THE HINE CHARGES

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIII, Issue 14353, 19 November 1910, Page 7

THE HINE CHARGES

THE FLAXBOURNE CASE, FURTHER EVIDENCE. F*r Press Association. WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. _ At the Hine Committee enquiry this morning, Mr Hanan (the chairman) spoke or the impropriety of the Press in various parts of the Dominion commenting on the procedure of the Committee, and even going so far as to anticipate the verdict. Should such happen again, he would, as chairman, have to refer it to the House as a hreaeh_ of privilege. Edwin Griffen, of Napier, land valuer, said that he had been eleven years in the employ of the Government. He was employed on the Flaxbourne negotiations, being then district valuer for Hawkes Bay. He first visited Flaxbourne in July 1903, and. took charge of the camp, conducting the surveyor and valuers over the property. Mr AVilson arrived at Flaxbourne on a Sunday at midday. He spent Monday with the rest of the party, and made a valuation of the homestead on Tuesday, and went away Either that night or Wednesday morning. Witness told Mr Wilson that lie could only have the horse on Tluesuay, but Mr AVilson replied, "I am only doing this because my partner is "ctin- as assessor without payment, Seddon 1 " 1 )U3t making are POrt to Mr Witness continued that no other valuer did the work in less than tleven ano days. Mr Wilson's was the only report witness had not seen. All the inspection Mr Wilson did was one day on horseback and one on foot. ro Mr Skerrett: Witness' was at the time a Government employee. Wic-Ir'-lITnJ n< ? ver previously farmed or tLf,°u fcr ? s, r ,lar t0 Flaxbourne. Hfj thought it strange that a man ir/in came to value 56,000 acres requiicd a horse for only one day Wit ness was retrenched from the GovJrnmerit service. He did not think thwe less J m the case who spent ® ve dayson the estate, io bir Joseph Ward: He had not reported to either Dr Findlay or Mr Seddon regarding Mr Wilson's short vitl' „ Hana ? remonstrated strongly Com J ++ UnSS I and members of the in was valueless, and Mr Wilo n s sslssa? -s

To Mr Mussev: Such places as Flaxbourne were valued by their carrying capacity. The way in which Mr Wilson spolce to witness was such as unmistakeably conveyed the idea that he only came over to ensure some payment being made to the Hon. T. K. Macdonald, as the latter was prevented by law from receiving payment for acting as assessor. To Mr Myers: Ho was positive that Mr Wilson did not remain after the Wednesday, morning. 1 Hunan: Witness mentioned if J '" K " a - T tllat Mr AVilson had only been there two days, and said he did not suppose Mr Wilson would be called as a witness. Dr Findlay replied that Mr AVilson would not be called. Mr AVilson, when on horseback, probably covered 4000 acres. , nr | o . Ml ' Massey: Most of the time of /U0 days lattle was in camp all witness saw him do was to act as assistant groom and assistant cook, but he might have made a valuation unKnown to witness. Winess was surg™| e d to hear that Tattle received itjoi tor liis services. To Mr Millar: Witness had never charged up whisky to the Department. Iho voucher produced showing ten gallons of whisky was not made out iS e,ve wta " This closed the examination of Mr then* adjourned? 8 ' the