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either case. Mr. Williamson, on oath, told the Board that Dore, a shepherd at Cottesbrook, told him (Williamson) that he (Dore) had been asked to take up a pastoral deferred-payment section for the company of Gellibrand and Co., on the Silver Peaks. Instead of Mr. Pogson asking Mr. Bradshaw if Mr. Bearsall could transfer his license to another, it should be that Mr. Gellibrand asked Mr. Bradshaw that question ; and I may here state that I heard Mr. Gellibrand, within forty-eight hours of the sale, in the presence of Mr. Pearsall and another whose name I do not know, ask Mr. Bradshaw if the license could be transferred from Pearsall to the other man; Mr. Bradshaw replied that he would consider the question and give an answer at 10 o'clock a.m. next day. 6th July, 1883. J. Geeen.

Tuesday, 24th July, 1883. Mr. Geoege William Pogson, examined on oath. 12. The Chairman.] You are manager of the station properties of William Gellibrand and Co. ? —Yes. 12a. How long have you been so?— About sixteen years. 13. What are the special runs over which you have control?— There were Euns 307, 39b, 218, 121 a, 121b, and part of 20, that is now a museum endowment. 13a. Are you a partner in the firm?— Yes ; at the present time. 14. Were you present at the sale of a portion of these lands at Dunedin; on the 28th February last ?—Yes ; part of the time. 14a. Do you know Charles Webb, one of the purchasers? —Yes. 15. What was he before that time ?—A bullock-driver. 15a. By whom employed?—Gellibrand and Co. 16. Is he still in their employment? —Well, he is rabbiting at the present time. You may say he is still in their employment as a rabbiter. 16a. Do you know Philip Young?—l saw him; but Ido not know him. 17. From your knowledge of Charles Webb, do you think he was in a position to take up a large area of land on his own account?—He did it. 17a. The firm did not help him ?—Yes ; the firm did assist him with money. 18. Phillip and William Young and William Free, do you know them ?—Not personally. I saw them two or three times previous to the sale. 18a. Where ?—ln Dunedin. 19. Where first ?—ln the street, I think. 19a. Do you know Daniel McEwen Fisher ?—Yes. 20. Where is his residence ?—At the present time he is employed on a claim called the Sutton Eace, in the Strath-Taieri. 20a. Whereabouts is that ?—lt is on one of the Cottesbrook runs, close to the junction of the Sutton. 21. Has this man also been in the employ?— Yes ; but for a short time. 21a. Is he in the employ of the company now?— No. 22. Well, but in yours ?—He is partly employed by myself. The claim belongs to the company. 22a. Then, virtually he is in the employment of the company ?—Yes, virtually. 23. From your knowledge, is he in a position to take up a large property of 2,000 acres?—l cannot tell you what are his means. 24. Was he also assisted by the company with money in this purchase ?—Yes. 25. Do you know Thomas Johnston?—Yes. 26. He purchased a piece also, did he not ?—He bid for it. I cannot say that he purchased. None of them purchased, because they have not yet got their licenses. They bid for it, and paid their deposits. He was declared the purchaser, and paid his deposit. 27. What is Johnston's vocation ? —I hardly know. Some time ago he had bullock teams, and has for some years done contract work for me. Since he bought this land he has been rabbiting on it and near it. 28. What are his means?—l do not know for certain. 29. Well, was he in a position to buy 2,800 acres? Was he assisted by the firm?— Yes. 30. There is James Pearsall—4,ooo acres ? —I do not know anything about his means. 31. Do you know Joseph McCaw?—Yes; he is a rabbiter on the run. 32. How long had he been so?— About two or three years. 33. You cannot tell us if he was in a position to make the purchase he did?— No. 34. Was he assisted by the firm ?—Yes. 35. Phillip and William Young, William Free, and James Pearsall all come from Tasmania?—l believe so. __36. Can you tell us whether the purchasers whose names you have stated, and who were assisted by the firm, made their applications voluntarily, or were they urged to by the firm—by yourself, or any one else?— They were certainly not urged. 37. Were they asked to do it? Who asked that you should assist them?— Most of them spoke to me, I believe. 38. They were asked by you to buy the land and you would assist them?—No; they asked me if I would assist them. 39. My question was whether you asked them? —No, I did not; they asked me. 40. Were they aske.d by any other member of the firm?— Not to my knowledge. 41. Matheson, did"" he buy on your run?—No; he was a shepherd of mine. He bought on Deepdell, one of the adjoining runs. 42. There was a sale of the land at Silver Peak some years ago, was there not ?—Yes; I think it was in April, 1880.