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Rev. S. Williams. „ 14th Nov., 18</.

175. Do you know if the schoolhouse at Pakowai is now used in any way ?—I have heard a report, but I do not know of mv own knowledge. 17(J j t is not use d"f or educational purposes ?—No. 177. How many of these Natives, who gave evidence before the Legislative Council, are interested in the land at Te Aute ?—Te Hapuku is the only one. 178. He resides withiu a short distance of tho school?—About five miles off. The others reside at distances varying from twenty to forty miles. 179. Te Hapuku would probably see more of the conduct of the school than any of the others?— Tes. None of the others have ever visited the school to my knowledge, though I have tried to induce them to do .so. 180. Te Hapuku said before the Legislative Council that ho could not say whether the children were put to menial employment. He would know if they were, would he not?— Certainly. He iB often at Te Aute. 181. Mr. Swanson.] I see in your evidence that you refer to Air. Wm. Grace, "of Mr. Russell's Repudiation Office." 1 suppose you had some purpose in making use of that term, and I should like to have a definition of the meaning of it ?—lt is a term usually applied to a certain office in Napier. I may say I first heard the term from Air. Henry Russell himself. He told me in 1869. 182. Never mind what he told you. AVill you tell me what you meant by the term ? Of course, we have heard a great deal about " repudiation "in the House; it is an ugly term, and I want to know what you meant to convey when you used the term ?—I can give you the ordinary English meaning of the word. IS3. Do you mean to say that undesirable practices are carried on iv that office?—I leave others to judge on that point. 184. Will you give us your idea of what the term means as you applied it?—l believe it is a term of opprobrium as regards Air. Sheehan and others.—If I had originated the term, I should have been able to tell you what it meant, but I did not. I got it from Air. Russell. 185. AVhat do you want me to understand by the term?—It is a term which is applied to a certain office in Napier. 186. Did you use the term as a slur?—I do not pretend to give an interpretation. I spoke of the office as it is known. It is known as the Repudiation Office. 187. Has it got "Repudiation Office" written over the door?—I have not looked at the name over the door. 188. Upon my word it seems very strange you cannot give a straightforward answer. Well, perhaps you will tell us how you got hold of the name?—I heard it from Air. Russell in 1869. He one day said to me, "I am now going in for a general repudiation movement. lam going to put the natives up to repudiate every single transaction that they can possibly get out of. A certain person has taken upon himself to make remarks about me. The community has sympathised with him, and I mean to make them smart for it." 189. Mr. Murray.] Are you in the habit of working land adjoining the Te Aute Estate ?—Tes. 19u. Then, I suppose the servants injour employ work backwards and forwards on the estate? — Tes. 191. It must have been difficult in that case to keep a statement of accounts?—lt is only since I have leased the estate that the properties have been worked as a whole. 192. Mr. Sutton.] Is not the term "Repudiation Office" the name by which a certain office in Napier is known ?—I have seldom heard it called by any other name. 193. Do you think if a letter was posted addressed to " the Repudiation Office, Napier," it would find its way to the office you allude to ?—-Tes. 194. Mr. Seaton.] Do you not think it is a term of reproach ?—lt is the name by which the office is known. 195. The Chairman.] I think you might answer the question "Tes" or "No?"—In using the term before the Legislative Council Committee I think I may say that I did not mean it as a term of reproach, but merely for the purpose of indicating from where Mr. Grace came. 196. Mr. Richardson.] Supposing a stranger were to meet you in the streets of Napier, and asked to be shown to the Repudiation Office, would you merely think he was using a slang term without meaning to be offensive ?—Tes.