1.-7

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Mr. Nosworthy: I think every facility should be given Mr. Massey to bring all the evidence he can until Parliament does rise. We are here to give every man a show to give all the evidence he desires. At any rate, lam prepared to give my time for at least three weeks if necessary. Mr. M. Myers: If the Committee forces me on now, very well. Mr. Russell: It will be open for you to apply for an adjournment after this morning. Mr. M. Myers: If the Committee forces me on I have nothing more to say at this moment. Mr. Payne: Am I entitled to speak? Mr. Reed: I think Mr. Payne is entitled to speak. Mr. Myers has spoken. The Chairman: Yes. Mr. Payne: It will meet my views if Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion is adopted—that is, to ask the House to adjourn until half past 7 this evening. Mr. Eraser: Before you go to the vote I think we should understand the position. Mr. Payne says he is quite prepared to go on now. Mr. Myers, speaking on behalf of Mr. Massey, says he is not prepared. What are we going to do? Mr. M. Myers: I have also said that if the Committee forces me on I am content. Mr. Fraser: We know what that means—you go on under protest. We do not want it to be said afterwards that we forced any one to go on who is not prepared. If Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion were passed, and we found then that we were not able to go on with anything at all, it would place us in a ludicrous position. We do not want to adjourn the House and turn the thing into a travesty. After what has fallen from Mr. Myers it is quite possible that we shall be told that we are trying to force this matter on. I would be quid' willing to have the adjournment, because 1 do not think any harm can affect this Committee one whit by an adjournment until to-morrow morning. Mr. Reed: I think the Committee is entitled to have Mr. Myers's reason for the adjournment. His reason before was that he had not been instructed by Mr. Massey. If there is any other reason, then we should know it. From the remarks made by Mr. Myers lam rather suspicious that if we do adjourn he is going to ask for a further adjournment. If Mr. Myers is asking in order to get further evidence we are entitled to know. When he made his explanation his first ground was perfectly good —that he had not been instructed; but now I do not think he can say that he will not have sufficient time to receive instructions —that reason must be set aside. Now, what reason has he got for not meeting this Committee this afternoon? Mr. M. Myers: I am quite prepared to meet this Committee, individually or collectively, at any time. Mr. Reed is a lawyer, and he should quite understand, without my being forced for any further reason, why lam asking for an adjournment. All I can say is that if it is a question of 3 o'clock this afternoon or now, I would prefer to go on now. You will see that the position is this : In a matter of this kind necessarily Mr. Massey must act under my advice, and either I want the whole of to-day or I would prefer to go on at this moment. I know the attitude that I would take up now, and I may take up the same attitude to-morrow. If the Committee wish to get this matter over and press it on to-day, then I say frankly that I would rather go on now than wait until this afternoon. Mr. Payne: I understand Mr. Myers said he did not get instructions from his client. Mr. M. Myers: I did not say anything of the kind. Mr. Russell: My only desire is that, whatever evidence is available now, under arrangements made by Mr. Massey a few days ago, it should be gone on with. Another thing is that to-morrow another solicitor will appear on the scene on behalf of Mr. McMaster, and the probability is that he will want an adjournment. The solicitor may say that having only just been instructed he may want to bring evidence from Auckland. Mr. Myers - has given as one of his reasons that he has been asked to appear for Mr. McMaster, and that Mr. McMaster's solicitor is in the Supreme Court. Mr. M. Myers: You have misunderstood me. It was not on that ground, lam only representing Mr. Massey. I said that it is within my knowledge that Mr. McMaster wants counsel. I have no desire to delay these proceedings, and I hope I have made that clear; and if the Committee presses the matter on now, well and good. I will go on. Mr. Robertson: I think every one is desirous of giving Mr. Massey all the advantage possible in preparing his case, but I understand that Mr. Myers said that if we adjourned until to-morrow morning he might not be able to go on. I think Mr. Myers should make the position absolutely clear that if we do go on to-morrow morning he will be able to go on without further delay. Mr. M. Myers: I said it was possible that if we adjourned until to-morrow morning I might want an adjournment till the evening. At the present moment I know the attitude I would take up, but I want to consider the matter and discuss it, with Mr. Massey. That may have some effect on'my view, and it is possible, under certain circumstances, that T might not be able to go on until to-morrow night. Mr. Robertson: The House will be sitting then. Mr. M. Myers: Well, if there is a difficulty about going on to-morrow morning or to-morrow night, then go on now. Mr. Russell: Do I understand that Mr. Myers will be prepared to put evidence before the Committee this morning 1 Mr. M. Myers: I did not say so. It is quite unfair to treat me as a witness. Mr. Russell: I want to understand whether Mr. Myers says he is prepared to go on now or to-morrow morning. I do not want him to put the Committee in an unfair position—that on account of the stand we are taking he will not bring any evidence. Mr. Veitch: Tt appears to me that this is our position: Mr. Myers says on behalf of Mr. Viassey that unless he gets until to-morrow morning he cannot do justice to his client. Now, unless we agree it may be said that we are not prepared to give counsel a full opportunity to prepare his case for Mr. Massey. I feel that justice should be done, and that that consideration should overrule all other considerations. T am in favour of the Committee giving time to Mr.