G.—2.

C. ANDREWS.]

23

121. How long have you been taking the Daily News? —I could not say —perhaps seven or eight years. 122. And until then you never took a newspaper at all? —Not regularly. I used to buy one occasionally. 123. I suj)pose you are generally in touch with other lessees? —Yes. There are not any lessees living close by me —they are a distance off. 124. I suppose you have seen them frequently? —Not very often —at that time I did not. 125. Now, when you discovered, as you say, that your lease was not what you bargained for, did you say anything to Mr. Kennell? —No. 126. You never mentioned it?— No. 127. You never complained to him that he had not carried out his bargain?—No, I did not interview Mr. Rennell, because I thought it was no good. 1 had spent money on the farm, and if 1 had said it was not what was represented I would have to go out. 128. You signed the lease without knowing what was in it? —Yes. 129. After you made your bargain?— Yes. 130. You know that the 1892 Act is an advantage—that you would be better off under the 1892 Act? —I do not know it. 131. You do not know it now? —No. 132. Would you convert if you could get in under the 1892 Act? —Yes, of course. 133. Well, it must be a better bargain?—l did not know it at the time. 134. But, as a matter of fact, it would be a better bargain? —Well, it would be a bargain in this way : that what I have found out since. 135. As a matter of fact, it would be a better bargain if you could come in under the 1892 Act?— Yes, but not if I was paid for all my improvements, as I thought I would be at one time. 136. What you want to do is to be allowed to come in under the 1892 Act? —Yes. 137. You will improve your position if you do that?—lt is this way : There is a certain amount of sentiment in connection with my home. I have reared thirteen children on it. They look to it as their home, and I would like to retain the place by paying the Natives what is fair. 138. Am I to understand that your only reason in wanting to come in under the 1892 Act is merely a matter of sentiment? —A certain amount of sentiment. 139. What about the rest?—l would not like to lose my home. 140. Is it not profitable for you to come in under the 1892 Act? —Not if I pay the Natives a fair rent. 141. Would you not be better off under the 1892 Act? —Yes, I suppose I would be. 142. You had already made a bargain in 1881 with your eyes open, because you said you knew what the lease meant when you signed it. Now you want to get a better bargain?—l do not know about a better bargain. As long as I pay the Natives the rent on the unimproved value. 143. I am not asking you what is fair to the Natives. You made a bargain in 1881 with your eyes open, and now you want to improve on that bargain because other people have done so ? —Simply because I found out afterwards that it was not what I thought it was. 144. You admit you had your chance in 1893? —Yes. 145. If you had made careful inquiries then you would have realized what the position was : is that so ?—Yes, I suppose I would. 146. And you did not make those careful inquiries? —Well, I inquired from Mr. Oliver Samuel in the course of conversation, and he told me that he could not see any advantage in it. 147. What date was the conversation with Oliver Samuel?—l could not say. 148. It might have been in 1895, after the right to convert expired?— Yes, it might have been, but I do not think it was. 149. You are a pretty bad hand at dates? —Yes, because I do not keep any diary, and I cannot remember those dates. These things have been going on for twenty-seven years. 150. You are sure you had a conversation with Mr. Oliver Samuel at that time?— Yes. 151. You did not have a conversation with the Reserves Agent? —Yes, in the course of a chat. I did not go to him specially about it. 152. Do you remember a conversation with the Reserves Agent at that time—in 1893?—-Yes. 153. Who was it?— Mr. Fisher. 154. I asked you if you had qjiy conversation with the Reserves Agent in 1893 ?—I do not know if Mr. Fisher was at that time that I had the conversation. It may have been some time after. 155. You did not take the right to convert in 1893?—N0. 156. During the time you had the right to convert, whom did you discuss the position with?— I do not know that I discussed the position with anybody at that time, but some time about then, or afterwards, I had a conversation with Mr. Fisher and Mr. Samuel. 157. But you do not know whether that affected your mind, because it might have been after the time of the right to convert ceased?— Yes, it may have been. 158. In fact, in the case of Mr. Fisher it was?— Yes, it may have been. 159. You are not certain whether, during the first year you had the right to convert, you ever discussed your position with any one, or took any steps to ascertain how you stood? —I have told you I did not. 160. If you did not take any steps to inquire about the matter, what have you to complain of in being shut out now? —I have got many things since then that I was not aware of before. 161. What? —Tinkler's case, for one. 162. And what did Tinkler's case decide that you were not already aware of?— That we were to be paid for nothing but buildings and fences. 163. You did not know that before? —No, I did not. 164. Did anything else turn up?—No, I do not know that there is anything else.