H.—29.

16

Edwin Woon recalled. 271. The Court] Have you any knowledge of the deed of which this professes to bo a copy ? [Deed shown to witness.] —During the time I was negotiating the purchase of AVahanga's land, I was asked by Mr. Taylor to translate a deed of conveyance from Hata Rio to him. I did so. Before translating the deed, I asked Hata Rio whether he had been paid for the land and received the money. Ho said he had. He then executed a deed conveying 400 acres of land, in my presence, of which I believe that is a copy. The reason, I presume, that another deed was substituted was owing to that before the Court being informal in some way or other, in the spelling of names, and which we desired Hata Rio to give up when he executed the fresh deed, but he declined to do so. Hata Rio was very obstinate about the matter. Mr. AVorgan gave him back the deed produced, and wrote " True copy " in tho corner. I think the schedule is in my handwriting, and is witnessed by me. 272. Mr. Worgan] Did you not do this business for Mr. Taylor ?—Yes. 273. Was the deed signed at Mr. Taylor's office?— Yes, it was. 274. Do you remember anything about the payment? —I did not negotiate this purchase. 275. AVhat fee did you receive ?—None for that. AVhen I negotiated Taylor's lease confirming Turner's, I found Hata Rio's name excepted therefrom, and was informed that Hata Rio had sold his interest. 276. In assigning Turner's lease to Taylor, that assignment was in accordance with tho original lease ? —lt was. 277. Why w-as the deed now before the Court in Hata Rio's hands ? —I cannot say. At the time he executed the fresh deed, he insisted upou having that returned to him, and Mr. Worgau wrote " True copy " across it, and gave it him. 278. Is your attestation, as a licensed interpreter, on the other deed ?—Yes, it is; on Mr. 11. S. Taylor's deed. 279. Do I understand that this is not a true copy, inasmuch that it docs not boar your attestation ? —The deed to Taylor bears my declaration, made some days after the translation of the said deed. It was within two or three days afterwards. The reason why the deed is informal is because Hata Rio's name is spelt with one "a" in one place, and with two in another. And it was thought advisable that it should appear as stated in the Schedule of the Gazette notice. 2SO. Was there any plan on the other deed?— There was a rough sketch, I think, but the boundaries were described in the Schedule. 281. Did Hata Rio perfectly understand the boundaries described in the Schedule ?—I have every reason to believe so, as I was more than ordinarily careful, Hata Rio being a peculiar Native to deal with. 252. Can you swear that it was stated in the deed that Hata Rio had received £400 ? —I thoroughly believed at the time that Hata Rio had been paid for the land, as acknowledged by him before signing the deed. 283. Are you aware whether he has or has not received the £100 ? —I do not know. 284. Mr. Booth] Do you know whether the blocks of land sold by Poari Kuramate, Horopapera Pukeke, and Hata Rio, have been offered for sale by Mr. H. S. Taylor?—l believe they have. I have been informed by a Mr. Atup he had purchased one of the blocks. Hata Rio being recalled, deposed on his former oath: 285. AVho placed tho purchase money for your land in your hands ? —Mr. AVorgan. 286. Where did Mr. AVorgan get the money from ?—All I saw was Mr. AVorgan putting the money on the table in Mr. Taylor's office. 287. Did not Mr. Taylor hand the money to Mr. AVorgan, and did not Mr. AVorgan count tho money and hand it to Hata Rio ?—lt was so ; but I did not actually see Mr. Taylor hand Mr. AVorgan the money. Mr. AVorgan did count tho money. 28S. Did you not know that at this time you wore selling the land to Mr. Taylor, and that Mr. Taylor's name was in tho deed ?—After I had received the money from Mr. AVorgan I understood it was from Mr. Taylor. 289. The Court] In what form was the money ?—ln £20 notes. 290. How many of them ?—I do not remember; it was £200. 291. AVho did you suppose you were selling the land to ?—I understood I was selling to Mr. Taylor. 292. Did you understand you were selling to Mr. Taylor or to Mr. AVorgan ?—To Mr. Taylor. 293. Did you suppose it was for the Government ? —I did not know. Mr. Geoege AVatkin AVilliams being sworn, said: I know nothing of tho interest concerned in this land ; I only know the professional arrangements connected with it. I had instructions, through the Commissioner of Confiscated Lands, to give Mr. AVorgan all the assistance I could in defining claims and awards, and giving all the information I could concerning it. It is necessary to state that when these awards were first made by the Compensation Court, the surveys were not complete. There were certain areas—about 8,000 acres —the boundaries of which were, on the West by a line bounding the Military Settlements ; on the South by the main road ; on the East by the AVaitotara River; and on the North by a straight line which had not been then defined, drawn from the AVaitotara River to the western boundary, at such a point as would give the specified area. I gave Mr. AVorgan, at his request, a tracing, showing tho boundaries already described. This tracing showed the AVaitotara River as far as it was surveyed, and I explained to Mr. AVorgan that before I could give him a complete plan of the award I should have to continue the traverse of the river a considerable distance further inland before I could give the exact position of the south or northern boundary. I pointed out that if the general directions remained the same as from the mouth to the fen*3 r, that is, about north, that this northern boundary would probably be about four miles from tho main road. Mr. AVorgan mentioned that the block might be divided into four