29

I.—2a

809. But I would call your attention to the evidence you gave before, which would seem to imply the contrary [evidence quoted] ?—That does not mean it was signed at the time. The cheque was produced, and I signed it. 810. Both you and Adam Clark have said you were not present when the £300 was lodged; but in the evidence taken in 1877 you say that you were present ?—I would not bo certain whether I was or was not. Ido not think I accompanied them to the bank; I may have gone there subsequently. 811. You say, "I went with them to the bank, and we lodged in the bank £300 to the credit of himself and myself as trustees. The receipt I took away myself" ?—Yes. That would very likely be the case then. That is confirmatory so far as to the bank slip having been received by me. 812. Then, in fact, you do not remember now whether you were there or not ? —I would not swear positively. It is difficult to trust to one's memory. 813. But three years ago you said this which I have just read. Is the Committee to understand whether you were there or not ? —I would not be quite certain whether I was there or not. I cannot charge my memory to say so. All Ido know is that I was in my own office when they came with the cheque. 814. Mr. Walcefteld.~\ It is a very important point to know how the money was actually disposed of. I want you to try and tell vs —firstly, whether this cheque was actually brought by Adam Clark and presented to you, or whether you gave them the cheque there. Is this a cheque out of your cheque-book —I see it has no number ? —I do not think it would be, because I was not banking at the Bank of New Zealand. I was banking, I think, at the Bank of Australasia. I never banked, I think, at the Bank of New Zealand until I became a member of the firm of Whitakcr and Sheehan. 815. Did Adam Clark bring you the cheque ? —Brissenden, Nelson, and Adam Clark came together. 816. Did they bring a cheque ? —-The Provincial Government account was kept at the Bank of New Zealand, and I may have got a cheque from the Treasury, next door. 817. Do you not remember which you did ? —I cannot say. 818. Now, you say Adam Clark asked you to sign a cheque ? —Yes. 819. Did you fill in the cheque yourself ? —Yes. 820. And did you sign it ? —Yes. The whole of the cheque is in my handwriting except Adam Clark's signature. 821. What I want to know is whether the cheque was signed by Adam Clark before you had anything to do with it ? —I cannot say. It might have been signed by Adam Clark before he came into the room. All I know is that the cheque was signed in the room at his request, in my presence, and given to him. 822. You say you gave him this £200 to be used for trust purposes ?—I said I was not quite certain whether or not the survey account was settled that day or next morning, but I believe part of it was intended to cover expenses incurred. 823. You said you had no objection to giving him the money, because he was a member of Mr. Gittos's church, and was well known—you had no hesitation in giving him the money for the purposes of the trust ? —Yes, I would have given him the whole amount if he had applied for it. 824. You have told us you gave him this cheque, and he took it away with him; and yet you say you are not sure you did not give Jones £50?— I am not quite sure that they paid, or whether I paid the amount to Jones. The cheque was lodged apparently to Brissenden's account. Ido not know whether that was given to Brissenden and he gave separate cheques to Adam Clark. 825. lam speaking of what took place at this time in your office. You admit he may have paid Jones then and there ? —I do not think it is likely —and I will give you a good reason: You see the cheque was not converted into cash there ; it was paid in, apparently, to the account of Edward Brissenden. You will find that by the telegram. 826. That is the very thing lam coming to. The cheque was not divided in cash; and yet before the other Committee you said you paid £50 of this money to Jones ?—Yes. 827. Was that the case or not? —I cannot say. All I know is that Stannus Jones did get £50; but whether through my hands or the hands of some other person I cannot say. 828. Was Jones present when this cheque waa drawn ? —No, Ido not think he was. Te Hemara was not present. I think the only persons present were Adam Clark, Brissenden, and myself. 829. The evidence you gave before the other Committee is altogether at variance with this ? —I do not see it at all. 830. I want to get at it because it is a very important part of Adam Clark's evidence? —I am giving you evidence to the best of my knowledge and belief, and I would not say whether it was by myself or some other person. 831. Here you say that Adam Clark got £150 of it to recoup the expenses of the survey [evidence before Public Accounts Committee quoted! ? —That does not mean necessarily that the £50 was paid there and then in the room. It means after the money was paid in; or Brissenden may have given £50 out of his account. 832. I think it is quite clear from your evidence here that when you gave this evidence before the Public Accounts Committee you were under the impression that the cheque was brought to you, leaving nothing to add but your signature ? —I do not think that I meant that. You see the cheque is all in my handwriting except the signature. It might have been as you have read from the former evidence. The transaction was three years old then, and three years have gone by since, and I have not been keeping the matter in my head. All I know is that I signed that cheque in my own handwriting. I know also that Jones was paid; but whether by myself or some other person 1 cannot say. 833. Then the net amount to Adam Clark was £100 ? —Yes, after the cheque had been drawn. 831. We have got from Adam Clark that he received, and Te Hemara received, a certain sum on the night of the 13th May for the survey ? —The evidence was that when they came to town they went to Nelson's house, had tea there, and Nelson gave them £25 each. 835. Then, the night before this money was paid in there was a further division of money in Nelson's house ? —I cannot say what took place in Nelson's house.

Mr. J. Sheelian, M.11.R. Aug. 9, 1880.