H.—Bo.

100

(3.) Agree,ment dated the oth February, 1921, and made between the Hicks Bay Farmers' Meat Company (Limited) of the first part, the company of the second part, and Wallace Fletcher Metcalfe and others of the third part. (4.) Agreement dated the 16th April, 1921, and made between the company and James Wrey Nolan as trustee for the shareholders, providing for the distribution and capitalization referred to. (5.) Agreement (provisional) dated the th , 1920, and made between the company and the Tokomaru Sheep-farmers' Freezing Company (Limited) and other companies for amalgamation of their respective businesses. (6.) Agreement dated the 14th June, 1921, and made between the Tokomaru Sheep-farmers' Freezing Company (Limited) and its liquidator of the first part, the company of the second part, and the New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited) of the third part. Copies of these agreements can be inspected at the office of the company's solicitors at Gisborne or Wellington at any time during office hours. The minimum subscription on which the directors may proceed to allotment is £30,000, and this amount is already assured by an arrangement with the New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), whereby that company will apply for debentures to the extent of £30,000 (which will be issued as fully paid up) in lieu of debentures of a like amount now held over the assets of the Tokomaru Sheep-farmers' Freezing Company (Limited), which last-mentioned debentures are being surrendered. The fact that the shipping company is prepared to invest £30,000 in these debentures instead of payment in cash for their Tokomaru debentures may be regarded as an indication of the value of the investment now offered. The company will pay brokerage at the rate of £2 10s. per centum, except in the case of any applications which may be procured through the bank, upon which a commission of only £1 ss. per centum will be paid. No brokerage is payable in respect to the debentures taken up by the New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited). The prospectus has been duly filed with the Assistant Registrar of Companies at Gisborne. Dated at Gisborne, the 21st day of June, 1921. C. A. de Lautour, F. Hall, J. W. Nolan, Howard Kenway, F. B. Barker, Hy. Williams, A. J. Cameron, John Clark G. M. Reynolds, (By his agent, authorized in writing, H. D. de Lautour, J. W. Nolan), Witness to all signatures —W. F. Cederwall. Directors.

APPENDIX 0. POLITICAL INFLUENCE. Mr. Lysnar cross-examinedJby Mr. Myers. Page -520. Mr. Myers.] Let us get on now to 26th September. You remember that interview ?—Yes. That was after I had. seen the Minister. The 26th September was when political influence was talked about ?—Yes. I put it to you that what you were doing on that occasion was to threaten to use your political influence ? —That is false and untrue. Mr. Jolly read out an extract from a letter from his manager in Gisborne, and he said to me, "Is that true ? " —where I was going to threaten ! I did not raise it at all. He raised it. It is a fact, is it not, that there had been rumours in Gisborne that you intended to use political influence to stop this sale ? —I only knew that from this letter of Mr. Jolly's. The Chairman.] At any rate, it was in a letter of Mr. Jolly's that there were rumours that you wore going to use political influence ?—Yes. Mr. Myers.] On that occasion—the 26th —Mr. Jolly sent for you, did he not ? —By letter. Page 521. Did he not read to you portion of a letter he had received from Gisborne ? —I thought it was a letter. I would be subject to correction there. Did not that letter or telegram state that there was a rumour current in Gisborne that you were going to use political influence to stop the sale ? —To put the Government out. To use your political influence, anyhow ?—Something of that sort. I would not be absolutely certain as to that. It was bringing up what attitude I took up politically. We won't quarrel about words. The conversation started with his reading portion of a letter or telegram from Gisborne, stating that it was rumoured you were going to use political influence ?—lt was some statement to that effect. He read the extract out. Did you not say, "I am not responsible for rumours that may be current in Gisborne " ? —I said I was not responsible for that. Did not Mr. Jolly then say something like this, " You are not charged with responsibility but is the statement correct " ? —I do not pretend to say that he used the word " charged." He wanted to know if that was true.