45

I.—3a.

W. H. RoWLER.j

286. So it is not an unusual procedure (—i\o. 28i. Did the Board make a recommendation to the Governor under section 203?— Yes. I can put a copy of that in. 288. Can you tell us the date when that recommendation was sent down i —l sent it down mi the 11th January. 289. At the second meeting of the assembled owners, held on the lUth March, did you receive any intimation that Mr. Bell was acting for a section of the Natives?—l had a telegram, and, 1 think, a letter, saying that he was interested —in fact, Mr. Bell was mainly instrumental in having the meeting fixed lor the 10th. We had decided on an earlier date, but that date was not convenient for .Mr. Bell, so the meeting was fixed for the 10th. 1 understood from the Natives at the time that Mr. Bell had intended to come, but they could not find the necessary money, and so he did not come. 290. Mr. Massey.] Do you know that he was notified that it was not necessary for him to appear ! —No, I do not. SJ9I. You know that he had .£lOO in his bunds belonging to the Natives, for the purpose of defraying expenses?—l do not. 1 heard that he wanted £800 before he would leave Wellington. Mr. Massey: You have been misinformed. 292. Hon. Mr. Xyata.\ Were any minutes kept of the proceedings at the second meeting, held on the 10th March? —Yes, I will put them in. 293. Will you let me see the minutes of the proceedings at that meeting? [Minutes produced.] " Mr. Macdonald said, ' The proposed sale has been discussed. There is now a prospect (if settlement if further time is given for discussion. I would ask for an adjournment.' ' So the application for adjournment was made by Mr. Macdonald?—Yes, and supported by all parties. 294. We heard something about proxies : were there any proxies handed in at meetings of the assembled owners?— Tee, a great number. 295. At the first meeting? —Yes. 296. Mr. Massey. J How many? 297. Hon. Mr. Ngata.] Perhaps Mr. Bowler can hand in a statement of the proxies and the way they were used at the first meeting and at the last?—l have the proxies here. 298. The Chairman.] Will you hand them in, please?— Yes. 299. Hon. Mr. Ngata.\ There were proxies used at the last meeting of assembled owners?— Yes, a number. 300. You presided at two meetings —on the 6th January and 10th March? —Yes. 301. Were you made aware that Tuiti Macdonald was acting on behalf of 77 per cent, of the Native owners in these blocks 1 Ido not mean by hearsay. Were there any documents handed in to the Board to substantiate that claim of Mr. Macdonald's? —There were some proxies in his favour, but lam inclined to discredit the statement that there were 77 per cent. He might have had with him half of those present at the first meeting. At the second meeting I had no need to test the feeling—they unanimously wished for an adjournment. They intimated that there was a prospect of settlement. 303. You were not present at the third meeting?— No. It has been said that the Board forced these meetings on the Natives. I may say that the last meeting, on the 22nd March, was fixed for that date at great inconvenience to myself. After some trouble I got Judge Holland to tnke the meeting. I think that tends to show that the Board and myself were not very much interested in the matter. We had no desire to push the thing through. 303. Mr. Holland, as representative of the Board, reported to you as President? —That is co. 304. And it became your duty to put before your Board the proceedings of that meeting presided over by Mr. Holland? —Yes. 305. Was there any voting at the last meeting of assembled owners, held on the 22nd March? —I was not present, but his minutes show that the resolution was carried unanimously. 306. We heard something about an agreement —an agreement signed by the owners as they drew their money —an agreement about the 10-per-cent. reduction: is that agreement put in?-— Yes, I produce it. „ 307. Would you call it an agreement, or an order on the Board?—l do not think the Board knew anything at all about it. It was pimply an agreement signed by the Natives when I was present making the payments. It was taken mainly to protect my own position in the matter — in fact, I drew it. [Document handed in.]. 308. It is signed by those who consented to the arrangement?— Yes. 309. It reads : " We, the undersigned owners in Mokau-Mohakatino Nos. If, Ig, Ih, ana 1j blocks, do jointly and severally agree to ten per centum of our several proportions of the purchasemoney accruing therefrom being retained by the President of the Waikato-Maniapoto District Maori Land Board, such precentage to be devoted towards the liquidation of the legal and agentf?' costs due in connection with the said block. And we do further agree that such sums may be paid out by him as directed by Messrs. Pepene Eketone and Tuiti Macdonald, and without further leference to us." Were these signatures obtained in the presence of yourself? —I was preeent. I was writing the cheques, and the agreement was being signed by the Natives as they signed the receipts for their money. 310. Some have refused to sign it, I suppose?— Not then, but since. Those who were present at Te Kuiti on that date were unanimous in wishing that this deduction should be made. 311. Where any one refuses to sign the agreement, do you compel them to hand back the 10 per cent. ? —Most certainly not. 312. Have any owners been paid in full, without deduction? —Yes, quite a number. Any that do not wish to pay the 10 per cent, to the agents can be paid in full, of course. 313. About these agents and their claims : as President of the Maori Land Board, you have had some experience of Native-land transactions?— Yes.