H.—No. 14.

36

REPORT OF THE MOTUEKA ELECTION COMMITTEE.

Mr. Ducker. Bth Sept., 1871,

Mr. W. Bosselmann. 9th. Sept., 1871.

By the Chairman : Are we to understand that all this conversation was not between you and Kerr, but between Kerr and Bosselmann ? —No, not to me personally, but only between Kerr and Bosselmann; but we were all about, and heard it. Does Henry Bosselmann speak English well ?—Yes, he speaks good English. Then whatever arrangement was made by Kerr was made with Bosselmann, and not with you ? — Yes. When you went down to vote, did you vote for the candidate that you liked best or preferred ?^ I can't say anything to that. Was it because you got money that you voted for Sir David Monro, or not ? —Yes, he paid me for it; we got paid for our loss of time. If you had not been paid, would you have voted for Mr. Parker ? —No, we would not have gone at all. Was it not because you had your expenses that you went down to vote —that you would not go unless the expenses were paid ? —We didn't know that there was voting going on. We would not have gone if our expenses were not paid ; I say that positively. Were you paid for voting for Sir David Monro, or was the money you received to defray expenses that you incurred for going to Waimea West?—We merely thought to get our time paid and expenses. In fact, we were too far ; we could not have come down on our own account. The Committee wish this to be put —-If an agent of Mr. Parker had gone to you and proposed to pay your expenses for going down, would you have come down and voted for Mr. Parker?—l can't say that. Interpreter: He speaks for himself only. By Mr. Allan : Do you know where Henry Bosselmann is living now ?—Yes, on the West Coast. By Mr. Travers : What is he ?—He is on the West Coast, sawing. By the Chairman : Do you understand English sufficiently to have understood what passed between Kerr and Bosselmann, or was it all translated to you afterwards by your fellow-countrymen ?—No, I did not understand it all. Who told you what had transpired between Kerr and Bosselmann ? —I partly understood that we had to go down to vote ; I did not exactly understand everything that was said. By Mr. Travers .- Did Bosselmann tell you about it ? —Yes ; I partly understood it, and Bosselmann explained the rest. By Mr. Allan : What did you understand of what Kerr said ? —I understood that, if we would go down to vote, he would bring us down and back again. How much did you understand of the conversation, and how much not ?—I understood that Kerr asked if we would go down to vote, and if we would go down we would get our trouble paid for. Mr. Allan: I propose to call John William Bosselmann, so that my friend, Mr. Travers, may ask him any questions. Mr. Tracers : I do not want to ask him any questions. Mr. Allan .- He will corroborate the evidence of the other witnesses. The Chairman : Unless the whole of the evidence were read over to him, I do not see how he could do that. Mr. Allan : This witness will corroborate the other witnesses ; I do not wish to take up the time of the Committee. I put him into the witness box, and let my friend examine him. The Chairman: We cannot tako the assertion that he could corroborate everything. Mr. Allan: We will examine him, then. William Bosselmann sworn and examined, through the Interpreter. By Mr. Allan : Is your name William Bosselmann ? —Yes. Living at Moutere ? —Yes. Are you a voter for Motueka ?—Yes. Are you one of the twelve Germans who were working on a contract at Kerr's Hill ?—Yes. Do y-ou know a person named David Kerr ? —Yes. Now, before the day you went down to vote for the election for Motueka, do you remember David Kerr coming to you ?—Yes, I recollect it. Do you remember David Kerr saying anything to you or the party as to your going down to vote ? —Yes, he said something. Will you tell the Committee what you heard Kerr say ?—I am quite willing to say it, but I cannot understand sufficient English to say that I understood all that Kerr said. Tell us what you understood Kerr to say ? —The first question was if we were to go down to vote. He spoke to the whole company, and not to me only. My brother Diedrich was not present at the time ; he was cooking. What did Kerr say about your going down to vote ? —Kerr asked us if we would go down to vote ? I cannot say the difference, if he expressed himself if we were or if we would go down. What did you say to Kerr when he asked you the question ?—When Kerr made the proposition to us, I spoke to my mates, and gave my opinion that we could not go down, as it would take so much time ; and then David Kerr said to us that we would get paid for the time we would be going down. What did Kerr say to that ? —Kerr said we would get paid for it. By Mr. Travers : What did you say then ?■. —We then spoke amongst ourselves, and agreed that we would go down when we got paid for it. It was such a long distance we objected to walk. Then Kerr said he would see to bring us down in a waggon or cart. They agreed to go down and vote when they were to be paid for it; was anything said then as to whom they were to vote for ?—lt was distinctly understood that we would only be paid when we voted for Sir David Monro ;if it had been any other person, Mr. Parker, for instance —if we had voted for Parker[we would not be paid for it. Did you go down on the day of the election ?—Yes.