J. PAYNE.]

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17. He was obviously referring, was lie not, to the political situation in these preliminary remarks? —I understood so. 18. Will you please continue to relate the conversation? —Then he said, " What do you think? I have been authorized to oiler you from £500 to .£l,OOO if you will go " —I think that was the word—"with the Ward Administration." When he made that remark we sat facing each other, and I looked right past him —for this reason: he was evidently under the influence of liquor; and, again, I could not consider it as a direct offer in view of the words in which it was made. 19. Did you regard Mr. McMaster, when he made that statement to you, as responsible for his words? —No, 1 certainly did not. 20. Did you make any reply to his statement?— Not a single word. 21. Was it referred to again during the course of the conversation? —No. 22. You ignored Mr. McMaster's remark entirely? —Entirely, for the reason I have stated. 23. And Mr. McMaster did not repeat it or again refer to it? —No. 24. Why did you not regard the suggestion that you might receive £500 or £1,000 if you voted in a particular way as an insult to you personally?— Because Mr. McMaster was under the influence of liquor. 25. And you thought he was not responsible for his words? —I certainly think so now. 26. Are you satisfied of the date —Friday, the 9th February?— Yes. 27. Why?— Because I arrived in Auckland on the Friday morning from Wellington, and left on the Friday night for Napier. 28. Did you see Mr. McMaster again that day—Friday, the 9th February?—No; but this is what occurred : He said, " I want you to go over and see Mr. Mnssey." 29. Was that at the same interview? —Yes. 30. In the office of Mr. O'Connor? —Yes. 31. "I want you to go over and see Mr. Massey " ? —That was immediately following what Mr. McMaster said about the £500 to £1,000. We got in my taxicab, and went over to the Auckland Club, and we saw Mr. Massey. 32. Where? —In a room in the Auckland Club. 33. The Strangers' Room, I presume, at the Auckland Club? There were present Mr. Massey, yourself, and Mr. McMaster only?—A little later on Mr. W. H. Herries came in. 34. Will you narrate, as closely as you are able, the conversation which took place in the Strangers' Room of the Auckland Club—first of all, before Mr. Herries came in?—As soon as Mr. McMaster got into the room, to the best of my recollection, he said, " I have brought Mr. Payne over to see you, Mr. Massey." Mr. Massey replied, " Oh, lam before you. I have already seen him." The conversation then was on general lines. 35. What do you mean by " general lines " 1 Did it relate to the manner in which you were, or ought, to vote on the no-confidence motion I—l could not recall the words, but it was generally understood as amongst us that Mr. Massey had already seen me and that the matter was fixed. 36. So there was very little, if any, reference to the political situation at this interview at the Auckland Club?— That is"so. 37. I want you to explain the reference which Mr. Massey made at the interview in the Strangers' Room of the Auckland Club—that he had been before Mr. McMaster? —I had already made an appointment with Mr. Massey that day to meet him at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and then give him my decision as to how I was going to vote. Probably I should give the incidents leading up to that. 38. I think you had better? —I was in the Trades Hall, at 28 Swanson Street, and Mr. Dickson came into the room whore I was, and he said, " Here, I want you to come and see Mr. Massey." We went to the Customs Building, and we went upstairs together. Just at that moment Mr. Massey was coming down the passage with several other gentlemen, which gentlemen, I understood, formed a deputation to the Public Works Office on account of some road business. We then came downstairs, and some of the gentlemen, as well as Mr. Dickson and Mr. Massey, with myself, went down Quay Street towards Queen Street. Some reference was made as to where Mr. Massey could see me, and Mr. Dickson suggested his office. We went over there. I then told Mr. Massey that I had intended to come to see him, because, from the way in which the Dominion had written down the tramwaymen during the strike, my position as a Labour member was very seriously compromised, and that before I could give him any further assurance that I would vote against the Ward Administration on a no-confidence motion I must see my chiefs of committees. Mr. Massey asked me to name a time when I could see him, and we mutually agreed upon 2 o'clock in the afternoon as being suitable. Following that interview I took a taxi, and I saw my chiefs of committees. 39. You spoke to the chiefs of your committees upon the matter with reference to which you had conversed with Mr. Massey?—Yes. 40. Did you return to meet Mr. Massey at the time named? —1 did. 41. Where did you see him?—ln Mr. Dickson's office again, a little after 2 o'clock —probably a quarter past —on the same day, the 9th February. 42. What took place at that interview? Who were present?— Mr. Dickson, Mr. Massey, and myself. I told Mr. Massey that I had had a conversation with my men, and they had evidently not seen any of the Dominion reports; and I told him that they had not suggested to me any reason for my breaking my pledge. So I was quite free to reassure Mr. Massey that I would vote with him on a no-confidence motion against the Ward Administration. 43. Was there any other interview between yourself and Mr. Massey, or between yourself and Mr. Dickson, or between yourself and Mr. McMaster, on Friday, the 9th February? —No, that was all, with the exception of the interview with Mr. Massey at the Auckland Club, which I have already narrated. 44. On behalf of which party in the country did you understand that Mr. McMaster was making the statement? —He said to me, " What do you think? lam authorized to offer you £500 to £1,000 if you will vote with the Ward Administration."

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