H.—9a.

22

Agent for clearing about eight chains of road, time more or less. The amount of the contract was something about £IS. He informed me that he never signed a voucher for any amount upon that contract, and that only something like £16 was placed to his credit in his store-book. He had no knowledge that tho voucher had been signed. There was another contract of Lofquiets for £10 about the same time. He was paid about £8 on this. I know of a case where a voucher was signed without the party's knowledge. It was John Clarke. He had done some work about twelve months ago, in January or February, 1878. When he came to settle up for the work he was told that the voucher had been signed for the December month. I think it was Mr. Macfarlane or Mr. Nightingale who told him Clarke got his information from Mr. Nightingale. I j;ot mine from Clarke. The work was done, at least the latter portion, in January or February, 1878. The voucher was signed the previous December. It was at the instance of Clarke that this charge was made specially. Wheeler tells me that at one time he had never signed his voucher for day labour for work done at the Haast Track for about £30. Wheeler did not tell me that any one had signed the voucher. These cases about vouchers are the only ones I know. Beveridge, Clarke, and Dwan's case is one in which the voucher signed by them was not for the amounts they received. They are in Jackson's Bay. Ido not remember any other charges substantiated in the same way. I drafted a few of the allegations in the petition. I was not interviewing the settlers to gain the information. I believe I received every portion of this information at my own house. A messenger was sent for me to a place belonging to John Clarke, where there wasameeting. Thomas Beveridge was the messenger. John Clarke, Patrick Doherty, Patrick Dwan, and Thomas Beveridge were present, and I think John Callery, but lam not sure of him. There was no interpreter. Ido not know of any foreigners being there. Ido not remember any, unless Eacho was there. The information had been collected by myself and others. I got my information incidentally, when I was about my own business. Clarke told me that his voucher was signed in December, 1877, without his knowledge, for work done in January and February, 1878. I have no authority in writing to put in these charges against Mr. Macfarlane. I have never seen Mr. Clarke's pass-book. I know nothing but Clarke's own statement about Mr. Macfarlane's business with Clarke, without any documentary evidence. I only put my own signature to the petition. I did not get other signatures. The allegation is a statement of Dwan, Clarke, and Beveridge. The statement was that one o"f the three signed for £25, and two signed for smaller amounts. I do not know about the date. I cannot say the date. I think it was some time in 1878. I think before May. The persons interested made these statements. Michael Pollock sworn and examined. I know nothing at all about any potatoes being sold on the wharf at 6d. per bag. I have sold several lots of potatoes. lam an auctioneer, and have sold several lots for Mr. Churches. I produce my book of sales. Eighty-one bags were sold for £5 Is. 3d. to Mr. Todd. I understood the potatoes were a consignment sent to Mr. Churches. I never supplied goods for Jackson's Bay by tender. I believe tenders were called for some times. James Aitken sworn and examined. I was clerk and storeman to Mr. Todd. Ido not remember Mr. Bonar instructing Mr. Todd to buy up potatoes, but I remember that Mr. Todd did buy a lot on the 6th of January, 1876, at auction, sold by Messrs. Pollock and Bevan. I did not attend the sale. Mr. Todd attended and bought the whole lot. I could not say- how many he bought. I hardly recollect the price. They were brought over to the store, and we put ou all the men we could to pick them over and re-bag them. They were then sent on by the " Waipara " for Jackson's Bay. Twenty-nine bags were sent, about 2 tons 5 cwt. They were sold at £G per ton in Hokitika, to the Immigration Department, to E. S. Eobinson, Provincial Treasurer. Mr. Todd was anxious to supply as many potatoes as possible. He went round the town and bought a few bags, and they were sent direct from the store in which he purchased them to the " Waipara." 1 cannot say where he bought them, nor what he gave for them. When they got down alongside the " Waipara," it was discovered that they were in very bad order, and Mr. Bonar and Captain Bignall objected to receive them. I believe they were left on the wdiarf, and eventually thrown into the river. Ido not know from whom this last lot was bought. The only potatoes sent, so far as I know, were those which were picked out of the cargo sent by Messrs. Pollock and Bevan. I should most likely have heard of it if any others had been sent. At that time old potataes for seed were hardly to be had in Hokitika. [Invoice handed to witness by the Hon Mr. Bonar.] That is the invoice. Ido not think the second lot of potatoes came from Mr. Bonar's store, but I cannot say positively. The potatoes which were rejected were not picked over, and that is why they were rejected. We had six men picking over the potatoes from about 11 o'clock to 3. The potatoes were sold at 11 o'clock, and the steamer sailed at 4. They were picked over because they were known to be in bad order, and we wanted to select them. I believe Mr. Todd tried everywhere to get seed potatoes, aud these were all he could get. I consider the price charged by Mr. Todd for his labour and trouble was by no means excessive. Mr. McCrea did not buy these potatoes, I can say positively. [Letter shown to witness, from some person unknown] I can say the statement in this is entirely untrue. I have no idea who the writer can be. Mr. Todd told me that he had to get seed potatoes for Jackson's Bay, and that he must look all round the town for them, and that if he bought from Pollock and Bevan the potatoes must be picked over. Only those potatoes were bought which were considered the best for the purpose required —that is, for seed —and they were the best procurable. James Aitken recalled. Eighty-one sacks of potatoes were bought at auction, and reduced to twenty-nine bags by pickingIn nearly every case we had to find new bags when re-bagging them, and the men received 2s. per hour. They were at work from about 11 till 3. I was also assisting. Then there was the cartage to the " Waipara." I was being paid £4 per week. The potatoes had to be wheeled to the store to be picked over. Cartage was 2s. per ton. The bags were Is. each. The refuse