P. V. BUCHANAN.]

17

I.—lo

16. That would be copied in the other letter-books that are not here ?—Yes; if I had any correspondence it would be there. 17. Did you see Mr. Gardiner in reference to his joining the association?—l did. 18. Where did you see him ?—I saw him in Eangiora. 19. Did the association desire that he should come into the combination ?—Yes. 20. Who would express that desire—the directors to you?—l had no particular instructions with regard to Mr. Gardiner. 21. Then why did you see him about the matter? —Because he was outside the association. 22. And the association wished him to come in ? —Yes. 23. And in furtherance of their wish you saw him at Eangiora ?—Yes. 24. What was the nature of the interview?—l pointed out to him the advantage of coming into the association. 25. What happened ? Did you indicate to him on behalf of the association what would be done in the event of him not coining in ?—I am not aware that I did. 26. Did you discuss with him the possibility of the association selling flour at forward rates in his district if he did not come in ?—Not that I am aware of. 27. Tell us the nature of the conversation that you had with him at Eangiora?—As far as I remember it, I pointed out to him the advantage of coming into the association, and, further, that if he stopped outside it he would reap no benefit by it, and I showed him the benefit he would reap by coming in. 28. You say again that you did not in any way threaten him that the association was strong enough to make him come in ? Was that not one of the arguments you used—that the association was strong enough to compel him to come in, and that it would pay him to come in quietly ? —No ; the expression I used was that if he did not come in I would most likely travel in his district. 29. What did you intend that to convey to him?— That we would sell flour where he was selling it. 30. At a price ? —There was no price mentioned at all. 31. You proposed to attack the special district he was operating in ?—Only by personal visits. 32. Did any of the directors or millers go up with you?—No ; there were some bakers up there at the time. 33. Did they also join in urging Mr. Gardiner to join the association ? —Not that I am aware of. 34. What were the bakers doing there ?—Some of the Christchurch bakers went up to see the bakers in Eangiora about joining their association. 35. Did they succeed in getting them to join ?—They did. 36. What did Mr. Gardiner say in reply to your suggestion ?—He said he would think the matter over. 37. Is that the only interview you had with him?—l had had a prior interview with him. 38. Where was that ?—When I was there before. 39. On the same subject?— Yes. 40. Under what circumstances did he join the association?—l had no communication with Mr. Gardiner from that time until he had joined. 41. Did he join by writing ? —I do not know. 42. Were you not an officer when he joined?— Yes; but he did not see me again on the subject. I believe he saw a director in town and joined voluntarily on his own account. 43. Do you know who the director was ? Was it Mr. Allan'?—l know by hearsay that Mr. Allan did see him. 44. Had you anything to do with the "price committee" of the Bakers' Association?— No. 45. Did you know that there was a " price committee"? —Yes. 46. What members of the Millers' Association used to sit on it ? —I could not say, except from memory. 47. As far as your memory goes who were they?— Mr. Wood was one. I do not remember the other two. 48. Is Mr. Wood a director of the Millers' Association? —Yes. 49. Was it part of the policy of the Millers' Association when you were an officer of it to refuse to sell flour to any baker who declined to join the Bakers' Association ?—No. 50. Did you sell flour to any one who came along for it ?—lf they were not in the trade I would not sell. 51. Supposing a baker came along, if you knew he was financially sound would you sell to him?—l would ask him if he belonged to the Bakers' Union. 52. And if he did not? —I endeavoured to get him to join. 53. Did you at any time decline to sell a baker flour unless he joined ?—I have done so. 54. Do you remember any particular instances?—l cannot call any particular instance to mind. It was the general way. 55. It was part of the policy of the association?—lt was part of my policy. I received no particular instructions. 56. You understood that that would meet with the approval of those whose interests you conserved? —Yes. 57. Do you remember anything in connection with Mr. Heslop's mill at Irwell ?—I interviewed him once about joining the association. 58. Did you suggest to him that you might travel his district in the interests of the association? —No; I only saw him once. 3—l. 10.