51

I.—2a

1519. Is there no entry on the 31st August r —Tes. (Diary referred to.) The day seems ro have been spent principally in Napier, cashing money-orders, attending to some writs, paying away money. I see nothing else on that date. From the whole of the entries from the 29th August, I appear to have been in Napier the whole time. 1520. Mr. Ormond.] When is the next entry after that ? —The 14th September. 1521. Where were you on the 14th September?—l must have been in Napier. Then, I see, on the 14th September I have this entry : " Furnished account to Sutton re Waipawa." 1522. Colonel Trimble.] The petition states that the things complained of took place about the 29th August?—l may have left on the 31st August. Manifestly I must have left in the afternoon. All this business that seems to have been done on that date could not have been done in a few hours. I see an entry here on the 27th July: " Received notice from Fannin, Native Land Court to sit at Waipawa." That would fix the date of the Native Land Court; so, if I left Napier to be present on the Ist September, I must have left on the 31st August. 1523. Sir G. Grey.] Can you ascertain from your diary the date on which the Native Land Court sat at Waipawa?—Yes. 1524. What was the date ? —lst September. 1525. Were you in Napier on the 31st August ? —Tes. 152(5. Did you transact business there that day? —I did. 1527. Will you state the nature of the business as far as you can ? —Well, briefly, it appears to have been money business of my own. I seem to have been making some arrangements for getting money, for 1 cashed an order for fifty pounds and one for a hundred pounds—probably making some monetary preparations. 1528. Did you attend the Land Court at Waipawa ? —Tes, I did. 1529. When did you probably leave Napier for the purpose of proceediug to Waipawa ? —Probably on the 31st August or Ist September. I should say in all likelihood that I left on the 31st August. 1530. What was the probable time of day on which you left Napier for Waipawa ?—Well, it would appear from the nature of the business I was about that I left in the afternoon —after dinner. 1531. On whose account were you obtaining money in Napier ?—On my own account —on my own private business. 1532. Did you cash the orders ?—Tes, it looks like it. I cashed an order of Mr. Campbell's for fifty pounds with Kinross, and drew also one hundred pounds from the Bank of New Zealand from my own banking account. 1533. Then you must have gone on in the night to Waipawa ? —That is not a seqnitur. Ido not say so. Ido not think it is likely. 1534. How long would it take you to go from Paora's pa to Waipawa ? —About the same time it would take me to go from Davie's. Tes ;in fact, it would take a little longer, because Paora's place was out of the way —it was some way round. 1535. How many hours do you think ?—I should have ridden from Pukahu to Waipawa in four or five hours comfortably, and probably stop here and there along the road. I could possibly do the journey in four hours. 153(5. And how many hours would it take you to go from Napier to Paora's pa ? —1 suppose about three hours. 1537. Mr. Ormond.] I would only ask Worgan now if he remembers anything about Mr. Morrison, whose name has been mentioned ? —No, I do not. The diary has not at all assisted me in that direction. 1538. Do you remember anything more than you have stated before in reference to your interview with Paora at the whare ?—-No, I have no further remembrance. My recollection of the interview with Paora consists in the fact of his signing the deed. That is the principal thing that weighs on my recollection. 1539. Do you remember whether or not you spent an evening at Fountain's—the same time you had the meeting with Paora ? —I should not like to say anything positive about it. Judging from the circumstances of the work, it looks as if I rode out to Coleman's house from Napier on the 31st— either ridden or driven out —but that I cannot say with any certainty. I wish I had my other diary. 1540. Where can the other book be ? —lt was in my possession at Wanganui. I have kept these diaries carefully. They have been of great use to people at various times, and Ido not think any of them are likely to be lost. I took a great deal of trouble to get the books here; but, to show how perverse things are, my little girl writes on the 14th that there was no steamer to send the books by before, and adds, as the " Manawatu " was leaving she would send them. 1541. Then the book is on its way?—Tes, probably. 1542. Mr. ReesY Were you in the habit of making up your diary as you did the work every <lay, or in the afternoon ?—I think I did both. Occasionally, after a thing was done I put it down in tho ofiice, if I was about. Sometimes I would put it down in the evening. 1543. Will you see if, by the writing, all the entries on the 31st were made from time to time, or in the afternoon ?—The entries are in varied-coloured inks. 1544. Then they were pretty well made from time to time through the day ?—Tes. 1545. Do you see anything about any powers of attorney, or papers of Davie, immediately about that time ?—I see that on the 30th I had some business with George Davie about a will and a power of attorney. I lent him my horse and saddle on that day. 1546. Anything more? —I only see an entry here to the effect that on the 30th I had an interview with Davie on the subject of the power of attorney and will. 1547. Are you aware whether the power of attorney and will had any relation to Paora ?—No ; I cannot say. There is nothing here to show. 1548. Supposing this power of attorney and will had anything to do with Paora Nonoi's affairs, would it have been natural or likely for you to converse with Davie about Paori Nonoi ?—Oh, yes ! I think so. 1549. Would it have been probable, then, that Davie would have learned that you were going to

Mr. IVorrn.l. .Blli Nov., 1*7.1.