19

1.—6

7. And No. 5 : Mr. Hean's report and valuations to the London board?— The only document I can give to satisfy No. 5 is the copy of a long cable message from Mr. Hean to the London board,, dated 12th May, 1890. That is the only record we have in the bank to satisfy that No. 5. 8. No. 6 : Reports of officers of the bank as to its position since the Ist January, 1888?— The note I have from the bank with reference to this is that there is nothing on record here ; but it is very probable Mr. W. T. Holmes, general manager, reported from time to time to his board in London, but we have no copies of his advice. It is probable, if we had them, that they could not be produced without disclosing the position of private accounts in the bank. 9. Hon. Mr. Seddon.] Surely they have reports in the colony from January, at the time Mr. Holmes came here, until 1890. When was the board taken to London—in 1891, was it not?— Yes. I can go no further than the note they have handed in to me; and I would remind the Committee that they point out that the report would almost certainly disclose private business of the bank, and it would be impossible to produce them. 10. The Chairman.] Your present answer is that there is nothing on record ?—That is so. 11. Now, No. 7 : Reports of the Globo assets department, and names of officers who prepared such reports? —Numbers 7, 8, and 9 I am unable to get, because of the same difficulty I mentioned before —they involve the disclosure of private accounts of the bank. 12. You decline to produce them ?—That is so. 13. No. 10 : Complete return prepared by Mr. Hanna in 1888 ?—We have not got that return referred to in No. 10. That is the answer given to me. 14. Hon. Mr. Seddon.] Will the bank have any objection, in case there is a copy in existence, to its being produced ?—I am not prepared to answer that question this morning. 15. The Chairman.] No. 11 : Statement showing in detail the landed property and bank premises referred to in subsection (a) of paragraph 11 ?—We are not able to produce that, because it refers to properties, some of which are under offer. 16. Do you mean by not being able that you decline to produce it ?—At present I think that must be the answer. 17. Why do you say "at present "?—Well, it is a matter I would like to submit, before I give a further reply, to the discretion of the directors of the bank. 18. No. 12 (b) ? —Paragraph (b) is here. 19. That is a statement showing in detail the furniture and stationery. You have got that ? —Yes. 20. The next one is (c) : Transfer of the shares of the Bank of New Zealand. Have you that? —The statement required by subsection (c) is not quite finished. If the Committee would kindly defer that it will be handed in. 21. Now (d). You have that ?—That is here. 22. And (c) ?—That is here. 23. And (/) ?—I am not able to produce any statement to satisfy that. 23a. You mean you decline to produce it ?—At present. 24. And (g) ? —They have not prepared that; they have not been able to give that to me yet. 25. It is being prepared ?—Yes. 26. And (h) ?—That is handed in. There is another paper required to complete that, referring to the time the board of the bank was in London. 27. And (i) : Statement referring to the £2,000,000 guaranteed stock?— That is not ready yet; it is being prepared. 28. Then subclause 12 ?—The whole of paragraph 12 with its subsections is a blank so far as any records in the bank are concerned. We have no documents relating to this. 29. You have nothing relating to that ?—No; nothing, 30. Have you any other information, any other documents to hand in relating to the matters included in the order of reference ?—I have brought the balance-sheet of the Estates Company and Auckland Agricultural Company to hand in. 31. Hon. Mr. Seddon.] Do you understand that there is nothing on record in the bank with regard to the visit of Messrs. Johnston and Horton to London ? —No record at all. 32. The Have you no documents referring to the deficiencies of the Bank of New Zealand Assets Estates Company to hand in ?—Not at present. 33. Have you got the information you promised to procure for the Premier with reference to the proportion of losses that occurred in the different colonies ?—Yes ; this is the return. 34. Have you now handed in all documents you have ?—Yes; all that I am at present able to produce.

Monday, 3rd August, 1896. Examination of William Booth, Director of the Bank of New Zealand— continued. 1. The Chairman.] With reference to the remainder of the statements to be supplied by you, Mr. Booth, some of them you told us on Friday were not ready. Have you got any additional ones this morning ?—Yes. 2. There is one marked (c), showing the transfers of shares of the Bank of New Zealand since Ist January, 1893. Have you that ready now? —That is here. 3. I think the next is (g), " Statement showing the details of the £148,110 set against the debt of the Auckland Agricultural Company as good assets" ?—That is not ready. 4. Then there is subclause (i), " Statement in respect of the £2,000,000 guaranteed stock"?— That is here. 5. Were there any besides the three I have named that you promised to hand in ?—I think that is all.