I.—2b

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347. Can you recall who told you? —I could not recall it, but heard it spoken ot. Lieutenant Thompson was one that mentioned it to me first. 348. When was it that Thompson spoke to you about it'? You do not know, as to many of these incidents, of your own knowledge what occurred after you got to Opotiki ?—No. 349. Having heard of Bennett White's death, you saw Bennett White's body brought in ?—Yes. 350. Who brought in the body?— The infantry men who were there brought it in—not the cavalry. 351. Perhaps you are thinking of the head, Mr. Kelly : we are told the body was not brought in for several days and then by boat ?—I only saw the body. 352. You are thinking of seeing it after it arrived, not of how it arrived ?—No; I do not know how it arrived. 353. You remember Arthur Steel Ford being a member of the corps ?—-Yes. 354. At the time of this occurrence? —Yes, I think so. 355. Do you remember Albert Wood ?—Yes. 356. Was he a member of the corps at that time ?—I could not say whether he was a member of the corps at that time. 357. You would not contradict him if he said he was ? —Oh, no. 358. He is a man whose statement you would accept —Albert Wood ?—I did not know very much about him at the time. I remember Arthur Steel Ford ; he was a blacksmith there. 359. Do you remember John Forsyth Connelly ? —Yes. 360. He was a resident at Opotiki at the time?— Yes. 361. You knew George Leaning, did you not?— Yes. 362. He was in your store? —No, he managed Mr. Wrigley's store. 363. You knew of him ?—Yes. 364. Was he a member of the corps ?—I cannot say. 365. Would Connelly likely know whether he was a member or not?—Connelly ought to know. I do not think Connelly was a member of the corps at first. 366. Connelly says George Leaning was never a member of the troop. Do you know what a " voluntary trooper '' is I"—He would be an honorary member. 367. Would an honorary member go out ?—Yes. 368. You say you had to do duty every night in bringing the women and children into the church ?—Every one did duty in those times. 369. What" is a "voluntary" member of a corps?— They were all military men on pay— Militiamen. Then there were two corps there, and a Native contingent as well. 370. Benjamin F. J. Edwards had something to do with that contingent, had he not ?—Edwards the interpreter ? 371. The interpreter?— Yes. 372. Did you know what was going on?— Yes. He (Edwards) left Opotiki shortly after that and went down the coast as storekeeper. 373. Edwards was there at the time of the murders ?—Yes ; but shortly after went away. ' 374. Perhaps you can explain this resolution proposed in May, 1868 : " Proposed by Trooper W. Kelly, and seconded by Trooper McFarlane, ' That a letter be sent through the commanding officer of this district requesting Captain Gwynneth to hand over all funds belonging to the corps before the Government accepts his resignation ' " ?—There was some £80 belonging to the corps. We could not get it from him, and never got it from him. Then, afterwards, the corps pressed me very hard to take action against him and put him in gaol, but I refused to do it. 375. Do you think those words an authentic record ? —Yes; perfectly. 376. It has been pointed out by Mr. Holland that this does not seem to be confirmed. You know it was carried ? —Yes. I may state Captain Gwynneth was in the chair at the time that that was proposed, and he refused to sign the minutes of that meeting. 377. Mr. Field.l Did you know the ferryman at Ohiwa ?—Yes ; Henri. 378. Was he a ferryman for any length of time?—He was there for years. 379. You have been by there a considerable number of times?— Very often. 380. About how frequently ?—Perhaps twice a month. 381. Usually by yourself, or with an escort ?—I always endeavoured to go when others were going, but went very often by myself. I never liked going by myself. The paymaster used to go, and some other officers might be going. 382. Was the ferryman always at his post ?—Yes, he was always there, except once or twice when I was kept waiting there, he being ill. 383. Upon one or two occasions he was unwell: do you mean to say, not able to perform his duties ?—Yes. I had to go back to Opotiki once or twice rfter I got there. 384. How did you know it was in consequence of his illness ?—At one time he was lying in his whare, and at another time he was not there at all. 385. He was not absent from any other cause ?—No, not intentionally. 386. Have you any recollection of the time when he was sick?—l could not tell. 387. Was it before or after this period we are now talking of ?—I think it was afterwards. 388. I suppose he belonged to one of the friendly tribes?—No; he belonged to the Ureweras. 389. How do you account for the fact that he stayed there in a dangerous place for so long an/I attended to his duties, and at the same time was not molested ?—The chiefs there protected him. They fought and assisted the party who took the Ureweras. This old man was a man of rank, and he was never interfered with. 390. He never refused to take any one over ?—He always told me when there was any danger. 391. You say, on the occasion on which you went along the beach before Bennett White was murdered you were accosted by some Natives? —Yes, they were coining down to the beach. Thoee were the same Natives that killed Bennett White.