I.—2a

29

828. Were the doors of your office shut at the time ?—I am certain that the door was not locked. I believe it was open. 829. How many doors are there in the office ?—One leads into the passage, and one into the clerk's room. S3O. The doors were not both shut? —I am almost certain that the door in the passage was open. 831. Then she had no friend or adviser with her ?—I was not her enemy ; but she had no one to advise her. 832. Tou were the solicitor of her opponent in the action ? —Yes. Sir G. Grey : That is all. 833. Mr. Mohi Tawhai.] Did the sale of the whole block take place after you asked Eora to sign the paper ?—No ; before. 834. Tou have stated in your evidence that you think the 350 acres were included in the whole block? —I understood the final sale settled the whole question. 835. Now, what reason had you for asking Eora to sign the document ?—I asked her if she had any objection to doing so. 836. You say that Wi Eangirangi signed his name to the deed. For what piece of land did he sign his name? —He signed simply as Eora's husband. Ido not know that he had a piece of land of his own. 837. Did he sign his name for the block that was purchased for the £17,500, or specially for the 350 acres? —He signed his name for the whole block, except for the reserve made by arrangement between the Natives aud the purchasers. I believe an arrangement to that effect was made by the deed. 838. Was that the reserve you just mentioned, which Mr. Sutton was to give Paora Nonoi ? —I thought it was in lieu of that. 839. Mr. Seddon.] Did you ever ask Davie to sign that deed, or tho original deed, as executor under Paora Nonoi's will ?—I had nothing to do with that deed. x 840. To your knowledge, has he ever been asked to sign ? —Of that I do not know. 841. Was this woman's husband aware of the conversation you had with her ?—She might have told him. lam not aware. There was nothing to prevent her. 842. But he was the principal ? —I think that she was the principal. 843. In an action brought by a man and his wife, is the wife regarded as the principal ? —I think she was bringing the action in her own right, as she gave the ground for action. At any rate, Wi Eangirangi knew nothing about the affair, so far as I was aware. 844. Colonel Trimble.] In Mr. Eees's hearsay evidence that was given the other day it was stated that Eora's husband was outside the office door and attempted to get into the house during the interview. Is there any truth in that ? —I am certain that it is not true. 845. Was there no attempt made to open the door ? —Ko. 846. Had Eora any children in the office? —None, that I can recollect. It was a very quiet conversation altogether. 847. Are you sure the children were not in the room. Try and recollect ? —I think I should remember. lam almost positive that she had no children with her. I think I would have remembered if she had had children with her. Maori children brought into an office would have been looking at everything, and wandering about the room. lam certain that she had no children with her at the time. 848. Was there noise outside ?—No noise whatever. 849. Do you know when Paora's will was proved ?—lt has not been proved. It ought to have been proved long ago. 850. Did you have no legal knowledge of the will ?—Yes. I knew of that will. Davie had left it in the hands of my then partner, Mr. Lee. That is all I know in reference to the will. Davie was away for a pretty long time. I think lam right in saying that Davie came back after the settlement with Messrs. Watt and Farmer, and then sprang the will. 851. Did you hear anything of the will previous to that settlement ? —I had heard of it. I did not take any particular notice of it. lam sorry that it did not occur to me that the will was in existence. One does not, however, remember every document one sees. When Davie came back I heard Mr. Lee speak about the will, and then I thought that Watt and Farmer had not as good a title as they expected. It was after his return that I remembered about this will. 852. Do you know why he left the will with your partner ?—No. Not for probate. 853. Not for probate? —Merely for safe custody. I think Davie says that he left it with me ; but I believe it was left with Mr. Lee. Will you let me look at it? [Will handed to witness.] Yes, Mr. Lee's name is on the back of it. I see it is noted in the handwriting of his clerk, Ashton. 854. Do you know, from your own knowledge, that it was not left for probate?—lf it had been, there would have been affidavits prepared to prove it. lam certain that it was not left for probate. 855. Are you quite sure that it was left for safe keeping only ? —That is my recollection. lam perfectly certain that I had no instruction for probate. 856. There was some talk about Eora being afraid of Mr. Sutton. Did she seem afraid of Mr. Sutton during this interview?—No ; she frequently laughed and smiled during the conversation, and seemed in no way alarmed. 857. Did Mr. Sutton bring her in by the arm ? —No ; he came in, and when he got inside he said, " Here's Eora," aud I think I am right in saying that he put his head out of the door and beckoned to Eora to come. 858. You did not hear her resist in any way ? —No. 859. She was not brought in by the arm? —No. 860. Did she exhibit any sign of alarm or terror, or seem to be under the slightest influence ?— No ; not the slightest. S6l. Did she name any sum of money? —She coaxed, if I might use the expression. I said, " No, that would not do at all." The only sum of money mentioned was " c rima hereni." I know very little Maori.

Mr. Cornford,

21st Nov., 2879.