G.—2
62
84. Have you been interfered with at all in your cutting under this agreement ?—Yes; the Government took it over, and I had to pay them tithes ; that was in 1889. 85. How long after did you commence cutting?— About 1892 or 1893. 86. Seeing you had missed Wirihana, whose telegram brought you up, did you see him afterwards, and tell him what happened ?—He wrote to me to come to him again. [Letter produced, marked E] . 87. You missed him, notwithstanding the telegram and letter?— Yes; at that time our mail communication was very bad. 88. It was some time after that you saw him?— Yes ; I might have seen him that week. 89. You told him you had seen Kemp ?—Yes; he was aware of it, and was quite satisfied ; and he further told me he had received some of the money—£loo. 90. You say, about 1892, you commenced cutting—not before ?—No ; it was possibly 1893 ; it was about two years and a half ago. 91. Did any of the Muaupoko offer you any resistance, or object to your cutting?— After I laid the tram down, Warena came down once, and threw a small tree across the tram. I did not see him ; but I know he came down and put it across the tram. 92. You saw the tree across the tram ?—Yes. 93. What effect had that?—l went on with the work, and there was no further obstruction. I had the tram down some time before I started cutting ; I began to lay it down in 1891. 94. You went on uninterruptedly cutting till you heard of the sale to the Government ? —Yes. 95. That was the sale of the State Farm ?—Yes. 96. Was that part of the land over which you were exercising rights ? —Yes. 97. But you go on cutting under an arrangement to pay tithes to the Government?— Yes. 98. What tithes are you paying? —6d. a hundred for matai; 4d. for rimu, and 3d. for whitepine. 99. Did you do that under protest or cheerfully?— Not very cheerfully ; but I had to accept the position. 100. Did the Government threaten to stop you cutting if you did not pay ?—No ; they did not go so far as that. 101. Who called upon you to pay?— Some of the officials ; I think it was Mr. Mackay. 102. Next, in point of time, I think you had an arrangement with Kemp, under which you were to cut flax ? —Yes ; on No. 11, I put up a flax-mill. 103. When was that arrangement made?— About 1887 or 1888 ; I have the papers. It was my partner, Mr. Dunn, who made this arrangement with Kemp. 104. Do you know whether anything was paid when that arrangement was come to ? Had you to pay in advance ? —No ; not in this case. It was royalty on the flax. 105. How long did your mill work?— Off and on for nearly two years. 106. On which side of Horowhenua was the mill ?—On the south side. 107. During the two years your mill was working, were you obstructed by the Natives ?—I was obstructed in cutting flax by both sides. 108. Why ?—Everyone claimed a certain portion of the flax. They stopped my cutting from time to time, but I went on again. 109. How did you get over the difficulty ? —We paid a royalty to the particular Natives who claimed the flax. 110. Was it an agreement in writing in regard to flax cutting ?—Yes ; I can produce it. 111. You stopped the mill because the industry died out ?—Yes. 112. Then what was the next transaction with Kemp? —In regard to No. 14. 113. On which side of the block —east or west of the railway ? —On the eastern side. 114. What were the terms?— Ten shillings per acre, for six years. 115. What did the amount you paid him come to ? —£3o7 cash down ; there was 600 odd acres. 116. You hold a timber lease entitling you to cut? —Yes; it was drawn up by Mr. Edwards, and executed by Kemp. 117. Have you been interferred with in any way? —No; I have practically not commenced cutting. 118. But you have paid the money ?—Yes. 119. What was the next transaction ? —ln regard to No. 6. 120. Did you understand at that time that it was Kemp's, or a trust block ?—I was under the impression it was a trust block. 121. What arrangement did you make with him?— Something similar to the other, that I should pay the tithes. 122. He did not ask for any money on account?— No. 123. What are the tithes? —Similar to the other—3d. for white-pine, 4d. for rimu, and Is. for totara. There was no matai on the block. 124. You have had some little trouble about this since ?—Yes. 125. Is it not true that, with your concurrence and knowledge, I advised Kemp to have all this paid into a trust account, in the name of himself as trustee, Mr. Marshall as representing the rerewahoe, and Mr. Edwards representing himself ? —Yes. 126. Was not that deed duly executed ? —Yes. 127. Can you inform me of any departure from that arrangement ?—I do not think so. 128. As a matter of fact by arrangement among the parties, some other course has been taken, and the money is being paid to a trust account?— Yes. 129. In respect of all the timber you have cut since, the royalties have been paid regularly into that trust account?— Yes.