MOTUEKA ELECTION INQUIRY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3299, 11 September 1871, Page 3

MOTUEKA ELECTION INQUIRY.

« This inquiry "was resumed on Satui day before the select committee of tho House of Be prcsentatives. From a convorsafcion which look place on the committee assembling, it appeared that Mr Allan, the counsel for the petitioner, had understood that by desire of tho committee the cases of bribery were deemed closed, and that no further evidence waa requisite. Mr Travers, however, desired Hint the other witnesses should be called, contending that the committee had resolved r .o decide only as to whether there wns a prima facie case of bribery, and on that ground alone he hud consented to address the committee. Mr Allan on the other hand submitted that the case as to bribery was considered closed, and that no other witnesses were requhvd ; that the committee had resolved to deliberate on tho subject after hearing counsel ; and he did not expect to be called on to produce further witnesses, and did not know whether they wero in attendance. It was stated that tho witnesses were in waiting, and the committeo agreed to take further evidence, which was accordingly proceeded with. During the proceedings the Chairman (Mr Brandon) drew al lent ion to an inaccuracy which appeared in tlie Independent on Saturday. By the report he was made to say that if Mr Allan had no stronger evidence on the subject of bribery, it was no use going on, but he had said nothing of the sort, What he said was, " If the evidenco of the witnesses did not go beyond that of Diedrich Bosselman, was it worth while calling them ?" Both Mr Allan and Mr Travers stated that that was their understanding of 'what tho Chairman had said. The following was the evidence taken : — John Henry Sixtus: I was ono of twelve persons engaged in road making at Kerr's Hill in February last. We wore making about £1 a week by the contract. We had to pay for our provisions out of what wo were making. Before the 10th of February David Kencame to see us. That would be about o week before the election. When he met us, he asked if we intended to go down to the election. We said " What election is coming off?" Ho said for the House of Representatives. Ho asked us if we would go down and vote for Sir David Monro. We said we couldn't afford it, and couldn't well go down, we were such a long way off. lie said he would take us down in his cart. We said that was all very well, bub how were we to come up again ? He said the carfc which took us down would come buck again, and that we should be paid for our time and trouble in going to Waimea West at a reasonable demand. We said wo would go down on these conditions. H"e aeked us to rote for Sir David Monro. His eon took us down. When we came down there was a party at Palmer's. They said something about how much wo were getting paid for coming down to vote. Then I objected to vote. One of my mates talked rather sharply to me as to what we were coming dowu for, because I wouldn't vote. Mr Dreyer and Mr Bell invited the others to have some refreshment, but I did not go in. Bell and Dreyer then came, and asked me at what I was cross. They said it had nothing to do with tho voting — I should go in and have something. They persuaded me to go in, and I went in and bad some refreshment. I thought over the matter, and thinking that the road work was not finished, and that they might tease me again, I made up my mind to vote. While wo were at dinner Mr Bell came in to where we were sitting, and he gave Henry Bosselman £2, and told him that was all he could give him that day. He said the rest of the money would be sent up to the work. Some time after wo came out from dinner, and after I had voted, Henry Boseelman told me he had given all the others halfa crown each out of the £2, and I might as well have half-a-crown too, leaving ten shillings in bis hand, which he couldn't well divide among the crowd. He said the balance of the money would bo sent up to the work. I became ill afterwards, and was not at work when the balance waa received ; but I afterwards got 13s 6d from Henry Bosselman. I did not pay for the dinner at Palmer's, and never was asked to pay. The ordinary rate of wages in my district is from 6s to 7s a day, without provisions. By Mr Travers : I daresay I would go forty miles for 6s a day if it were offered to me. I voted for Sir David Monro. On the road I had made up my wind to vote for Mr Parker. I afterwards made up my mind to vote for Sir David Monro because my mates were rather cross with me ; that was my only reason. Before we came down we had all agreed to vote for Sir David MoDro. David Kerr was present part of the time when wo viere talking it over. When we came down I was cross because persons said wo were voting because we were paid. As I stated before, to pleaae my matcß I voted. I did not think about the money at that time. I was angry becuuse people Bupposed we were voting for money. By Mr Allan : On the second Christmas day — Boxing day — I sigued a requisition to Sir David Monro. I did not know then that Mr Parker was coming forward. I had always been a supporter of Mr Parker. I would not have gone down to vote unless David Kerr had promised my expenses. It was agreed that we were to bo paid our expenses, and that wo 3hould vote for Monro. It was arranged amongst ourselves that we should all vote in the same way, on these conditions. I made up my mind not to vote at all, but I did not like to break my agreement with my mates. They said something to the effect that I was not a man of my word. Although I was anxious to vote for Parker, I thought I must keep my word and vote for Monro. Frederick Ducker : I remember David Kerr coming to our party at Kerr's Hill. Ho asked me personally if we would go down to vote for Sir David Monro. The first answer I gave was that it was too far for us to go. He asked if ho would pay us for our trouble, would we go then ? I replied " yes," and it was agreed that wo should go down. It was distinctly understood that wo were to vote for Sir David Monro. When we went down to Waimea West, I saw William Bell. He asked me if I had come from Kerr's Hill, and for whom I was going to voto. He asked if I was going to voto for Sir David Monro, and I replied that I did not know, as I did not know what arrangement had been made by Bosselman. Bell said ho had spoken with Bobsclman ; that Bosselman had got £2 ; and that tho rest would be sent to them. We conversed in English. After that I wont to vote, and voted for Monro. I had dinner at Palmer's. I did not pay for it. About a fortnight after this I saw David Kerr. Ho offered to pay mo for having gone down and voted. Ho said " there is the money for tho voting." I told him he should pay it to Bosselman, and I saw him pay it to Bosselman. I told him to do so because I could not understand him properly. Bosselmau paid mo aftei wards. When I signed the requisition to Sir David Monro, I did now whether Mr Parker was a candidate. By Mr Travel's : Kerr's first question was whether wo wore going to voto for Sir David Monro. I cannot recollect that he said, " Are any of you going down to voto for Sir David Monro ?" Ho asked whether we were going J down to Waimea West to voto. Ho spoke to I Bosselman, but we wero all about and heard

bin?. It was with Bosselman that tho arrangement was made. I could not say anything as to whether I voted for the candidate I liked best or not. I voted for Sir David Monro, because I wbb paid for it. If our expenses had not been paid, we should not have gone at all. We did not know there was any voting going on. By tho Chairman : Wo could not afford the time, and the money was given to us for our expenses. I cannot say -whether I would have come down to vote for Parker, had an agent of Parker's offered to pay my expenses I did not understand all that passed between Kerr and Bosselman. I understood it partly, and Bosselman explained the rest. I understood from Kerr that, if we went down to vote, he would take us down and back again, and that we would get paid for our tiino and trouble. William Bosselman : When Kerr came to our party he asked, as far as I understood, whether we would go down to vote, or wero going down to vote. Ido not recollect which ho suid. I spoke to my mates, and said we could not go down, as it would take too much time. When Kerr said we would get paid if wo went down, we spoke amongst ourselves, and agreed to go down if we wero paid for it, but we considered the distance too great, and Kerr offered to take us down in his cart. It was distinctly understood that we were to get paid for going down to vote for Monro, and that if wo intended to vote for Mr Parker or any other person we would not get i paid. When we came down, we saw a person whom I now know to bo William 8011. He was in company with Dreyer and others. They came up to ua. I forget their convereation. Wo went to Palmer's, had a gluss of beer, and had something to eat. I don't know who paid for it. Bell came in, and gavo my brother Henry £2. I had voted then. Before I voted 1 understood that I was to get eight shillings a day. Scliwoss, I think, had voted before Bell brought the £2, but I am not certain. We would not have come down or roted unless owr expenses had beon paid. Wo knew nothing about the election. By Mr Travers : Kerr spoko first to Schwass and my brother Henry. Ho produced a paper, with names on, and asked if all our names were there. We made up our minds when Kerr was there to vote for Monro Before that we did not know of any election taking place. I cannot recollect whether I knew that Mr Parker was a candidate. I think I heard Sch jrass mention it, but I am not sure. We had had no breakfust before we came to Palmer's. Except a shilling or two, I had no money. By the Chairman : We first wanted 10s a day, and then we went into the tent and consulted among ourselves. Wn put tho question to Kerr, and Kerr said he could not settle the amount till we went down. Our calculation of tho contract was Unit, if wo finished it in time, we would make 10s a day. When we had worked six weeks, we found wo wero only making seven shillings a day. That was before the election. At the time of tho election, wo were making £1 a week. I cannot say if I lived near the polling place, whether I would have voted for Parkor or Monro. I knew neither. The road contract wa9 the worst we ever made. The evidence of the two last witnesses wan taken through an interpreter, Mr Baucko. The sitting of tho committee was adjourned shortly after two o'clock until half-past ten o'clock this morning.