I.—2a

3

35. Captain Russell.] Can you tell the Committee how long after the date of the conveyance Paora Nonoi died ? —No. 30. Have you any idea?— Not the slightest. Mr. Sutton would know. 37. Have you any idea whether Nikera was interested iv this land ? —I believe not. 38. Mr. Ormond.] To what extent was Mr. Davie employed by you iv Native land transactions? —I have not employed him. 39. I thought you said just now that he had been in your employ ?—No. When I wanted to send letters and messages to Natives, I used him as a messenger. 40. Could you tell the Committee what amount you paid him ? —Money of my own ? 41. What have you paid him from the office ?—I have paid him from the Natives some considerable amounts. I paid him on an order from Rora Nonoi £100. 42. Practically, has not his livelihood been obtained from work through your office ?—I believe be was engaged in work in Napier. 43. You cannot say the actual amount he has received from you ? —No. 44. You named a sum of £100. Would the total sum be £300, or £400, or what?—l am speaking now without knowing the exact amount. I might have paid him £300 altogether, including that £100. I can produce vouchers for the payments made to him. I could not be certain as to tbe amount. I have the receipts and orders in the office. 45. Mr. Reeves] Why did Mr. Justice Richmond refuse to grant the writ of habeas corpus ? — I think the reason given at the time' was, that he (Worgan) was not in on final imprisonment. He was only being detained on warrant. I think that was the reason that Worgan was not allowed out — because he was not in on final process. In fact, he had been arrested, and could not obtain bail, and had consequently to remain iv prison in default of bail. Ido not think the reason for not allowing him out on writ of habeas corpus a good one; but I have not looked into the question. The proceedings which I had begun I think commenced just before the arrest. At the time of his arrest he was in Wanganui. 46. Mr. Whitaker.] And he has been convicted since ? —Yes. 47. Could not he be got now?— Yes ; but that would entail no end of expense. 48. Mr. Reeves.] According to the ruling of Mr. Justice Eichmond, it would appear that a man might commit an offence and yet get oft"without punishment? —Yes ; that was argued in Court. The other House would not allow its officers to give evidence; a man might also be got off in that way. 49. Mr. Sutton.] You say the paper-writing was signed by me ?—I believe that it is signed by you. 50. Do you wish the Committee to understand that what you read from the petition is a fair copy of it? —I believe that is a copy taken from the paper itself. I believe that it is so, word for word. 51. Are you aware that, if you had furnished a copy of that written document in your proceedings against me, you would not have had a leg to stand upon, and that you would have been precluded from going on with the case —iv fact, that you were afraid to?—I am not afraid of anything. 52. Has any reserve been made in tho block ? —I have not said so; Ido not know. 53. Have not the Natives now a large reserve ? —-I am aware that these people have not the 350 acres which they allege was promised when this supposed signature was made to the deed. That was the subject of the action I brought. 54. Was there not a large sum of £17,500 paid by Messrs Watt and Farmer to settle the title ? —I believe that there was a large sum to settle the claims of the Natives so far as Messrs. Watt and Farmer are concerned, but that had nothing to do with Mr. Sutton or any one else, so far as I am aware. 55. Was it or was it not a new conveyance —a fresh arrangement altogether ? —I could not state so. I was not privy to the arrangements arrived at. 50. What portion of the £17,500 did Rora Nonoi receive? —I do not know. 57. Is it not a fact that she claims £200 as detained from her, and that she wants to get that money ?—She has never stated so to me. 58. I should like to ask! how it was you paid Mr. Davie £100 of Rora Nonoi's ?—I paid £100 to Davie upon instructions from Messrs. Sheehan and Russell, who stated that they held money of this woman's, and that I was to pay this sum of £100, and debit her with it. 59. I should like to ask if you are aware that Rora Nonoi has sworn that she had no ground of action against me ?—I am aware of this fact from herself, that Rora Nonoi was entrapped into Mr. Sutton's solicitor's office, and that the husband threatened to break the door open. 60. Did you see her husband? —I am stating so far as I know. I was told that she was so entrapped, that money was put down before her ou the table, and that she refused for hours to sign the paper put before her. Colonel Trimble rose to a point of order, as Mr. Rees was stating, not what came within his own knowledge, hut simply hearsay evidence. The Chairman: Mr. Rees is replying to a question put. Colonel Trimble : Mr. Rees was asked if he was aware of certain things. Witness: lam giving an answer to the question put to mo. I said that Rora Nonoi told me that she was so entrapped into the solicitor's office —that sovereigns, live, ten, up to a hundred, were put down before ber. 61. Mr. Sutton.] Will you swear that? —I am on my oath. 62. Mr. Ormond,] Whose office was that in?—ln Mr. Cornford's, or one of the interpreters'. 63. Mr. Cornford being the solicitor in the matter? —Yes. I had a telegram sent down to me stating the circumstances. I was in Wellington at the time. 64. Who was present when that conversation took place between you and Rora ? — Two interpreters, I think. 65. Who were the interpreters?— John White on some occasions, and Mr. Jury on other occasions, and Albert McKay was also present. Mr. De Lautour received the statement, and took it down in

Mr. Bees.

4th Nov., 1879,