15

I.—3a.

89. Hon. Mr. Carroll.'] Were you an owner of the Kaitaia Block ? —Yes. 90. Did you sell your interest in that block ?—Yes. 91. To whom did you sell it?—To the Government. 92. Did any one negotiate the sale on behalf of the Government ?—Mr. Lundon. 93. Are you perfectly sure of that ?—Yes. 94. Was there any one acting on behalf of the owners? —No. 95. What did you sell your share for?—l sold it for the price told me by Mr. Lundon—4s. 6d. an acre. 96. Did you agree to take that price ?—I did. 97. Did you sign a deed parting with your interest?—l did; at the post-office. 98. Hon. Mr. Mitohelson.] Did Mr. Lundon tell you that 4s. 6d. per acre was the highest price the Government would give for the land ? —He did ; and said that was the limit the Government would give. 99. Will you state your grievance—your reason for signing the petition?—-We signed the petition because we found subsequently that the Government paid Eaiho Tamaho a certain sum for a half-share. We then found that a portion of our money was kept back; that we did not subsequently receive the full amount. Herewini and Eikihana wrote to the Government. The Government replied to that application by informing the Natives that they had £217 10s. per share in full. We then knew for certain that a portion of the payment for our shares was lost, and we petitioned Parliament in consequence. 100. The Chairman.] Is that all the statement you have to make ? —I have much more to say if the Committee will hear me. 101. The Hon. Mr. Carroll.] When you found out that Eaiha Tamaho had got more for her interest proportionately than each one of the others did, did you think then that there was a balance due to you? —Yes. 102. Even after agreeing for 4s. 6d. an acre ?—Yes; seeing that the Government paid Eaiha a larger amount after we had made that agreement. 103. Who .do you think should pay the difference ?—We assume, of course, that the Government should pay us that balance, seeing that they paid Eaiha. 104. Mr. Taipua.] Did Eaiha ever sign agreeing to sell for 4s. 6d. ? —Her brother signed, and they were owners of the one interest. 105. Hon. Mr. Carroll.] You still expect the money from the Government ?—Yes. 106. Do you remember the day you signed the deed?—l do. 107. What date was it? —[Eefers to memorandum book.] The sth December, 1891. 108. Where did you sign the deed?—ln the post-office, Eawene. 109. Did you read over the deed before you signed it, or was it read over to you?—l think it was Eobert Cochrane who read the deed. 110. That is Cochrane, the interpreter ? —Yes. 111. Mr. W. Kelly.] Are you not sure of it?—l believe Cochrane told us that this was an agreement—that the document produced was an agreement of ours to sell the land. 112. Hon. Mr. Mitchelson.] That is the document you signed at the post-office ?—Yes. 113. Hon. Mr. Carroll.] When you were told by the interpreter that the document was a deed by which you were parting with the land, what was the consideration mentioned ? —I do not remember the interpreter telling us what the consideration-money was. 114. Had the consideration-money been talked over with you by the interpreter before you got to the post-office, and prior to signing the deed ?—No. 115. Did you know when you were signing the deed what amount you were going to receive for your share ?—I knew that I was going to receive 4s. 6d. an acre. 116. Did you know how much you were to receive ? —I did not know when I signed what it would amount to, but when I received it, then I became aware. 117. Did you not calculate, before you signed, how much your interest would come to at 4s. 6d. an acre ? —No, I did not, because I did not know the area of the land. 118. Were you not told before you signed that you would get a certain sum for your share ?—No. 119. How much did you receive for your share ?—I had a quarter-share on the day I signed. I was entitled to a quarter-share on the day I signed. 120. How much did that come to ?—£32 12s. 6d. 121. Were you not told before you signed the deed that you would receive £32 12s. 6d. on executing the deed?—No, I was not told so. 122. Hon. Mr. Mitchelson.] You are clear upon the point that you were to receive 4s. 6d. ?— Yes. 123. Hon. Mr. Carroll] Who fixed the price at 4s. 6d. an acre?— Mr. Lundon. 124. Do you remember, when the deed was read to you by the Inspector, whether it stated in the deed that the price you were to get was 4s. 6d. an acre ?—I never heard it stated in the deed, when read over, that the price was 45.; it was not so read over. 125. Did you hear any lump sum mentioned as the consideration when the deed was read over? —No; no lump sum was mentioned. 126. How many times did you sign your name on that occasion ?—I think I signed three documents. 127. Was the deed the first ?—This was the first document I signed. 128. What was the next ?- —It was a document with a stamp on it. 129. Now, what was the next ?■ —I believe it was another stamped document. 130. You are not certain?-—No, I am not absolutely certain. 131. Did you sign any other document before you went to the post-office and executed the deed ?—I do not remember signing any other document previously. We reached Eawene on the