H.—No. 7.

18

REPORT OE THE PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE.

Mr. Tribe.

10th Oct., 1872.

205. But if it were on Tuesday morning that he consulted Mr. Vogel, then your interview with him would be subsequent to that ? —I have no clear recollection when Mr. Harrison first mentioned the matter to me; but I know that he told me the day before he had appointed to meet the Speaker. 206. But you do not remember particularly upon what time that day ? —No, I do not. 207. Mr. Parker.] Had he appointed to meet the Speaker when ho told you?— The conversation I refer to was at all events after he had appointed to have the interview with the Speaker. lam with Mr. Harrison every day of my life, and whether I heard it before I cannot say. 208. Mr. Rolleston.] Do I understand you that the conversation left upon your mind the impression that it was from Mr. Vogel's advice that Mr. Harrison went to the Speaker ? —Yes. 209. Mr. Fox.] Was it your impression that Mr. Harrison had consulted with Mr. Vogel as to whether he should appeal to the Speaker ? —Yes. 210. Mr. Parker.] I want to know in what capacity your services were employed by Mr. Brogden; was it as surveyor, or in connection with a newspaper ?—'ln neither of these capacities, but simply as agent. 211. Mr. Fox.] I understand you were really the representative man in the interests of the West Coast water races and the gold fields people ? —Yes. 212. Sir J. 0. Wilson.] I understand you to say that you have really worked hard for a year in endeavouring to get these concessions for water race and railways, intended to benefit the people of Westland —that you have really worked hard to that effect for a year past ?—I can hardly call it working hard ; I have been engaged in very large correspondence during the past year in this matter. 213. Mr. Rolleston.] The Company you endeavoured to form had failed ? —Yes. The Company called the Mikonui Water Company had been wound up prior to my negotiation with Mr. Brogden. 214. Mr. Sheehan.] Was it on the same day that you saw Mr. Henderson that you afterwards saw Mr. Holt? —No, I now remember, it was not on that Monday morning; it was the morning following the Members' ball. 215. Was that water supply subject in which you were engaged being affected prejudicially, or otherwise, by a change of Government ? —No ; I cannot think that it would have been afl'ected in any way. 216. You stated that the object of your calling on Mr. Holt was purely a business one in reference to that particular matter ?—-Mr. Holt invited me down to help him to draw up a prospectus for the Half-Million Company. 217. Was it by yourself or by Mr. Holt that the political conversation was commenced ?—I do not recollect how it was, but it was subsequent to Mr. Harrison coming into the room. 218. Did it take place in Mr. Harrison's presence then ? —Yes. 219. Mr. Fox.] The concessions which it was your object to obtain in behalf of Mr. Brogden or his Company, I believe, were concessions from the County Government, and not from the General Government ?—Yes ; but I understood that if the reserves were made, the matter would be referred to the Attorney-General to arrange the conditions upon which a lease could be obtained. 220. You say you do not believe that it affected the result what Government might be in power ? —No, not in the slightest degree. 221. Mr. Harrison.] I wish to ask you, whether, before I came into Mr. Holt's office, you had any conversation upon political subjects with Mr. Holt ? —No, I think not. 222 Was it in my presence that Mr. Holt suggested that we should endeavour to prevent Mr. Vogel bringing forward a motion of want of confidence in the Government this Session ?—I think it was ; I am sure it was. 223. Do you remember seeing mo at half-past five o'clock that evening—on that Monday evening in the Metropolitan Hotel ?—I cannot be sure whether it was Monday or Tuesday. 224. Did I not tell you on Monday evening what had taken place between myself and Mr. Holt ? —I am under the impression that I did not see you on the Monday evening. 225. Be good enough to refresh your memory, for it is rather important? —I have been trying to think over it, but I cannot recollect of it being on a Monday evening. 226. Did you know the general purport of what had taken place between Mr. Holt and myself before I told you that it was my intention to take any steps in relation to it? —I think I did. I think I knew the nature of your interview prior to your telling me what steps you were going to take. 227. Had I informed you of tho general nature of the proposals before I informed you of the action I proposed to take ? —I think you had. 228. It was not until after I had seen Mr. Vogel that I told you what steps I was about to take ? —That is so. 229. Then it must have been prior to that time that I told you generally the nature of the proposals ?—I think you told me prior to that time the nature of the proposals. 230. Then you must have seen me either on Monday evening or Tuesday morning ?—My memory does not serve me whether I did. or not; but the deduction might be drawn from what I have said before. 231. Had you not expressed yourself to me as being in doubt as to the earnestness of Mr. Brogden in carrying out the Mikonui water race ?—I had ; and I had written to Mr. Brogden, pressing him to give me an answer on the subject, whether he intended to go on with the water race or not. 232. You wrote a letter to Mr. Brogden on this particular subject ?—Yes; and have not received an answer ; the letter was written a fortnight ago. 233. On the day that you went to see Mr. Henderson, did you not go with the determination to have the thing settled, yea or nay ? —That was my intention, to get a positive answer. 234. That was the occasion on which the suggestion of the payment of £100 was made ? —Yes. 235. You have heard nothing definite from the firm since ? —No. 236. Mr. Travers.] Did you, in the letter referred to, mention that you had been put to a good deal of expense in the matter ? —Not expense, but pecuniary loss.