E.—4a.

12

E. [Part of Letter dated the 27th June, 1891.] I note your Canterbury farmers have been getting in their wheat. We do not put in any winter wheat. In all probability Tom will put in 100 acres of oats before the spring wheat. I was very pleased to hear you enjoyed your trip to the West Coast; the scenery must have been grand. I hope to see both youroelf and Mr. Vandervelden in the North next holidays. The Maoris do not now commonly wear their original costume, but still at times some of the old ones do. Otaki is the place to see the most of them, but I could get some very good specimens at Turakina and Wangaehu, which I think would tickle Mr. Vandervelden's fancy a bit. There is to be a great funeral eight miles from Marton next Sunday —that of a chieftain Maori woman. Natives are gathering in from all quarters with wagons and carts loaded with provisions. All Europeans are respectfully invited. She is now dead one week, and lying in state. There is to be a Maori brass band, twenty strong, at the funeral. All are looking forward to the event with interest. I only wish I could have the pleasure of driving yourself and friend to see the affair. We have had the longest turn of hard frost I ever remember since I have been out here—over a fortnight without a break. Ice at Glenmore —Alick's place—strong enough to bear one up. It will do the farming lands good. Be Mr. Crofts, I have not yet had a remittance. I wired him a reminder last month, but had no reply. Ido not like to be harsh on him, but at the same time I do not consider it right of him to treat me as he has by making misstatements. I will wait a little longer to see what he will do. I did think of asking him to pay you on account of George, but will wait to hear from you. How would it be to give you an order on him to pay on account of George next quarter? I merely suggest this for your opinion, as Ido not wish to give either trouble or unpleasantness in the matter, only this might be taken as a matter of business which in time might come before the department if not settled otherwise. 1 only submit this for your private opinion. I would like to have a long talk with you. I must now conclude, with kindest regards, in which Mrs. Simpson joins me, to each and every one of your circle. Yours, &c, E. K. Simpson.

F. Dear Me. Ceopts,— In case I do not see you at 12 o'clock, I hope you will accept this apology for my rudeness to you this morning. lam so sorry you feel hurt, but the slight was not the least bit intended as you think. The fact is, I'm getting such an awful coward in this house that soon I shall hardly dare to speak to any one. I will try and see you some time to-day. If Ido not, please forgive me. Lucy.

G. Sic, — Sumner, 14th June, 1892. Do you consider the list of charges I have shown you against the Director, and which I have told you I intend bringing before the Minister of Education, are in the main true and capable of being proved? I have, &c, J. C. Allan, Esq. H. E. Cbofts.

In my opinion some of the statements in the paper you showed me are true; others I know nothing of.—John C. Allan.

H. Sir,— 11th June, 1892. In reply to your question of yesterday, I beg to state that I deny the practice of borrowing money from the parents of pupils and. others in connection with the institution. I admit having borrowed the sum of £6 from Mr. E. K. Simpson, of Bonnie Glen, Marton, about the end of January, 1891, and I desire to place my explanation of that affair before you now. I was in the North Island for the summer holidays, and ran short of money through a cheque I should have received not having been forwarded to me. I knew no one in the district excepting Mr. Simpson, and I was obliged to borrow from him. That money would have been returned to him from Wellington, but on the day I was to have left Wellington I found that Mrs. Van Asch, who had been sent up to fetch the children back, had left by the s.s. " Penguin," instead of by the " Te Anau," as arranged, and taken with her only six children out of the sixteen she should have had in charge. I reported the matter to the Secretary for Education, "who instructed me to remain in Wellington, and bring the remaining children down by the next boat leaving. As the boat did not leave for two days, I was compelled to use the money which should have been forwarded to Mr. Simpson in paying my extra hotel expenses, and the incidental expenses incurred in bringing the children down. That money was not refunded me until May. I wrote to explain the matter to Mr. Simpson, and I also saw him when he was down, and he assured me that he did not mind about the matter, and that I could return the money to him at any time convenient to myself. I also received a wire from him on the 4th June, stating that he had not laid a formal complaint with the Director against me. On the question of competency, I beg to submit that I am better qualified to fill the post of head assistant master than Mr. Allan, for the following reasons : (1.) Longer and greater experience of the work. (2.) The insight I got into the working of other institutions and other methods during my visit Home has better fitted me for the post than Mr. Allan, who has seen nothing whatever of the deaf outside the Sumner institution. (3.) The number of works on the subject I procured in England has given me an opportunity of studying the subject to a depth beyond the power of the other assistants, who have not a book on the subject, and know nothing whatever of it