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had a hold on tho land ? —When we paid money they signed a receipt, and I consider the land was ours for the Government. 443. When the two deposits of £50 wore paid, was there a receipt signed ou each occasion ? —I am not clear about it; I forget. 444. The Court.'] Will you state to the Court what is your own position in this part of the country ? —I am a chief. I cannot describe where my land is generally. I have land at the North, at Rangitikei, Taupo, and Manawatu, aud other parts of the country. 445. Are you an Assessor ? —Yes. 446. Do you receive a salary from Government as land-purchasing agent ? —I have not yet received any. The Government have not given me any, but my friend gives me some sometimes. 1 mean by my friend, Air. AVorgan. The reason why I have joined AVorgan is to prevent the Hau Haus returning to their land, and the Native title will soon be extinguished. 447. What money have you received from Mr. AVorgan?—l received sometimes £5, sometimes £10. I have asked Air. AVorgan for money, who replies that he has frequently asked Air. McLean for money for me. 448. What are the gross sums that you have received, as far as you can recollect ?—I cannot well tell. If I had a memorandum I could answer. Sometimes I have borrowed money with the understanding to be returned. 449. Have you given receipts?— No. I consider there was no reason for giving receipts. 450. Do you consider it was Government or private money ?—There was no Government money had come for me ; and if it was Government money, I should have known it. 451. Do you understand that Mr. Worgan gaye this out of his own money ?—When it was given to me by Air. AVorgan he did not say, that is your payment. 452. Do you expect to get anything from Government ?—I do not know ; I have been told frequently that I am to be paid, but not having received any money, 1 am beginning to be doubtful. 453. Have you any tribal connections north of AVanganui ? —Yes. 454. In the action you have been taking in extinguishing Native claims, have you been acting in the interest of the Natives ? —My energies were "on the Government side. 455. Had the Natives any one to watch over their interests?—l am not aware; each individual owner took care of their own interests. 456. Did you consider it was your business to get the land as cheap as you could for the Government? —The Government price was 10s. per acre, and I used my endeavours to get it at that price. 457. Could they have got a higher price from private individuals ? —They could have got very much more. 458. Then why did not they?— The people who owned the land were constantly asking, Where is our land awarded to us by the Court ? Some of them were constantly asking us to buy their land at 10s. per acre. Ido not know why they did not sell their land to private individuals. The evidence on Air. Worgan's side here closed. Mr. AVorgan stated that he desired to address the Court. The Commissioner inquired whether he desired his address to be taken down by the Clerk, or whether he would hand in a written address. It was arranged that, as a reporter was present, his report should be submitted to Air. Worgan for correction, and the published report should be attached to the proceedings of the Commission. A copy of the Wanganui Chronicle, of the 18th November, 1872, is hereby attached accordingly. A. H. Russell. Wellington, 22nd November, 1872. Repobt of the Commissioneb appointed to Inquire into the alleged Misconduct of Mr. G. T. B. Woegan. M_y IT PLEASE YOUE ExCELEENCT, I have the honor to report that, in accordance with your Excellency's Commission addressed to myself and Alajor Edwards, bearing date the 3rd day of September, 1872, and setting forth that allegations of misconduct had been made against George T. Buckland AVorgan, which, if proved against him, would render him unfit to be longer employed by the Government in his present capacity, and requiring us to inquire into all or any such charges of misconduct, after giving the said George T. Buckland AVorgan at least three days' notice thereof—such charges to be accurately stated in writing-—I lost no time in applying to your Excellency's Government for copies of any charges which might have been made against the said George T. Buckland AVorgan. I was however unabl, after frequent applications, both personal and by letter, to obtain them —possibly on account of the pressure of Parliamentary business and the successive changes of Government which occurred at that period. Finding that up to the 18th day of October I was still unfurnished with any definite charges, 1 proceeded to Wanganui, the scene of the alleged misconduct, having been previously furnished by tho Under Secretary with a mass of papers bearing upon the subject. L Tpon perusal of these papers, and on consulting with Major Edwards, I found that he had already sat as member of a Board or Commission, of which, however, the papers furnished to me contained no record, but which appears to have consisted of Alajor Edwards, Air. Robert Pharazyn, and Air. James Booth, which three gentlemen had originally reported to the Government the alleged charges of misconduct against Air. G. T. B. AVorgan. AYe therefore thought it our duty to advise that Major Edwards should not sit upon the Commission, but should rather, as senior officer of the Civil Service at AVanganui, act upon behalf of the Government in bringing forward such charges against G. T. B. AVorgan as the papers which had been referred to me shouid seem to contain. This course having been approved, your Excellency was pleased to accept our resignations of the newr Commission, and to issue a new Commission addressed to myself alone.
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