a—2.

956. Did you receive these telegrams before the Board met ?—Tes. 957. Were they all laid before the Board ? —Tes. 958. What took place at the Board upon consideration of these telegrams ?—The following is a minute of the proceedings : " 25th March: The Board met, by notice of the Chief Commissioner, at 4 o'clock p.m. Present: The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Messrs. Crompton, Kelly, aud Syme. The Chairman read a telegram from the Colonial Treasurer requesting him to convene an emergency meeting of the Board this day; also, two telegrams from the same, asking that the Board would arrange for the sale of the Waimate Plains in about six weeks' time. A plan of portions of the survey of the Waimate Survey District (the survey of which was completed and ready for sale), was laid on the table, and the Board proceeded to classify the lands. Mr. Kelly moved, and Mr. Crompton seconded, Tbat, in accordance with the provisions of section 38 of the Land Act of 1877, the undermentioned lands be classified as rural land: (here follows the description), —Carried. Mr. Kelly moved, Mr. Syme seconded, That the under-mentioned land be classified as suburban lands: (here follows the description). —Carried. Mr. Kelly moved, Mr. Crompton seconded, That the under-mentioned land be classified as town land: (here follows the description). —Carried. The Chairman asked that the Board approve of the draft notice of sale. Mr. Crompton moved, Mr. Syme seconded, That this Board approves of the draft notice of sale of the Waimate Plains as laid before them.-—Carried." 959. Did you communicate that resolution of the Board to the Government ? —I sent the following telegram to the Colonial Treasurer: "25th March, 1879. —The Board has unanimously agreed to the draft advertisement as telegraphed by you, first classifying the land as required by the Land Act. Will forward resolution of classification by mail." 960. How long was this after the surveyors had been turned off the Waimate Plains ? —The following day. 961. Were the Board aware, at that meeting, of the fact of the Natives having turned off the surveyors?—Tes; perfectly aware of it. The Board considered this a political act of the Government, and therefore did not take any action beyond passing the resolution asked for. 962. Tou have said, in a previous answer, that the Board had refrained from interfering with the action of the Government during the whole course of the survey, although there was no legal power under " The Land Act, 1877" to take that course ; and that they refrained on account of the Native difficulties. Did it not strike the Board that there was a difficulty in the way of offering land for sale in a block from which the Natives had just turned off the surveyors ?—Tes. 963. And did not the Board tako that difficulty into consideration before determining to agree to the request of the Government? —Not officially. There is no record of what took place, but there was considerable conversation over it. What seemed to guide the Board was this : that, in such a crisis, nothing should be done to hamper any course the General Government might take or deem necessary. 964. But, as the Land Board had left all previous transactions in the hands of the Government, why did they not also leave this one? —Because they considered that the Government, in forwarding these urgent telegrams, were actually taking all responsibility out of the hands of the Board. The Board was doing what was necessary to give legal effect to the wishes of the Government; but the members regarded it as part of a political act of the Government, which might perhaps have seemed to the Ministry to be rendered necessary by the crisis in Native affairs. 965. Did you have any written communication with the Government after the meeting of the Board ? —Tes ; I sent the resolutions in a letter on the 26th March, and on the 28th I received the following telegram: " Waimate Plains. Have you despatched classification of deferred payments of special Native lands? If so, what date? Please wire numbers of sections and blocks Board recommend for deferred payment; also prices fixed.—ll. J. H. Eliott." 966. What answer did you send to that ? —I sent this answer the same day: " 28th March: Classification of Waimate by Board was simply the division into rural, suburban, and town land required by 38th section of ' Land Act, 1877.' Tou will receive it to-morrow by steamer which left here yesterday. Board could not recommend any sections for deferred payments, as Colonial Treasurer, in his telegram of 25th March, instructed me, 'The lists of deferred-payment and imme-diate-payment sections, also Native and other reserves, will be submitted for the consideration of the Board shortly. Meanwhile, it is important that the proposed preliminary advertisement should be published at once.' In your telegram of same date, you also say, 'Proportion of land to be sold on deferred payments will be suggested hereafter.' Meanwhile, I must point out that it is urgently required that lands should be priced, distinguishing between cash and deferred payments, by the 4th or sth April at the latest, or the sale cannot be held on the 6th May, tbe Act requiring not less than one month's notice. Hence my urgent telegram on the 25th, sent before receipt of Colonial Treasurer's telegram as to deferred payments' proportion, as I wish to act in this important matter only strictly in accord with the views of Government, and not to hazard any step without instructions.— C. D. Whitcombe, Commissioner Crown Lands." 967. Did any further communication take place on your part before the publication of the advertisement ? —Not before that preliminary advertisement. That does not enter into the details. 968. Was the preliminary advertisement at once published ? —lt was published immediately, by order of the Board, in New Plymouth ; but I was informed from Wellington that the Minister had sent the advertisement to Australia and throughout New Zealand. 969. Did you make any communication to the Government on the subject of Native reserves ?—On the 2nd April, 1879, I sent an urgent telegram to the Under-Secretary of Crown Lands as follows: " Have schedules of Native reserves on Waimate Block, details of cash and deferred-payment sections, with prices, &c, been forwarded ? Matter very urgent. Board must meet and price on the sth instant at the very latest, or the sale cannot be held on 6th May. —C. D. Whitcombe." 970. Did you get any answer to that telegram ? —The answer was : "2nd April: Waimate Plains. Will you convene meeting Board at once, and inform it that Government have decided to open about one-third of the land on deferred payments, and proclamation will issue under 53rd section Land Act in to-morrow's Gazette. Government wish remaining two-thirds sold by auction, as land of special 9-G. 2,

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