J.—s

21

532. Then would there have been voters from any other place ?—These are all the people from Horoera and Maruhou. 533. Had the weather been line, then, and other circumstances being favourable, there would only have been about seventy-eight voters ?—Those are all who would have voted. 584. in your opinion, tor whom would they have voted? —For Karaitiana. 535. Mr. Lumsden.] AVhat do you think to lie the Native population of Kawakawa and Waiapu, men, women, and children ? —llO of Horoera, Maruhou, and Te Kawakawa. 536. Mr. Williams.] Does that include the seventy-eight voters ? —Tes. 537. Mr. Tole] Did Henare Potae speak to you yesterday morning about the election? —He did not say much. He said a little. 888. What was it he said ? —He spoke to me about my having gone over to another tribe to vote for Karaitiana. 539. Did he say it was not right of you ? —Tes. 540. Has .Mohi Turei been speaking to you about the election?—Tes. 5! 1. What did he say to you ?—He remonstrated with me about some of the Ngatiporou tribe going over to Hau-Hauism, saying that he was the means of saving them from destruction; that I had acted wrongly in supporting Karaitiana, and that I should get into a scrape myself in a short time. 542. Did he ask you to rro over to their Bide ? —Tes. 543. Mr. Macandrew.] Were tho seventy-eight Natives who would have voted for Karaitiana of the Ngatiporou tribe ? —Tes. 544. Mr. D. Reid.] How many are there altogether of the Ngatiporou tribe?—l do not know the numbers of the different hapus, but it is a very numerous tribe. Major Eopata being in attendance, was examined as follows: — 545. The Chairman.] Tou recollect the 15th January, the date of the East Coast election? —Tes. 54(5. Where were you on that day ? —I was at my own place, Waiomatatini. 547. Tou were not at Waiapu or Kawakawa? —Waiomatatini is at Waiapu. 545. Did you vote ? —I went to vote on that day, but I had previously voted. 549. Iv what way did you previously vote ? —Because it was before the election that Mr. Campbell sent the books round to the different settlements, so that the people might send their names as voting for one of the candidates. 550. And you signed your name in this book ? —I signed the book, and so did all my hapu. 551. Was it a book of printed forms, in which each elector signed a different form?—Tes ; they were papers about the size of bank notes. 552. Was there anything written as well as printed on these papers before they were signed?— It was agreed that Hotene's name should be written in when we got the books. On these forms there were places for the name of the candidate, the person voting for him, and the witness. 553. Before any of the electors signed, was the name of Hotene written in ? —The name of Hotene was written. 554. Who wrote it in?—Mr. Campbell. 555. Then you had a book of forms in which the name of the candidate was filled into each before it was taken round? —Hotene was present at the time, and he wrote his own name. 550. Mr. 'Tole.] But did he write it in the place for the candidate or for the voter? —It was in the place for the candidate. 557. The Chairman.] It was Hotene who put his name in the place for the candidate?—Tes. 558. Did he do that on more than one paper? —He signed his name in other sheets of the book. 559. Did you take the book round?—No; I did not take the book round. All the signatures were taken in my own house. 560. Mr. Macandrew.] Were the voters collected at your house then ?—Tes. I am speaking of the members of my own hapu. They assembled there. 561. AVhen they were signing these papers did they think they were voting? —Tes, that was the way. 562. Those who signed those papers did not vote at the poll ? —They did not think it was necessary to go to the poll on the day appointed. They thought they had voted, having signed their names in the book. 563. Do you know how many people went to Awanui on the day of the poll, and who voted?— There were twenty-five of us. 564. Who act ually went ? —Tes. 565. Did these twenty-five sign the papers?. —They did not previously sign, these twenty-five. They signed on the day of polling. 566. Hon. Sir JJ McLean] Taking the whole of the settlements, what is the number of the whole Ngatiporou tribe ? —T think more than 700 votes could have been polled on that occasion. 567. Mr. Lumsden,] How many signatures were there ? —About 70. 565. Mr. Bastings.] Do you mean that 700 could have voted ?—They did not vote except by Bending in their names, taken in these books, which were sent to their places. 569. Mr. W. Wood.] Did you see young Mr. Campbell on the 14th January, in the morning, or any time on the 15th ?•—I do not remember having seen him on the 14th or the 15th. John Sheehan, Esq., M.H.E., being in attendance, was examined as follows: — 570. The Chairman.] The Committee would be glad to know, Mr. Sheehan, if you can throw any light upon this subject. In the first place, with respect to the polling-places, were you present at either of them, either at Kawakawa or Waiapu, on the day of polling; or whether you cau explain why no poll was held at those places ; or whether you can give any information in any other way to guido them in their decision ?—I was present at no polling-place. 1 had a number of matters of my own to look after at that time, and 1 do not know of mv own kuowledge what were the circumstances 4—J. 5.

Wiremu Wanoa,

28th July, 1876.

Major Ropata.

28th July, 1876.

Mr. Sheehan.

28th July, 1876,