I.—Uα.

64

[a. wilkins.

speech, in which he urged the men to consider the importance of their votes, and he emphasized it by telling them that it was to their interests to keep the then Government in power, because if they were thrown out it was probable the money to be lent would be reduced and it would be against their interests. 41. Mr. Myers.] How many men did you have under your control at that time? —Practically thirty. 42. Did not the majority of them live outside Remuera? —I really could not say. 43. As a matter of fact, I suppose the majority were not electors of the Parnell electorate? —■ Well, on the day of the second ballot there were about six who asked for leave to go and vote. 44. So that the whole number who would be likely to be influenced would be confined to six? —There were only six who asked to get leave to vote on the second ballot. 45. Do you, as a matter of fact, believe that there were more than six out of the thirty electors of Parnell? —I have really no idea. 46. Dr. Newman.] All those people were electors in the surrounding electorates, were they? —Yes. 47. The Chairman.] Was it usual for the Chairman to go and address the men on these works? —No, he never came before. 48. Or since?— No. 49. It was a special occasion? —Evidently. 50. And the whole speech was confined to political questions? —Yes. 51. And the Chairman wound up by advising the men to vote for the then Government?— Yes. 52. And added that very possibly if the then Government was ousted restriction would be placed on the lending Department?— Yes. 53. Implying, of course, that the men would be out of work? —Presumably, yes. 54. Do you know if the loan was then granted? —No; it is a matter I took absolutely no interest in. Hugh Munro Wilson sworn and examined. (No. 12.) 1. The Chairman.] What are you? —I am a civil engineer residing in Auckland. 2. Hon. Mr. Allen.] Are you connected with the- Remuera Road Board, Mr. Wilson?— Yes; I am engineer to the Remuera Road Board. 3. Do you know anything about the deputation that waited on Sir John Findlay just before the election? —No. I know T there was a deputation. I think the members of the Board deputationized Sir John Findlay with the idea of getting some loan-money sent forward. I do not know anything more than that. 4. Do you remember the men receiving pay for a holiday granted to them on the 13th December ? —Yes. 5. Did Mr. Cawkwell report the matter to you?— Yes; he came down after he had been on the mountain and said to me, "I hope you won't be cross with what I have done." I said, " What is it? " He said, " I have given the men on the mountain a holiday. I addressed them this morning, and as it is a wet day I gave them a holiday on pay." I said, " I don't like that— it has to be charged to the work: who is going to pay for the extra expenditure? " and he said, " I will see it is paid all.right. It will be all right; it won't be charged to the Board." 6. He said it would not be charged to the Board? —Yes. 7. Did he say who would pay for it?—lt may have been in a joking way, but he said Sir John Findlay would pay for it. 8. Were there two men not on the works paid for that day?— There were two men I believe who were not on the works who were paid as well. 9. Who paid them? —It has been charged to the Board so far. 10. And with regard to those two men, did he make any suggestion as to who would pay them ?—No ; I do not remember. 11. Did he say anything about the fighting fund? —No, not to me. 12. And what were those two men doing—they were not working? —No. 13. But they were paid? —Yes. 14. What were they doing? —They were actually canvassing. 15. For whom? —For Sir John Findlay. 16. Mr. Craigie.] How many men were on that work when they got a holiday?— Mr. Wilkins has the time-sheet. 17. Give us an approximate idea?—l should say, twenty-five. 18. And they got wet listening to an address by the Chairman : what time of the day was that? —That must have been 10 o'clock in the morning, because he came down to me just about lunch-time —about 12 o'clock. It was a showery day. 19. And owing to that he gave them a half-holiday ? —Yes. 20. Owing to that? —I do not know. Of course, on wet days we put the men off sometimes, but they do not get paid. They are paid so-much an hour. 21. And were those men paid by the Board ultimately?— Yes, so far. I understood it was to be kept separate and paid for by Mr. Cawkwell; but, as a matter of fact, it has been paid by the Board. 22. Mr. Myers.] I suppose, as a matter of fact, working-men generally take a great interest in the elections? —Oh, yes. 23. And would you think it anything unusual for them to desire to get off on election day? This was not election day. Tt was a day or so before the election that this occurred. 24. Sir John Findlay was the Liberal candidate? —Yes. 25. Liberalism generally, I suppose, would be popular amongst the working-men ?—Yes.