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998. Recently?—l came to Wellington first. Williams came afterwards. 999. Williams, you say, interpreted your evidence to the lawyers?— Yes. 1000. Did they put their questions to you through Williams?— Yes; I made a statement. 1001. To Williams ?—To Williams and to the lawyers. 1002. Williams interpreted your evidence to the lawyers'? —Yes. Mr. Bell: I understood Mr. Sinclair to state that he believed Williams was employed and paid by the Natives. Mr. Sinclair : I did not say that he was " paid." 1003. Mr. Bell] Have you paid any money to Williams for his services ?—No. 1004. Have you agreed to pay him anything ?—No. 1005. Have any others of the Natives paid him anything?— No. 1006. Not at any time ?—No. 1007. Not for travelling-expenses or anything?— No. 1008. Before the Public Trustee was appointed, wdio got the rents of Otauto? —We obtained it ourselves. 1009. Which of you, or how many of you?—We looked on Taurua as the head of the tribe, and the lessees used to pay the money to him. 1010. What did Taurua do with it ?—He divided it among the owners of the land. 1011. The whole of it?— Yes. 1012. Did he give any of it to the women ?—Yes. 1013. And to the children ?—To the grown-up children. 1014. What did he do with the money that belonged to the children ?—He set apart a small amount for the children—£l a head. 1015. What has become of this money that was set apart for the children?— The children never see any money now; but when we received the rents ourselves we could let them see what was their share. 1016. What has become of the money you let the children see ?—They have eaten it. 1017. Who gave it to them? —The person that received the money. 1018. Who was that ?—Taurua. 1019. How do you know that ? —I saw it with my own eyes. I saw him give it. 1020. On each occasion ?—Yes ; to the children belonging to the tribe. 1021. Did Taurua decide how much was to be kept for the children ?—There was none of it locked up : it was given to the child's parents to take care of. 1022. Did Taurua decide how much was to be given to the children or parents?— Yes. 1023. And how much the women were to get ? —Yes; Taurua decided for the whole of the people that owned the land that was leased. 1024. He decided how much was to go to each woman ?—Yes. 1025. Did the women have any say in it ? —Yes. 1026. Did they get as much as they wanted?— Yes. 1027. Mr. Sinclair.] With regard to the meeting at Taiporehenui in reference to my succeeding to Mr. Rennell, was it only that I should take the management of their petition—that I should draw up the petition that was referred to ?—lt was to the conduct of the petition they referred. 1028. Mr. Stewart.] Was their objection to the Arbitration Court because the Natives did not understand the functions of such a Court, or was it that the work which the Arbitration Court had to do was work which they should not undertake ? Did you understand what the arbitrators meant to do when objecting to what they proposed to do ? —We objected because we thought we were safer without them. 1029. Did you know what they meant to do ? —All that we understood was that if they decided about the matter they would extend the leases to thirty years. 1030. You say that when these leases were granted the tenants were to go out without compensation : did that apply to all leases ?—That was the case with all the leases which we let to Europeans. 1031. The value of the improvements was not a question at all ?—No. 1032. How came you to attend the Court: did you get notice to attend?—l received a notice, but I did not know what it contained, for it was in the English language. I went to Europeans to ask about it, and I understood them to say that if it went to the Court new leases w 7 ould be given for an extension of thirty years. 1033. Mr. Bennett.] Did you get a copy of the Act of 1887, and the regulations thereunder, in the Maori language served on you ?—No. Tumahuki examined. 1034. Mr. Levi.] Where do you live ?—At Manutahi. 1035. Did you sign any leases to Europeans ?—Yes. 1036. To whom ?—I leased to Macgregor. 1037. Was Macgregor the original lessee of the land?—No; Foreman and Mcßae were the original lessees. 1038. After them Macgregor?—Yes. 1039. How long is it since you have received rent in respect of this land ?—lt was leased in the year 1877. 1040. That is not the question : I asked you about the rent. How long is it since you received rent ?—lt is about four and a half years ago since I received any rent. 1041. Do you know why that is so?— Yes. 1042. Why?—l believe that it was owing to the action taken by the Public Trustee.