ELECTION PETITION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 8

ELECTION PETITION.

WESTERN MAORI SEAT.

ALUEGED CORRUPT PRACTICES

EVIDENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION.

(By Telegraph-Own Correspondent.!

TAURA-XGA, Wednesday. The judicial Court of inquiry, into allegations made l>y Kanapu llaerehuka in connection with the recent election in the .Western Maori constituency, against the return of Sir Maui Pomare, was occupied this afternoon hearing the evidence of a number of witnesses. Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., and Mr. P. Levi, both of "Wellington, appeared lor the petitioner, while Mr. M. Myers, K.C., and Mr. H. CLeary, both of "wfsyington. represented the respondent. Kepa. Ehau, of Rotorua, acted as interpreter. Ngahuia 'Xgatai said she lived at Matapihi. She rememhered a meeting being held on a Sunday. She Sir: Maui Pomare refer to ■ employment , for: natives, and state that he had received a' telegram from one native saying -that Maoris had been dismissed, from the works. He had asked Mr. Coates why these boys had been dismissed,-and he received a reply that Mr. Coates would inquire from the -manager at Tauranga. .The reply was that there was no particular reason why they were dismissed, •nd that Sir Maui Pomare .had telegraphed to Mr. Coatee to readjust the matter as soon as possible and rein-state-the boys. Sir Maui Pomare said further that if they voted for him he .Would certainly have them back in their employment. To Mr. Myers, witness said Sir Maui Pomare did not read the telegrams he iiad in his hand, but told them he had the wires and explained what was in them. He told them he had a telegram from Mr. Coates stating that these men would be re-employed. Te Kani A. Tamatea said he remembered the meeting at Matapihi. He remembered Sir Maui Pomare saying that he had a telegram from Mr. Coates about the men working on the railway. ASKED FOR A JOB. Pou. Ngatai said he was put off the railway in September, 1921. Previous to the general election he approached Sir Maui Pomare about a job, and asked lim what he could do about getting witness a job on the public works. Sir Maui Pomare replied that he could fix it up all right, provided witness supported him. Witness was present at Sir Maui Pomare's meeting on the Sunday. Near the end of the meeting Sir Mani Pomare mentioned the matter of re-em-ployment for the Men-Sir Maui Pomate's words were, "Vote for mc,, and ' I will Bee that you are employed." Cross-examined, witness said he couldnor. s?>- tnm. fi! die strength of a v gram he got from Sir Maui Pomare, he; obtained re-employment with the Public Works Department. He signed a statement about a month ago. He did not eign a statement for Mr. Blomfield, solicitor, of Auekjand. The..signatures on the statement produced we're not his.' Begirding the charge that 'beer had ieen given to Teuirdka, witness said he iwae present when -the beer was drunk on the other side of the harbour. The fceer was secured by witness and Kohi. He did no "know where Kohi got it. To Mr. Skerrett, witness said he went to Jake's house with Kohi and Tauranga. They had three bottles of beer iwith them. They both carried it. When they got to Duke's house there were present Mrs. Duke and Mrs. Kohi. Teira came in afterwards. When Kohi offered the drink to Teira he said: "Make up your^minds who you are going to vote" iofi" and for Pomare." ■ ...._;- 'A.WELLINGTON INTERVIEW,.-.': Rangi Marumaru, licensed native • in-; terpreter, gave, evidence of having''received on August 17 from Mr...Menzleß,: off the native branch of.ithe Native Department, a message, asking him to go to Wellington and see Sir Maui Pomare regarding something to. his advantage. Ori<'arrival in Wellington Tie called at Sir Maui Pomare's office. The latter w2s alone. Sir Maui Pdinare said he wanted to ! see witness regarding the Western eeat, which Maraku had stated witness was going to contest. Witness said the statement was untrue. Sir Maui Pomare e«id if it were true ie wanted witness to stand down and assist him (Pomare) Witness said it all depended on his native policy. Sir Maui Pomare then explained 3iis native policy, and witness said he did not agree with it. Sir Maui Pomare then said if witness .did not assist him he had something pise to say. jje then produced some cheques of witnesswhich" had been dishonoured and had been forwarded to Sir Maui Pomare to get witness license cancelled. Sir Maui Pomare then said the matter lay >ith'witness, and unless witness supported him he W ° U,d ** that the <*eques went to the proper quarter, but if he did give his support he would hear no more thh*+h W * tneßS asked for time" to Pon£r» ° Yer ' to Which Sir Ma"! Pomare agreed ajid asked witness to EL\ c r ple of day? - Parata then «- together. , 6 ** aU ]eft fater CHEQUE FOB TWO POUNDS rld^ c l th A? rea ~ the end of the =°rw V I- aUI Pomare ye a ™h -J 1 ", "*«*** t» give witness £2 set ft wt e Wanted any more he «eould iS witnesS t t h : I given to Wm asa bribe w certainl y luiderstand it as*" not then it. that Sir Pom 1 • He took ■•.fating him sothU^V* 8 th h e ? he wanted.. Th e amount ™* do what his expenses. He told Sir mL * 4 COVer that he was going to WaW 1 POmare had £7 at.the time. He& He ber telling Sir >lauk m ' had no money.. Conway wa* no^ a * *« room, when the .money was talU~i *"-- c He thought he cheque He would not,swear thk t^i--19 but did not tell Sir. Maui PomaA he-wanted £2 to get away. He-kkd not received a letter from Conway asking that the £2 be refunded. Sir Maul Pomare did say in Wellington that'he would be sorry to see his license cancelled. Witness was at Ratana from January 1, and the petition was then talked about. He ■ was" there till January 25. He first made a statement

regarding his interview with Sir Maui Pomare in a.. letter to Mr. Brown, solicitor in Wellington. He said nothing about it while in Ratana's camp. He admitted that sounded rather extraordinary. It did not occur to him strange at being asked to sign a receipt for £2. He thought it rather strange for a man giving a bribe to take a receipt. Sir Maui Pomare did say: "For God's sake don't do anything more of these things," and that witness had the reputation of his grandfather's race to maintain. To Mr. Justice Stringer: His policy on native lands was opposed to Pomare's, and was so on August 18.