t—9

VIII

Letter from the Under-Secretary of the Colonial Secretary's Office, stating that no correspondence with Mr. C. W. Palliser existed outside of what has already been supplied in connection with the copies of petitions and correspondence relating thereto. Letter from Controller and Auditor-General on same subject, covering copies of six telegrams to and from Mr. Palliser. Moved by Mr. Massey, That Mr. George Simmons, of Brunswick, Victoria, be summoned to attend and give evidence before the Committee. Moved by the Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, by way of amendment, That the question of the calling of Mr. Simmons be postponed, and that the examination of several witnesses now in attendance be gone on with. On the Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie's amendment being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, s.—Mr. Duncan, Mr. Graham, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison, Mr. Sligo. Noes, 2.—Mr. Duthie, Hon. Mr. Eolleston. So it was carried in the affirmative. Examination of witnesses proceeded with. The Eight Hon. the Premier was further examined. Joe Tie, a Chinese interpreter, was called, sworn, and examined. Joe Gett, storekeeper, Wellington, was called, sworn, and examined. King Poo, storekeeper, Wellington, called, sworn, and examined. Wong Poo, storekeeper, Wellington, called, sworn, and examined. Mr. H. Moss, who had been summoned, did not appear. Besolved, That Mr. Moss be written to again, requesting him to attend before the Committee to give evidence to-morrow at 10.30 a.m., and also requesting him to state to-day whether he would so attend, Mr. Moss to be informed that, in the event of his refusal to attend, the matter shall, this .evening, be reported to the Hon. the Speaker of the House. Mr. James Alexander Murdoch, solicitor, Kumara, was called, sworn, and examined. A reporter was present, and took down the evidence of all the witnesses in shorthand. The Committee adjourned to Tuesday, Ist November, at 10.30 a.m.

Tuesday, Ist Novembee, 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 read and confirmed. Moved by the Hon. Mr. Eolleston, That there be obtained from the Warden's Court, Kumara, certified copies of all documents relating to Mr. Seddon's connection with the Turn Shum party of Chinese working in the Greenstone Creek in the years 1885 and 1886. On the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 3.—Mr. Duthie, Hon. Mr. Eolleston, Mr. Sligo. Noes, 4. —Mr. Duncan, Mr. Graham, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Morrison. So it passed in the negative. Mr. H. W. Moss, salesman, Wellington, called, sworn, and examined. The Eight Hon. the Premier further examined. A reporter was present, and took down the evidence in shorthand. The Committee adjourned to Wednesday, the 2nd day of November, at 10.30 a.m.

Wednesday, 2nd Novembee, 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. Mr. Ollivier, solicitor, representing the Bank of New Zealand, attended and gave into the possession of the Committee two parcels of cheques of the Kumara Borough Council, one parcel containing 211 and the other sixteen cheques. The Chairman gave receipts for the cheques. Joe Tie and Joe Gett, storekeepers, Wellington, were further examined. Mr. H. M. Woodward, assistant accountant of the Bank of New Zealand, was called, sworn, and examined. Eeporter present, and took evidence in shorthand. Motion made and question proposed, That Mr. George Simmons, of Brunswick, Victoria, be summoned to attend and give evidence before the Committee. — (Mr. Massey.) On the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 2. —Mr. Massey, Hon. Mr. Eolleston. Noes. 6.—Mr. Duncan, Mr. Duthie, Mr. Graham, Hon. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mr. Sligo, Hon. Mr. Ward. So it passed in the negative. Mr. Duthie moved the motion notice of which had been previously given, 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