10

I.—sb.

JOSEPH SfcERWOOfc

13. Who were your partners?-One was named Jaro Williams, and the other Tom Walshthat is, Walsh's son. 14. And what was the nature of the contract? How were you to be paid? —We were to fall thti bush at £1 an acre. I think the contract was signed at this rate, £1 an acre; but if we made a good job of it we were to get £1 Is. 15. How was the money to be divided? Were you to receive equal shares? —The money was to be divided equally. If a man was away a day or two days the time was settled according to what we made per day. 16. That was between yourself and young Walsh? —That was between myself and young Walsh and my mate. 17. You are sure that the contract was taken at so-much an acre? —Yes, perfectly sure; and it was signed by my mate. 18. You were not employed on day work? —No, I was not employed by the day. I was employed by contract at so-much an acre. 19. And you were employed not by Williams, but by Walsh? —We were employed by Walsh equally. The three of us were supposed to sign the contract, but Williams was never there when Walsh was there. Walsh often brought the contract to be signed; but the three of us were not there, and he kept it in his pocket and it was not signed by us. We said Williams was not there. 20. Have you stated to anybody that you were employed by the hour? —Yes; to a man who overhauled me, but that was 21. Then, you made a statement to some man which was not correct? —In one way it was not correct, but I believe 22. Mr. Sherwood, it is a plain question: will you answer it plainly? Did you make a statement to this man you mention which is not correct or not ? —I made that statement. 23. You made a statement that was not true? —I did, if it comes to the point. 24. This was the man that overhauled you ? —I do not know his name. He asked me two questions. 25. Had you any reason for misleading him? —No, I had not. I just spoke according to —I did not know what I was speaking about. 26. Are you in the habit of making statements of that description? —No, I am not. 27. Will you tell us why you made a statement which is not correct in this instance? —Simply because I added it up in my mind in my own way and it came out at about a shilling an hour, and I said I got a shilling an hour. Mr. Walsh simply paid me £25. 28. He gave you £25 ? —Yes, that was the whole amount. 29. I want to know from you how you were engaged. You say you were engaged by contract, but you told somebody else you were engaged on wages. I want to know why you made these two different statements? —I thought it did not matter which way we were paid, whether it was by the hour or by the contract. I did not think that I would have to come before you gentlemen. As I have said, I had calculated it up in my mind in my own way, and I just simply made use of the remark —I said I got twenty-five pounds. I said it was about a shilling an hour. 30. Were you asked by this man you refer to, who you say overhauled you, whether the work was done by contract or not? —No. 31. Then, you did not deny to him that it was a contract job? —No, I did not deny to him that it was a contract job. 32. You told him you were paid a shilling an hour? —I said, " I think I got about a shilling an hour." 33. And you cannot explain to the Committee why it was that you told him this? —No; it is just simply because I have always been under the impression that I have been paid fair wages, and if any one asked me I would say I was getting about a shilling an hour, never thinking about such a thing. 34. Then, you have no other explanation to offer? —No; that is the only explanation I have to offer. 35. Who paid you this money? —Walsh. 36. You are quite sure it was not Williams ? -No; it was Walsh. 37. How did he pay you? —He paid me by cheque, I think, about £10 Bs., and the rest was in notes. The amount due to me for the work was £21, but there was some cooking-utensils which his son wanted and other little things which came to a few shillings. The amount of the cheque I received, I think, was £10 Bs. 38. Were you dealing with any storekeeper I—Yes.1 —Yes. 39. What store did you deal at? —At Perritt's, I think, about five miles out of Eltham, at the creamery. I believe the name of the storekeeper is Parrot, or Perritt. 40. Did you receive supplies from him during the time you were at this work?—A portion of the supplies. 41. Did you pay the storekeeper yourself or did Walsh do so?—Walsh paid him. 42. Do you know how much he paid him? —No, Ido not. I never saw the bills. He had the bills there, but I did not look at them. 43. Did you ever inquire how much it was? —No. 44. You did not know whether it was £1 or £10? —It must have been something under £5— that was the balance. 45. Did you receive any cheque from Mr. Walsh?—Yes; I believe I received a cheque for the £10 Bs. -46. Did you at any time deny that you received a cheque? —No, never. 47. Still, you made a statement to this man? Did you say whether you had received a cheque or had been paid in cash? —He asked me whether I had been paid by cheque, and I said, " Yes " ; and afterwards I called on Mr. Walsh and asked him if it would make any difference whether I said I was paid by cheque or half-and-half, and Mr. Walsh told me that I had better write down to the Minister of Lands, and he said that I had made a mistake. Well, I wrote.