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1613. Do you know whether it influenced the Land Purchase Officer in any way ?—I never saw Mr. Brewer, and never knew of it having any influence. 1614. Did you ever hear that it influenced him in any way?—No, I never heard that. 1615. Mr. Barren.] You positively swear that you never discussed the nature of that offer before or after the valuation was made ? —I never referred to it; most decidedly, I never referred to it at all. He told me that he had an offer, and, stating the offer given by himself, he asked me what I thought of it. I answered, "The property is your own; you ought to be the best judge." 1616. Mr. Dargaville.j Was there anything in that conversation to inform Stark that the offer came from you ?—Nothing. 1617. Mr. Barron.] But you told us that he had been in the habit of consulting you?— Yes. 1618. And you never hesitated to advise him except in this case ?—I did not say that, 1619. Dr. Newman.] When did Mr. Stark put this property in your hands for sale ? —Never at all. 1620. When did he say that he would never sell this property except through you ?—I do not think that was the answer I gave the Committee the other day. 1621. When did he say he would never sell except it passed through your hands?—l do not. think that was the answer either: it was the time of the proposal to sell to Eoss. 1622. When he said that, did you not ask him the price at which he was ready to sell ?—No, I did not ask him the price. 1623. Is it a usual thing to have property for sale and not to ask the seller the price ?—He did not put the property into my hands for sale. 1624. Did he not say he would not sell except through you?—He said he would not deal with the property without consulting me. 1625. Were you on friendly terms with Stark ?—Yes ; very. 1626. You knew that he wanted to sell this property ? —I did not know anything of the kind. 1627. Did he not say that he would put it through your hands ? —He said he would not deal with the property without consulting me. 1628. Mr. Montgomery.] Following up the questions put by Dr. Newman, I would like to ask if you consider that it was a right thing to do—when you were in confidential relations with Stark, and that you got assurance that he would consult you before disposing of the property, was it a right thing to make an offer to other persons, instead of negotiating with him direct, because you were virtually his agent ?—I felt that I was at liberty to purchase, if he chose to sell. 1629. Why did you not negotiate with him direct ?—The fact is, if I make an offer over there the fact of my making the offer enhances the value. For the last two years it was useless for me to make an offer :it is useless for me to deal with property myself. I buy through an agent.

Wednesday, 21st July, 1886. Hon. B. Eiohakdson sworn and re-examined. 1630. Mr. Dargaville.] The particular point with regard to which you were sent for to be examined is that part of Mr. Brewer's evidence in which he has stated that, so far as he can remember, he only had two interviews with you on the subject of this purchase of Mr. Stark's property. In your evidence you stated that you had, I think, several long interviews with Mr. Brewer. Do you remember that part of your evidence ?—I do not know about several long interviews. 1631. I should like to know whether you are clear that, between the latter end of December and the Ist January, when you went to the Waikato, and the dats of the final offer that you made to Mr. Stark for the purchase of the property, you had more than two interviews with Mr. Brewer ?—Of course ; lam perfectly clear that I had more than two interviews. I have it in a sort of rough diary —a little pocket-book in which lam in the habit of putting down the people I have seen during the day —and which I have looked up since giving evidence. I can fix the dates on which I had some four interviews with Mr. Brewer, at any rate. The first interview I had with Mr. Brewer —indeed I believe the first time I ever saw him in my life—was when he called upon me with Mr. Stark at the hotel at which I was stopping. Afterwards, either that afternoon or the next morning —I think it was that afternoon : his name appears in my note-book on the line between the two days—l drove up to the ministerial office and sent for him, and had a long interview with him on the same day. That was the second interview. Then, when I returned from Waiwera, on the Monday following, I had an interview with him, and gave him instructions what to do—to get me what information he could while I was away. That was interview No. 3. When I came back from the Waikato I had another interview with him, and instructed him to put in writing what he had told me; and, having consulted my colleagues in the meantime, and having got several valuations, I had made up my mind what to do. That was interview No. 4. Then, I had another interview with him on the morning before I left Auckland; and I believe there was another one between the two. 1632. Were these four interviews previous to your having made the written offer ?—All the four interviews were previous to having made the written offer of the 20th January. 1633. Mr. Brewer states that his -report to you of the 20th January was brought in to you at half-past ten o'clock in the morning. I think he said it was brought in by himself ?—Then that would be interview No. 5. 1634. Your written offer to Mr. Stark is dated the 20th January. Was that written before half-past ten in the morning or after, as far as you remember ?—lt was written after the interview in which I told Mr. Brewer to put his information in writing in a letter to me. My impression is that I wrote the offer to Mr. Stark on the evening of the 19th, before I left the office, having made up my mind what to do; in that case it was probably signed the next morning.