19

I.—2a

514. What offer was made to Paora ?—An offer was made to Paora. They said, " Here, Paora, is £15 for you." Paora would not agree. 515. Was there no offer of any other payment or agreement to strike off a debt? —No. 516. Then was there no inducement offered for him to resign the whole of his share and only keep 350 acres. Was there no inducement offered him ? —Yes. The 350 acres and the £15. 517. Was there no argument offered why he should part with the whole of his share, aud only keep a portion and the £15 ? —Paora never agreed to the sale of his share. 513. I am not asking about that, but about the offer of tho people who came to purchase?—■ All they spoke about was that he should sell his share, and that the 350-acre reserve was to be for him. 519. What was he to sell his share for ?—I do not know what the Europeans wanted to get him to sell his share for. The reason they gave us was, that all the other grantees had sold, and he was the remaining one. 520. Is it possible than an offer could have been made to him without your hearing it ? —I did not hear any offer made. 521. That is not an answer to my question. Could an offer have been made without your hearing it. If an offer had been made would you have heard it ? —Had any other arrangement been made I would have heard it. 522. How was that ? Were you near Paora the whole time ? —Tes ; I was close to Paora. 523. For the live hours that they were there? —Yes; all the time we were very near each other. We were all close together in the house. 524. Did you sleep during the time the people were there ? —No, I did not sleep. 525. You will state positively that it was not one hour after sundown that these people came to the pa?—lt was midnight when they came. 526. You are quite positive that they did not leave one hour after their arrival?— They were a long time there trying to persuade Paora. 527. You are quite sure that it was not two hours after they came that they left ? —They arrived there at midnight. 528. Was Eora the only one who drank more spirits than was good for her, or that was under the influence of spirits? —She did not drink such a great deal. The bottle was emptied by all who were there, with the exception of Paora and myself. 529. Did Eora have more than any other person?— They all drank about the same. 530. Was Eora under the iniiuenco of liquor ? —No. 531. AVas any one under the influence of liquor ?—There was one old man who got intoxicated ; but he was a very old man. 532. Do you know how many glasses he had, as you know how many Eora had ?—That old man had live glasses. That was Eeihana te Ikatahi. 533. Then how many Natives were there who drank? —My husband; Eora, and her husband; Eeihana, and his wife ; and Paora's wife. 534. How much liquor was there ? —I do not know how* many glasses they all had. 535. Was there more than one bottle? —There was only one bottle; a bottle of brandy. 536. Mr. Lundon.] When Natives get drunk will they not, as a rule, sign, anything ?—On this occasion there was no signing. Some Maoris will sign ; but these did not. 537. Colonel Trimble.] 1 want to know if you saw Mr. Sutton and Worgan at Paora's house on any other occasion ? —No. 538. Nor either of them? —No ; I did not. 539. Mr. Rees.] Could the deed have beeu interpreted to Paora, and could he have signed it without the people in the whare seeing that ? —If it had been read over to Paora we would have seen and heard it. 540. Mr. Mohi Tawhai.] What was the distance between Mr. Sutton's house and Paora's place ? — I do not know the distance from Napier to the bridge pa. 541. Have you no idea whether it was far or near ? —A long distance separates the two places. 542. Do you know whether they brought the bottle of spirits along with them to drink on the road, as the way was so long ? —I believe they brought the bottle of spirits for Paora to drink, to confuse his mind. 513. Did you see Mr. Sutton and Worgan arrive at Paora's place? —Yes. We were all at one house. I saw them arrive. 541. Could you have seen whether this bottle, that was brought by Mr. Sutton and Worgan, had had anything taken out of it? —No ; it had not been opened. There was a seal on the top. 545. When that bottle was given to the Maoris did the Europeans drink anything of it? —No, they did not. " 546. When they arrived there did you not, according to Maori custom, go outside anywhere to get them food?— No. I did not go out because my child had beeu only tsvo days born. 517. Mr. S Hon.] Did you see me write, the paper m reference to the 350 acres ? —The paper had been all prepared aud written when you arrived. 548. Are you quite certain it was not written in the whare ? —Yes. When you came with the paper to Paora the conteuts had been already written. 519. Do you mean the contents of this paper before us, or the deed? —Tho paper making mention of the 350 acres, which Eora agreed to and 1 agreed to. I did not see you doing any writing. 550. Were both the papers explained by Worgan?—George Worgan said to Paora, "This is the paper in which you agree to sell your share." The paper waa not interpreted to him. He was asked to sign his name. 551. The paper-writing for tho 350 acres, was that interpreted to Paora?—lt was explained to Paora; but it had been already written out before the thing was explained. 552. Was it written in English or Maori? —I did not see the.paper. I could not tell whether it was in Maori .or English.

Wiripine Wera* hiko.

19th Nov., 1879.