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81. Then, do you think the purpose for which they were surveyed has been met by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company purchasing these sections'?— Well, they became settlers on them. 82. Who were the settlers on them ?—The land company held an area of land there which they were occupying, and it suited them to buy these additional sections. 83. That does not answer the question. You said they were surveyed into small sections because the land was suitable for occupation in small areas: was that purpose met by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company buying the four or five sections ? —I said three or four sections. 84. Well, the four sections V—lf it suited them to do so I do not know of any objection. 85. Was that carrying out the original purpose of surveying them into small sections'? —I do not remember the special circumstances under which these sections were made small. If I were in my office I could tell. I cannot, from recollection, say for what special purpose these sections were surveyed. I cannot say whether the New Zealand and Australian Company's purchase was carrying out the purpose for which the sections were surveyed or not. They might have wanted the land to get a fencing-boundary and to complete their holdings there ; and I think that would be a very legitimate purpose. 86. Was there any declaration made in this case? —Yes; there was the ordinary declaration required under the Act to be made by any person purchasing for cash. 87. Who made the declaration?— Mr. Thomas Bradden made the declaration. 88. With regard to the case mentioned by Mr. McKenzie—the Logan case—you said that Logan's mother held one or two sections?—l said that Logan's mother holds a section ; I did not say " one or two sections." She holds a section. She did hold a section. I think it was originally a pastoral deferred-payment section. 89. Does this run lie near to the run of her son ? —I cannot tell you ; it is in the neighbourhood. 90. Does Logan's mother reside on the run?— Yes; she has resided there from the very beginning. Ido not think she has ever been away from it. She has made first-class improvements on the section. All these people are excellent settlers. 91. Does the son live on the same section as the mother?—He lives on his own section, I think. If he has got a section of his own he lives on it. I think he is married now. 92. Do any other relations of Logan live on another section ? —Mrs. Logan has a daughter married to a gentleman who has got a separate run, and he lives on it. 93. Does each holder live upon a run ?—Yes. 94. You are sure of that ? —Yes. He carries out the system to the letter. 95. Mr. Cowan.] In your experience of the administration of the present land-laws, have you any suggestions to make as to a remedy —as to the possibility of dummyism being checked in future?-—I think the Board has ample powers to deal with it under the present Act—under the Act of 1885—so far as land purchased or leased on settlement conditions are concerned. 96. As far as land-purchasing settlement conditions are concerned, you have no suggestions to offer towards increasing those powers if deemed necessary ?—No; there are very ample powers. 97. From your answers to-day, I gather that you know of no dummyism having taken place in Otago, except what has been the result of a man making a false declaration ? —Well, of course, every man who is a dummy must have made a false declaration. If he has made a declaration that he has taken up the land for his own use and occupation, and if he has not so taken it up, but has done so in the interest of another man, who is to have the benefit of the land, that man has made a false declaration. 98. But under the present law that is the only manner in which dummyism can exist: I gather this from your statement ?—lt follows as a certain consequence of dummyism that the man must have made a false declaration. It follows, as a matter of course, if a man is what is known as a dummy—that is to say, acting in the interest of another person, and occupying land for the benefit of another person—he must have made a false declaration, for the Act requires a declaration that he has taken up land for his own sole use and benefit, and not directly or indirectly for the benefit of any other person. 99. Have there been sufficient areas of land open for settlement in Otago since the passing of the Act of 1887 ? —Yes ; settlement has very considerably advanced. 100. Has the quantity been sufficient to meet the demands?— Yes, generally, I think so. There has not been much demand for land within the last two years. 101. When a block has been opened, are the number of applications largely in excess of the sections opened ?—Yes; there is an anxiety on the part of bond fide settlers to make their chances greater of getting their sections. As I said before, they get members of their families to put in an application for the same section, so that, instead of one chance, they may have several chances of getting a section. There is not a great number of different persons having different interests applying for the same land. 102. Then, as far as you know, it has not been the practice to make these applications for purposes of speculation?—No; distinctly not in Otago. There might be a rare case or two, but the great majority of them have all been for bond fide settlement. 103. You consider the powers conferred on the Waste Lands Board are sufficient to enable you to deal with applications which might be made in the interest of speculation ?—Yes; as far as regards land applied for under conditions of settlement of some kind. 104. I understood you to say before that it was the practice of the Board not to grant transfers until the applicant had complied with the conditions of residence: was that correct ?—Yes; all other conditions required by the Act. 105. You say that applications for transfer are not permitted immediately after the sale ?—No,