37

H.—9a

evidence to prove this. [No. 4 read over.] I have nothing but hearsay evidence to produce on that. [Charge I.] I would say that supplies were obtained in Hokitika when they might have been purchased elsewhere from the settlement at a cheaper rate. [Charge 3.] I have nothing to offer under this head. I would state that on two or three occasions, when money has been due to me, I had to come in two or three times from the Arawata before receiving it. On one occasion the Eesident Agent informed me that he had no voucher forms, so that he could not pay. I remarked that it was a great deal of trouble to come several times and not receive it. I cams again afterwards and no vouchers had come. I came a third time, aud Mr. Macfarlane informed me that he had to manufacture vouchers, and this time I got my money. It was about a fortnight or three weeks before I got my money after the work was completed. When I signed the petition I cannot say I had any ill-feeling against Mr. Macfarlane. I do not remember saying in Neil Carmichael's house that I would get Mr. Macfarlane out of the settlement if I could. I swear that I never said on any occasion that I was influenced by parties outside of the settlement to get Mr. Macfarlane out of this. I have on many occasions said I would try to get Mr. Macfarlane out of the settlement. I never authorized Mr. Doherty to withdraw the petition or to offer to withdraw it. Mr. Cultance and myself had an agreement to go, one to one man and one to another, to endeavour to have the petition withdrawn, but afterwards we decided to let it take its course. With one exception I always had to come in on two or three occasions for my money. It was after the beginning of 1878 that I used to be kept waiting for my money. The usual reason was that it was not ready. The February payment was the only one I received on the day I came for it. I remember a conversation with Mr. Murdoch, about September, 1875, about some sawn timber being required by the Eesident Agent, I had not heard that the timber was required from any one except Murdoch. I remember after this an order being given to myself and Murdoch for timber. I was prepared with Murdoch to cut any quantity of timber in September if we had an order. I remember a contract being called for just previous to this for 2,000 feet of timber. I saw Mr. Skipper post a notice for this contract on a place called the Barracks, at the Arawata Eiver, about seventy or eighty yards from m} r own house, one Sunday morning, between breakfast and dinner ; and on the same Sunday I walked down to Mr. Wheeler's hut at dinner-time, and he informed me that he had got the contract. He told me he met Skipper going to post the notice up, and he told him of it. He went in to Mr. Macfarlane and got the contract. He brought a saw out with him to do the work, as he informed me. I read tho notice. I cannot say wdiether it had on the face of it a time for receiving the tenders. I did not make any complaint of it. I did not work with Wheeler at the contract. I cannot say if there was a date on it. Tho notice stated 2,000 feet of sawn timber was required. It was signed by Mr. Macfarlane as Eesident Agent. It said that tenders were required for the work. I think it was in October. The contract was commenced on the Monday after the notice was put up which I saw. Ido not remember what Wheeler got for it, or that he told me. We were at work at sawing timber, Murdoch and myself, commencing on the 10th of November, 1875, and between that date and Christmas we had sawn 5,000 feet. William Hindly sworn and examined. lam ferryman at the Waiatoto Eiver. I remember a conversation in Niel Carmichael's house, about the latter end of 1875 or beginning of 1876. Mr. George Smith was present. He said he had quarrelled with Mr. Macfarlane about some boatiug that day. Smith remarked, " Never mind, old man, he won't be long there ; there are parties in Hokitika who will try their best to get him out of that." I did not ask Smith whom he meant in Hokitika. I did not hear Smith say that he would try to get Mr. Macfarlane out. Samuel Lofquist sworn and examined. lam a settler here. I did not sign the petition. I wish to state that the prices charged at the Government store for provisions were too high. I refer particularly to meat. I am charged 2s. 6d. for mutton-hams, 7d. per lb. for salt-beef, and 7d. per lb. for pigs-jowls. There was no fresh beef to be got. Flour was sometimes very dear and very bad, and we had damaged oatmeal too. The flour was bad on several occasions during the first and second years —three or four times at least. Oatmeal was very bad. We complained, but we did not take it back again. We did not see the goods till the boat landed them, so we did not see what they were until we went to fetch them. I complain of the potatoes and butter being bad. I only got good potatoes once from the Government store. I had potatoes from the store three times altogether. I complain of the boots. My debt in the pass-book is £90 14s. lOd. My work altogether in the settlement, deducting the first three months, amounts to £52 9s. I have received in goods, building materials, cooking utensils, &c, £170 15s. I omdit to have received work for the three years at £62 per annum. I consider the Government owe me the balance in the shape of work. I complain that others got work on the settlement the third year but I did not. I admit I received work to the amount of £25 9s. 3d. in 1875, and I now claim that J should be allowed work on the first year up to £62 Bs. I left the settlement to go to Greymouth in April. I came back late in May. I got goods then. When I left for Greymouth I had squared ny account, which amounted to £3 12s. Bd., and received in cash after doing so £12 ss. 4d. I returned to the settlement in May. In November I got a contract for £9 lis. 3d. After arriving from Greymouth I had been building my house and working on my section. In 1875, after my return, I dare say I did not ask for work for tho first six months, The signature to the voucher is mine, but I did not receive cash, and I have not had credit given to me for the £3 in my book. I never spoke about it at the time. I claim that I ought to have an allowance of £3 in the book. On the 7th of September 1875, I took a contract for clearing about 8 chains of road, at £2 3s. per chain. I cleared 8i chains. I only got credit for 8 chains. I got credit for £16 2s. 6d. Nightingale passed the contract, and measured the work. I was with him; his measurement came to S| chains. I spoke to Nightingale some time afterwrards, and showed him the book. This was in Arawata. Ido not know that I spoke direct to Mr. Macfarlane about this contract. There is another contract for a drain ; it is £2 ss. per chain. On the 26th of October, 1875,1 took the contract. The length of the ditch was if chains. I