered what was said at the hoisting of the flag. There it was said that their laws would not be interfered with. This was at the first meeting in 1891. I think the letter and what was said at the hoisting of the flag was not the same. I did not agree to that, but I was overruled, and it was placed before the Parliament. Mr. Moss wished it done. Ngamaru : In 1890 Mr. Moss called a meeting of all the Arikis, to meet at Rarotonga. Mr. Moss told them to appoint a head of the Government. Mr. Moss said that the Ariki who lived in Avarua would be the proper person tohave that title. None of the other Arikis agreed; they wished all to be the head. Afterwards we fell in with