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I 103. Then, there is no part of the " C " list now in the Bank of New Zealand ?—Not of the " C " list as a list. 104. And you are not able to say that the balance of £43,149 underwent any alteration before the list was taken over ?—I am not able to say. 105. Do you mean that you cannot at present say, or that you decline ?—I think I should have to decline to give any further information about that. 106. You will not tell us what the position of that account was when it was taken over ?— No. 107. That it was upwards of £94,000 ?—I cannot give it. 108. I want you now to tell us—l do not think it will affect any confidential relations —how the total amount of assets was arrived at under the agreement with the Colonial Bank. The total amount is mentioned by Mr. Watson in his letter of the 23rd October, which was laid before Parliament, as £2,643,190 ? —You will find, I understand, the whole of the information in the statement Mr. Watson put m. 109. I would like you to refer me to it. Ido not know of any such statement ?—I understand that one, of the statements handed in at an early stage of the proceedings comprises the whole of the particulars. 110. Was it handed in,by you?— Mr. Cooper's recollection is that it was handed in the first day. I think the paper is here [produced]. 111. I have asked you the question how the assets of £2,643,190 were made up, and how the liabilities of £2,509,284 were made up, leaving the balance of £133,906 paid to the Colonial Bank. Will you read from the document you are referring to, and which has been handed to you by the Premier. Have you not a similar statement of your own?—l have not. 112. Tell us the particulars of these amounts?—l can give them only as supplied to me here by the Premier; they are from Mr. Butt, the Auditor of the bank. The assets are : Coin, bullion, and cash balances at bankers, £363,087; money with London brokers, at call and at short notice, £45,000; notes and balances due by other banks, £9,589; Government securities, Consols, &c, £168,131; remittances in transitu and awaiting maturity, £548,762: that makes a total of £1,1.34,569.. Then, there was landed property and bank premises, £125,399; bills discounted and all other assets due to the bank, £1,731,549. That last-amount is dealt with in this way: Good assets, the "A " list, £926,198 ; assets, "B " and "C " lists, £375,772. The gross total of those is £1,301,970. The cover kept by the bank for the lists "B " and "C " amounts to £327,305. Bank furniture and stationery, net, £6,250; shillings and pence, £2. That gives a grand total of assets, taken as good, £2,568,190. Then, you had the remainder in lists "B " and " C," £327,305. We retained that money as cover. Then, there is the allowance we have got from the furniture and stationery, £3,465. These two items make £330,772. To that must be added the assets that we did not take in the "A" list, £102,774; you get then the total you have in the balance-sheet, £3,001,236. 113. That is the balance-sheet of the Colonial Bank of the 31st August ?—Yes. 114. That does not, however, correspond with the £2,643,190, the assets as stated in the paper from Mr. Watson laid on the table of the House ; nor are the figures identical with those you give before of £2,568,190. Mr. Watson's figures are in print in paper 8.-27 a of last year [produced]. Would you like to look at it? —Yes. It is last year's. I am not able to explain that. Mr. ; Watson might be able to do so. These figures I have given you are figures supplied by Mr. Butt, the Government Auditor. 115. What you have given us now is an analysis of the Colonial Bank's balance-sheet. Will you now give us the other side to complete the account?— Notes in circulation, £107,367; bills payable and other liabilities, £457,887; deposits, £1,947,921, less bills the property of the bank, £6,972, leaving the net sum of deposits for which the bank is liable £1,940,449. Balances due from other banks, £3,080; shillings and pence, £1. That makes a total of liabilities to the public of £2,509,284. Then the liabilities to shareholders—capital, £400,000 ; reserve fund, £65,000; profit and loss, £19,980 ; current account items, £6,972. These four items represent a total of £491,952, making a total of liabilities amounting to £3,001,236. 116. That is an analysis of the Colonial Bank?— Yes. 117. But you are not able to give an answer to the first question put as to the £2,643,190 mentioned in the statement of last year ?—No. 118. Nor as to the liabilities, amounting to £2,509,284, mentioned in the same statement, which leaves the balance of £133,906 you paid the Colonial Bank?—lf you will allow me, I think I shall be able to make it quite clear. The total amount of good assets is £2,568,190; the total liabilities to the public which the Bank of New Zealand assumed is £2,509,284; thus leaving a balance to the credit of the Colonial Bank shareholders amounting to £258,906. The amount paid for good-will was £75,000, thus making what was left to the shareholders £133,906. The remainder that was left to cover the " B" and " C" lists, £327,305, make, with the last amount, the facevalue for the consideration of the purchase £461,211. 119. It would be convenient if you could get that list you have been referring to copied, or' another copy of it handed in. Can you do that ? —This is a private document of the Premier's. '120. I know ; but it is by the Auditor of the bank ? —But it might be a confidential document; 121. The Chairman.] It cannot be confidential now after you have given the whole of the particulars. You could get a copy of that, Mr. Booth?— Yes. 122. Mr. Hutchison.] In the £2,568,190 representing good assets I observe you treat the 1 landed properties as representing £125,399. Did you arrive at the total amount which you considered good, and the total amount you considered to be liabilities against the good, before you decided upon the amount to be paid for good-will ? —We were content to treat it as good because of the consideration we got in the purchase of the bank. 123. But that was a matter.which arose almost at the end of the negotiations?— Yes; it is prudent to leave some things until the time comes to use them.