1.—2.

12

107. And you think this is the day ?—I hope so, at any rate. 108. How did you vote at this election. Of course, you did vote. How did you vote ?—I will not answer that question. I did vote ; I will tell you that. 109. I press the question ?—-Well, I will answer it in my own way. I did not vote for Captain Bead; but I did vote. 110. The next question is, did you not vote for Captain Morris ?—Well, I will answer you; I did vote for Captain Morris. 111. Were you on Captain Morris's committee when you asked for this £20?—Tes. 112. After you took, or agreed to take, the £20, did you see Captain Morris or act on his committee ?—No. 113. Never go into his committee-rooms afterwards? —No. 114. Tou felt, then, that the acceptance of the £20 disqualified you from sitting on the committee ?—Tes. 115. Did you not speak to Captain Morris, after you received the £20 ?—No; he went away to Gisborne. 116. Did you see the chairman of his committee, or any member of it?—No ; that is to say, I met them, but never spoke to them. 117. Tou did not tell them about this matter?— No. 118. When did you first begin to talk about the matter ?—Ten days after the election. 119. That is, after you were found out by the Natives speaking on the subject?—Tes. 120. You have not always said the same, have you ?—Tes. 121. Did you not say different in the Court?— No. 122. Then the newspaper reporter must have invented it. Did you not say that as soon as the election was over, you told every one about the matter ?—Tes, I did, after it got " blown." 123. Never mind about " blowing." Did you not do it before it got " blown" ?—No. 124. I will read what it is reported you said: —" I have informed other persons since 6th January what took place between myself and Major Pitt; in so doing, I have always told them the same as I now state." There is nothing there about not speaking of the matter until the Natives did what we might call " peached " ?—I am speaking truth now, as I have always done. 125. Tou asked for the £20 not for yourself?— Certainly not for myself ; except the £1 I spent. 126. Practically, you kept nothing? —No. 127. How old is your son ? —Twenty-six. He is a married man with four children. 128. Did you spend the £1 in "stout" for Bead or Morris's supporters? — Anybody who came along. 129. Whom were you canvassing for? For whom did you get votes ? —They told me they were going to vote for Captain Bead. 130. Then you took the £20 and distributed it; never made any claim on Captain Bead, and never intend to make any claim upon him ; but out of ill-feeling to Captain Bead, got this money and paid it away on purpose to catch him. That was why you took the money?— Yes; I did not consider him a proper person to represent a constituency. 131. And you thought the proper way to prevent his representing a constituency was to take money from some person and try to upset the election ? —Tes. 132. I suppose you would not tell a lie ? —No ; not willingly. lam getting too old for that. 133. But you would do a little bribery. Do you know that this is an offence for which you could be dealt with by the law ?—I have heard so since. 134. Are we to understand that you took this money on purpose to put him out if he got in ? —Tes. 135. Oh! Tou would premeditatedly commit the offence of bribery, but would not on any account tell a lie ?—Well, I would not tell a lie knowingly. 136. Now, I ask you this: Tou swore yesterday you gave every one of these Natives you speak of £1 each ? —I will swear the same to-day. 137. Did you give, them each the £l without diminution ?—Without my having a sixpence, I gave each man his £1 in the presence of the other Natives. I did not give it to one man in one corner and to another man in another corner. 138. Well, now you have told us that you promised your own vote to Captain Bead, as a matter of fact, for whom did you vote ? —Tou have misunderstood me. I did not say I gave my promise to vote for Bead. I said I would use my influence with the Natives for him. . 139. And not your own vote ? —No. 140. Were you in Court during the whole time ?—No ; I was not in Court when the Natives were examined. 141. Were you in Court when Mr. Bees was opening the case? —No. 142. Tou were not in Court before you were called as a witness ?—No. 143. Did you not say iv Court that the money was paid for your vote and influence ?—No. 144. I will read what you were reported to have said before Major Boberts, at Tauranga:—" It was an understood thing that the money was paid for my vote and influence; in the first instance, Major Pitt told me that if I would use my vote and my influence, he would give me £20." Did you not say that ?—No. _ J 145. Did you say at the Court you had voted for Captain Morris ? —I did not. The question was asked me, but Major Boberts overruled it. 146. No one was present when you were handed the money by Major Pitt ?—No. 147. No one saw or heard the bargain made between you ?—No ; it was done in the street, and I do not think any one overheard us. 148. Here is the roll. Will you point out how many of the Natives you mentioned are to be found in it ? —Witness went through the roll, and pointed out all the names he had mentioned, except that of Kauriti.