18

I.—3a

Friday, 26th August, 1892. Hone T. W. Papahia further examined. 1. Mr. Kapa.] Do you know anything about the document placed before you by the Native Minister yesterday ?—Yes. 2. In that document Mr. Lundon is authorised to act on your behalf, is he not ?—Yes. 3. Did you see or read the statements it contained at the time you signed it ? —No. 4. Did Mr. Lundon inform you outside that a document had been drawn up appointing him as your agent ?—No. 5. Did you suppose that Mr. Lundon prepared that document without consulting you?—l know nothing about the drawing up of this document. 6. How many documents did you sign ? —I think I signed three documents. 7. Were those all signed in the post-office, or any of them at Cochrane's house ?—I only remember those that I signed in the post-office. 8. "When you signed you thought you were signing for the 4s. 6d. per acre agreed upon by Mr. Lundon ?—Yes. 9. Were you informed that nothing beyond 4s. 6d. was to be paid for the land ?—No. [Deed produced to witness.] • 10. The Ghairman.~\ Do you recognise that deed?—l know this deed. I have seen it before, and I wrote my name to it. 11. Where?—ln the post-office at Eawene. 12. Was it explained to you before you signed your name ?—I did not fully understand the meaning of the deed when I signed it. 13. That is not an answer to my question. I asked you if it was explained to you before you signed it ? —lt was not wholly explained to me when I signed it, because some of the people had signed it before me. 14. Did you understand what it was you were signing ? —I thought I was signing this deed in order that I could get the moniey which had been promised to me. 15. Who was present in the post-office when you signed that deed ?—Robert Cochrane, Mr. Clarke, Flood, and John Lundon. 16. Anyone else?— Mr. Millar, but no others. 17. Mr. Lundon.] Is Tipene an owner in this block?—He obtained a quarter-share through my sister. 18. Did she sign this deed ?—Yes. 19. Is Tipene your brother-in-law?— Yes. 20. Is Tipene a half-caste ? —Yes. 21. Does Tipene live at your place ?—Yes. 22. Why did not Tipene sign this petition?— When the petition was prepared Tipene had married a second wife, and had gone to another place to reside. 23. Only for that he would have signed the petition?— Yes. 24. Do you know Hekiera ? —Yes; he is an owner. 25. Is he any relation of yours?— Yes. 26. Why did he not sign the petition?—Hekiera considered that, whereas the Government had paid his sister Eaiha an additional sum, that they could not make any further claim upon the Government, therefore he did not sign the petition. 27. Did you not make a claim upon me for getting back his money ? —I know nothing about that. 28. Is Ngawaka an original shareholder ?—He is an owner. 29. And a relation of yours ?—Yes. 30. Why did he not sign the petition ?—He was not living near us when we drew up the petition and pot it signed : he was living at a distance, at another place. 31. Is Timoti Puhipi a relation of yours?— Yes. 32. Had he two shares ? —Yes. 33. Why did not he sign the petition ?—He did not sign because he was not aware of the receipt of the letter from the Government —the reply to the one sent by Herewini te Toko. 34. You came to Mrs. Hardiman the night I came there to speak about the land ?—Yes. 35. Did I show you any letter from the Government that night ? —Yes; the document I alluded to yesterday. 36. Did you see the document ?—Yes; I saw you hand it to Mrs. Hardiman. 37. Did she read it ?—Yes ; she read it out. 38. Was she not acting as interpreter between the Natives and myself ?—Mrs. Hardiman did not act as interpreter on that occasion. 39. And who did ?—You yourself told me the price you were going to give us for the land, and the contents of the document. 40. Did I read the document? —No. 41. You said yesterday that in your letter you stated that the price of the land was Is. 6d. an acre? —What I said yesterday was this: You said, "This is the letter I have received from the Government, and they will not give more than 4s. 6d. an acre." That is what I said yesterday. 42. Did not you say yesterday that the extra 6d.—when we came to Herd's Point three weeks after —-that I agreed to give 6d. more, making the sum 4s. 6d. ?—-All I remember is your telling us that the Government had stated in that letter that they would not give more than 4s. 6d. an acre. 43. If I state, when I am giving my evidence on oath, that the Government never wrote a letter in connection with the case from that time until now—from first to last—shall I be saying that which is not true ——