VII

I.—o.

Wednesday, 26th Octobee, 1898. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Sligo (Chairman), Mr. Duncan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Graham, Mr. Massey, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston. Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. Mr. George Eudkin was recalled and further examined. Mr. James Wylde, engineer, Kumara, was called, sworn, and examined. Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Eolleston, That application be made to the Supreme Court for the document, produced in Court at Hokitika on the 4th April, 1883, purporting to be an order from Nathan Seddon to pay all moneys coming to him to Mr. Eichard John Seddon. Besolved, That this document be telegraphed for to the Eegistrar, Supreme Court, Hokitika, who shall be asked to send certified copy by advance telegraph. If not in possession of Eegistrar, he to be asked to indicate where it can be obtained. Besolved, on the motion of the Hon. Mr. Eolleston, That application be made to the Audit Office to state if there is any correspondence with Mr. Palliser or other information upon the subject of the special audit in that office, and, if so, to furnish it; and similarly to the Colonial Secretary's Office. Notice of motion by Mr. Duthie : That the attention of Messrs. Kember and Scott, the reporting auditors, be directed to the fact that the date of payment on vouchers placed before them is generally long after the voucher date, and that the bank pass-book shows payments at similarly later dates of amounts approximately corresponding with Schedule C.; that like amounts are regularly debited to " Streets " and other works ; and that, as early as possible after production of the cheques for amounts referred to, the auditors be requested to further report as to these payments. The Committee adjourned until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 27th October.

Thuesday, 27th Octobee, 1898. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Sligo (Chairman), Mr. Duncan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Graham, Mr. Massey, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Hon. Mr. Ward. Minutes read and confirmed. The Premier, the Eight Hon. E. J. Seddon, was sworn and examined. The evidence was taken down in shorthand by a reporter. The Committee adjourned to Priday, 28th, at 10.30.

Feiday, 28th Octobee, 1898. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Sligo (Chairman), Mr. Duncan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Graham, Mr. Massey, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Hon. Mr. Ward. Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. Moved by the Hon. Mr. Eolleston, That the telegram from the Eegistrar of the Supreme Court, Hokitika, be forwarded to the Police Department, asking that department to endeavour to trace the document purporting to be an order from Nathan Seddon to pay moneys due to him to E. J. Seddon, and said to have been produced in the Supreme Court, Hokitika, in the trial Eegina v. Wylde in April, 1883; also, asking what had been done with all the exhibits in the case, said to have been placed in the hands of the police at the finish of the trial. Besolved accordingly. The Eight Hon. the Premier was in attendance. Mr. Marcus P. Marks, Hansard Supervisor, was called, sworn, and examined. Mr. Massey moved, That Mr. George Simmons, of Brunswick, Victoria, be summoned to attend and give evidence before the Committee. The Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie moved, That the examination of the witnesses now present be at once proceeded with. The Hon. Mr. Eolleston moved, That Mr. Massey's motion take precedence. On the Hon. Mr. Eolleston's amendment being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 4.—Mr. Duthie, Mr. Massey, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Mr. Sligo. Noes, s.—Mr. Duncan, Mr. Graham, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison, Hon. Mr. Ward. So it passed in the negative. Examination of witnesses proceeded with. Mr. James McEnnis, clerk of the Warden's Court, Kumara, called, sworn, and examined. Mr. Peter Douglas Todd, draper, Kumara, called, sworn, and examined. A reporter was present, and took the evidence of all the witnesses in shorthand. Besolved, That Dr. Giles, of Auckland, be informed that it is not the intention of the Committee to call upon him to attend. The Committee adjourned to Monday, 31st October, at 10.30 a.m.

Monday, 31st Octobee, 1898. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Sligo (Chairman), Mr. Duncan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Graham, Mr. Massey, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison, Hon. Mr. Eolleston. Minutes of last meeting read and lonfirmed.