G.—s

30

going to sit; but I went to Wellington about the sitting of the Court and other matters that had occurred prior to the sitting. I can only put anything before the Court through the District Officer. Mr. Locke was at the Court, also one Native from Tolago, Henare Euru, who was one of those who had dealt with me. Mrs. Porter, also, wife of Captain Porter, was present. She claims to be interested in the land. I put in a letter from Tamati te Eangi, or Kereua, stating why he had not attended the Court. He had received Pita te Huhu's letter; it states that they would not attend the Court, as that land had been parted with, to the Government. Attached to letter is a notice from Pita te Huhu. I put in another letter, of 10th July, from Eutene Kuhukuhu, owner of another part of the land, to a similar effect. Also another from Henare Euru, the principal man of the owners of Arakihi, objecting to the survey of Pita te Huhu, and to the sitting of the Court. Evidence was taken, and the Court adjourned on the application of Henare Euru and, I believe, of Mrs. Porter, The expression in my report about the application being made at the request of Mr. Locke " to cover the retreat of the Court," means that the Court could not go on with the eases for which it had been announced, but was obliged to retire from that position. I was in Wellington at the time, and rendered myself liable to censure for going there. Whilst there I made strong representations to Sir D. McLean on the matters I had to complain about. I arrived there on the 20th. Mr. Clarke was present at the interview. I urged, and Mr. Clarke supported me, that the lands should be proclaimed under the Immigration and Public Works Act. Sir D. McLean asked me to send in a letter accordingly. I did so on 21st July, 1875. The purport of this letter was referred to Mr. Locke, by telegram, by direction of the Native Minister, on the 22nd. -On the 2 'rd Mr. Locke telegraphed to the Under Secretary. [Telegram read and put in.] Mr. Locke opposed the proclamation, and said the cases would be adjourned. I also put in a reply to that telegram from Colonel St. o. John. This correspondence with Mr. Locke is what I refer to in my report, where I say " the real cause of the adjournment was of another kind." In speaking in my report of Mr! Locke's action in defeating my attempt to get the lands proclaimed, I have said that he did so by representations based upon an imaginary Native difficulty. I think this difficulty is proved to be imaginary by the fact that about six months afterwards (24th February, 1876) the lands on the Ngatiporou side of the district were gazetted, and no evil resulted from it. This included Tauwhareparae, Tuakau, part of Waingaromia, and other blocks. The lands which I had wished to gazette were gazetted on the 4th May, 1876. I had applied to have this done as far back as the 13th May, 1875. My last application to have the lands gazetted was on the 28th December, 1875. The Natives also made an application on the 25th February, the day after the land had actually been gazetted. [The statements in the report as to the notice of hearing for the 10th March, 1876, at Waiapu, and the adjournment of the Court by Captain Porter, authorized by the Judge, are admitted.] I put in the printed notice of further hearing of WaiDgaromia No. 2, on the 16th March, at Ma'iarako. I think that Court was fixed for too short a date. I made my objections to Mr. Locke in a letter on the 14th. In consequence of rumours as to the speedy sitting of the Court, I had telegraphed a week before to the Native Minister (sth March). In reply I was referred to Mr. Locke. I put in my letter to him of the 14th March. The Court sat on the 16th, and gave judgment on Waingaromia No. 3. 1 and 2 were adjourned. No. 3 was proclaimed with other blocks six weeks after the judgment of the Court; a rehearing was asked for by both parties in concert. After my letter to Mr. Locke I sent a telegram to the Government reporting Mr. Locke's views (15th March). I wish to diverge for a'moment to refer to that passage of my report where 1 mention "extraordinary avenues of official information" as open to the European opposition to my purchases. I wish to state that I do not refer in any way to any person connected with the Under Secretary's Office, nor to any officer of the Native Lands Court. [Mr. Wilson here asked that the inquiry might be adjourned to the next day, as he did not feel equal to going into a fresh subject.] The Commission adjourned at fifteen minutes to 5 p.m.

Appendix, Nos. 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Appendix, No. 14. Appendix Ni 15.

Appendix, No. 16. Appendix, No. 17.

Friday, 3rd Noyehbek, 1876. The Commission resumed at 10 a.m. [Mr. Wilson's evidence resumed.] In November, 1875, the agreement to lease Tauwhareparae was converted into an agreement to purchase, but a small minority who had agreed to the lease would not consent to the new arrangement. The rent advanced was carried to the purchase account, and further advances, rather more than equal to the former ones, were made. £100 was paid to Tamati te Eangi on that occasion. All the money was paid in Government cheques. In September, 1875, an offer was made to Mr. Clarke by Mr. Cooper to make over his interest in Waingaromia No. 2, at 2s. 6d. an acre, whicli would have amounted to more than £3,500, besides his expenses. That offer was not accepted by Government. Cooper said I was dealing with the wrong parties. On December 15th I informed the Government that a good deal of money would be wanted for lands which were expected to pass through the Court. I put in my letter.ot'the 25ih October, 1875, to the Under Secretary (referred to in the report), asking that the Native Land Court might be moved to take cases in the middle of the ensuing February, as my plans would tht-n be ripe for passing twenty-three blocks through the Court containing 270,0u0 acres. All the applications for those lands had been duly put in before 1 wrote that letter, some of them repeatedly. It was customary for me to apply to Government in such matters, and to have Courts specially for cases in which Government was interested when the purchases were of any magnitude. I now come to the sittings of the Court at Tolago in April, 1870. I think there was an adjournment on the 3rd to carry out some work in the Courthouse. lam not sure what day the Court usually began business. When the Court sat the Natives were most orderly. The Court was full of

Appendix, No. 18.