15

H.—29.

237. Can you produce those bills ?—Yes. [Bills produced and handed to Commissioner, and read to the Court, being a promissory note for £200 payable in two years from the 16th May, 1572, and signed by Mr. 11. S. Taylor and marked O.] 238. Mr. Worgan] Have I any connection with this matter in any conceivable manner?— Mr. Worgan has had nothing to do with this matter. Hata Rio was sworn, and deposed: 239. Mr. Booth] Do you recollect selling a block of 400 acres of land to Mr. Worgan?—Yes. 240. AVas this in tho confiscated block ?—No. 241. AVas it between AVaitotara and AVaingongoro ?—Why am I asked this question. [First allegation interpreted to the witness.] 242. The Court] Did you lease any land to Major Turner ? —I did lease some land, but do not know where it is. Mr. McLean took some land (400 acres) out of this block without any lawful right. 243. How much land did you lease to Major Turner ? —3,200 acres. 244. AVhere did he suppose the land was ? —I left that to the Government. 245. Did Major Turner get the land ? —lt was conveyed to Major Turner in some written instruments ; but I do not understand European written instruments. 246. How much did Major Turner give for the lease? —£150 for first year, and so on up to £300. Lease extended twenty-one years. I have received £75. Lease was drawn in 1871. This payment was to have been £75 every six months. I ought to have received six or seven payments. I have not received any money for two and a half years. Major Turner considered the lease a bad one. I was told by Major Turner that if I broke the agreement I should be punished. Ido not know anything about the land now ; it is before the Government. I have not sold my land. 247. Mr. Booth] You say you sold 400 acres of land to Mr. AVorgan? —I have sold 400 acres of land between AVaitotara and Kaipukunui. It is part of the 8,000 acre block. 248. AVhat did you receive for that ? —£2oo I have received. lam to get £200 more. 219. Did you receive this money from Mr. AVorgan ?—Yes; I have some papers about the matter. [Papers handed in, being conveyance of 400 acres for £400, between H. S. Taylor and Hata Rio —deed signed by Hata Rio in the presence of George Worgan and Edwin AVoon, and John Notman, reporter ; contains no plan in the margin, or certificate of licensed interpreter filled in.] Mr. AVorgan only paid me £200. Mr. AVorgan has the rest. I have no paper about it. Ido not know whether it is a copy of the deed, but a schedule as follows : Piece or parcel of land, bounded on the north by Railway Reserve, on the east and south by Crown land, west by Section No. (blank), Kemp's Award, and the AVaiau Stream ; signed Hata Rio, not in his own handwriting apparently, and signature not witnessed. Schedule witnessed by AVirihana Puna and Edwin Turner AVoon. Deed marked P. Signed " True copy." G. B. Woegan, N.C. 250. The Court] Have you ever seen the land? —I do not know where the land is. If a map of the land was hero, I should know where the land would lie. 251. Have you had anything to do with the sale of the lease ? —No. 252. Mr. Booth] Are you quite positive that you sold this 400 acres of land to Mr. AVorgan?— Yes ; the deed says so. 253. Did you not sell it to Mr. H. S. Taylor ?—No. 254. AVho paid the money to you? —Mr. Worgau. 255. How much did he pay you?—£2oo. 256. The Court] AVhen do you get the other £200 ?—lt is a matter of arrangement between Mr. AVorgan and myself. I have no bill. Ido not know when lam to get the money. I have no paper to show about the matter. 257. But this deed is to Mr. H. S. Taylor? —I know nothing about the matter. I only know Mr. Worgan in the matter: he paid me. 258. Mr. Booth] Did you not sell the land for £125 ?—Not the £25. 259. Mr. Worgan] Did not your land form a portion of a block in which forty-two claimants were interested ?—lt is part of the block in question. 260. Do you not know Messrs. Kells' and Shephard's property ?—Yes ; it is mine. 261. Did you not consider tho Government had inflicted some wrong on you in giving away this land ? —Yes ; I consider it did me damage, and I wrote to Mr. McLean about it. 262. Did you not contemplate going to law ?■ —Yes ; I spoke to Mr. McLean, and he said it was done by Mr. Fox, and that he had nothing to do with it. Mr. Parris said Mr. Fox had done it also. That is why I say it is a matter for the Government to deal with. 263. Did you come to my office on the 28th February ? —Yes. 264. Did you not make formal demands of me to issue a Crown grant to yourself and others ?— I did ask for one Crown grant to be issued for 3,200 acres. I wished to have one grant for the whole block. 265. Did you not appoint Paramena Tamahoki to point out to me the boundaries of this claim ? — Yes ; on my return I appointed Paramena to act as my agent. 266. Do you remember expressing a doubt of your ability to sell your interest, owing to a lease given to Major Turner ?—I do. 267. Do you remember my telling you that H. S. Taylor represented Major Turner? —I remember being told so, but do not know whether it was correct or not. I say so because Mr. Taylor's name was not in the original lease. 268. Do you remember my telling you that you could not sell except subject to that lease ?—I do not remember it. It is a subject Ido not understand. 269. How could you sell the land to me when this lease already existed ?—The 400 acres is not in the j3,000 acre block, but in the 800 acre block. It is not in the lease to Major Turner. 270. Did you understand, when you sold your land, that all your grievances and redress for the same were vested in the hands of the purchaser?—l consider I still possess the grievance though I have sold the land.