I.—2a

14

Arama Karaka. Aug. 3,1880.

365. So that the title could not be made complete on that occasion—No ; because a successor had not been appointed for Panapa. 866. And you understood that was the reason this money was kept back ? —Yes, that must hare been the reason; but how were the Maoris to know ? 367. Will you swear still that the amount which you were to receive on that night was £400 ?— That was the money I saw. 368. Is it not the case that the total amount was £1,600 for the two shares—£Boo a share ? —I do not know. 369. And half to be kept back for completion of title ?• —Tes. 370. Do you not know that, out of the £1,600, £100 was taken for the purpose of refunding to Mr. Jones the money paid by him ?—I did not gee the money advanced by that European. That is why I say I know nothing about it. Perhaps Bahui and Hori te More know something about it. 371. And, though you did not see the money, did you not know that money was to be deducted ? —-No. 372. Assuming it to be correct that there was £1,600, and £100 deducted against the two shares, and £800 held over for completion of title, that would be £700 left, would it not ? —I do not know the money paid to that European. 373. (Question repeated) ?—I do not understand about the £100 that was paid to this European. Rahui was not present. Had he been present, the thing might have appeared in a clearer form to us. The £1,600 I have no knowledge of. There were only two shares spoken of at the time. 374. Then I will put it in this way: If you had £800, and £100 was taken away from it, that would leave £700. Is not that correct according to ordinary figures ?—Tes, that is right if it had been so ; but I never received £800. 375. But the half of £700 would be £350, would it not ?—I do not know. 376. Cannot you tell for yourself ? —lf I had got the £700,1 should have been clear enough about it; but, as I did not get it, I do not know. 377. If you had £700 in this room now, and made an equal division of it, would there not be £350 in each division ?—I do not know about that. 378. Why do you not know ? —I should like to see it first. Ido not go upon assumption. 379. Tou have said there was a sum of £25 paid to you by Mr. Nelson ? —Tes. 380. Tou have also said that £25 was paid to Te Hemara ? —Tes. 381. Tou took away this money yourself that evening?—Tes; I took what was given to me, and Te Hemara took his. 382. Where did you stop ?—I went to Mr. Nelson's house, according to his invitation, to have some tea; and after tea we got into a 'bus and came back to town. 383. Tou brought the money back with you ? —Tes. 384. Did you take care of it during the night ?—Tes. 385. Until you took it to the bank ?—That was separate money I took to the bank. It was not a large sum of money, but £25 that I got at Nelson's. 386. Did you not tell the Committee yesterday that at the final payment of this money you took away £400, the amount coming to you ?—Tes. 387. That is correct, then ?—Tes. 388. Now, did you retain possession of this money until you went into the bank next morning ?— Immediately after the receipt of the money, Mr. Nelson and myself went straight to the bank. 389. It' your share had been £350, and £25 was stopped for Te Hemara, and £25 stopped for money paid by Nelson the day before, that would leave £300 ? —No ; I know that it was £400. 390. I want an answer to my question (question repeated) ? —lt was not so. The £25 was separate money given to me for my own use by Mr. Nelson, and £50 was taken out of the £450 on account of the money I had paid for the survey. That left a balance of £400. 391. Supposing you had £350 in your pocket now, and gave £50 of it across the table, how much would you have left ? —-All I know is about the £400. 392. (Question repeated) ? —That is clear enough. If I were to take £50 from £350, and give it to somebody else, it would leave me £300. 393. The money was counted out toyou in the room where it was paid, I believe?' —Tes. 394. And taken by yourself to the bank ?—Tes—with Mr. Nelson. 395. Did you go up with the money and place it on the counter ? —Tes. 396. And did the officer of the bank come and count the money as he does in all similar cases to see how much there was ?—Tes. 397. And then he filled up a paper and said it was for Adam Clark ?—Tes. 398. And that is the paper that you referred to yesterday as the one that you said I asked you to give to me ? —Tes. 399. Now, did you not there and then in the bank sign a document setting forth the amount of money paid in ?—I did not sign my name to anything. 400. I ask you to look at this signature again and tell me on your oath whether it is not your signature signed by you in the bank in the presence of the teller ? —I did not sign the paper in the bank. 401. That you are quite certain of? —I am quite certain that when I got the paper setting forth the money I did not sign. It was not a red piece of paper ; it was white. 402. Do you not know that a person paying money into the bank must sign a bank slip, which the bank keeps for itself ?—Tes, that is right enough; but on this occasion it was not so. Mr. Nelson was the person who remained alongside the counter; I remained away from the counter. 403. Have you not just told us that you saw the money counted by the teller? —Tes ; I saw the money being counted, but I had retreated from the counter. 404. Tou passed the money over the counter ? —Tes. 405. I should like you to think again before replying to the question. Were you not there and