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46. Might it not have been represented to the Natives as simply an agreement that they would sell for 4s. 6d., and nothing more ?—No, Sir. it was to give me authority to act for them. 47. To act for them, and that they would sell at 4s. 6d.'?—That they were satisfied with 4s. 6d. as their portion. 48. But did they know that you were to get 3s. ?—They did not. This was before they went to sign the deed, and I did not get 3s. or anything near it. 49. Tou have stated that at the Metropolitan I asked you questions in regard to this matter ?—• Yes. 50. Was it not rather a general conversation on your part with several people who were present ? —There were some people present. 51. Did you not tell us that you were going north to buy Native land for the Government?— I did not. You asked me one day, and then, in a day or two afterwards, you asked me again; and the Chief Judge's Clerk, Mr. Brown, who was stopping there also asked me. 52. How is it that you stated to-day that you bought this land for yourself, and not for the Government ? —I never bought Kaitaia for myself, but I bought Mangamaru for myself. 53. You stated that you were not buying for the Government? —I did. 54. If not buying for the Government, for whom were you buying ? —I was selling for the Natives to the Government. 55. Hon. Mr. Mitchelson.] It says in the first place that you were buying land for the Government ?—lf the agreement says so, I do not say no. I know nothing about it. 56. Hereiuini te Toko.] You said you did not conceal the fact that the Government were giving 7s. 6d. an acre for this block :is that so? —I said I did conceal it. I concealed the 7s. 6d., but told the owners I would make a lot out of it. 57. Do not you think that this love you have for these Natives was rather expensive to them?— I say not. lam sure it was not. If I did not love them they would have the land yet. 58. Hon. Mr. Mitchelson.] When conversing with Mr. Cadman upon the subject of this purchase, did you lead him to believe that you were going to pay the Natives a less sum than the Government-had agreed to pay? —No; it was an impossibility. 59. Did you tell Mr. Cadman what commission you were going to charge the Natives upon the sale?— No. 60. You told Mr. Cadman, if he was agreeable to pay 7s. 6d., you could make a lot of money out of the transaction ?—I did not ask Mr. Cadman what he would give. He told me what he would give—what the Surveyor-General stated he would give. 61. When you first spoke to Bikihana, he appearing to be the first Native you spoke to on the subject, what did you tell him when he stated that he was not prepared to sell the land at 4s. an acre?—He never told me that. 62. Never told \ou what?— That he would not sell it for 4s. 63. You say in your evidence that he did?—l say in my evidence that he did not. I could buy it for less from him if I liked. 64. You said in your evidence that the whole of the Native sellers, with the exception of Bikihana and Puhipi, signed the agreement together ?—Yes. 65. And were present when it was interpreted?— Yes. 66. And you also stated that you did not yourself understand the Maori language? —I did not say that. It is impossible for me to say things that are not true. You say I did say it, and I say I did not. I say I cannot read or write the Native language, but I can make the Natives understand me. 67. That is not the question. Can you understand an interpreter when translating a deed, whether he is translating it properly or not ? —I do not think I could ; it depends on the contents of the deed. 68. Then you cannot say, from having heard Cochrane interpret the agreement, whether this latter paragraph in ie was translated to the Natives or not ? —I say the whole of it was translated. 69. How do you know ?—I asked him to read it, and I was present, and he had no interest in the world in the transaction. 70. Did he read it in English or in Maori ?—He read it in Maori. 71. You have already stated that you could not state, on hearing an interpreter translate a deed, whether he did it correctly or not ?—No, I could not. 72. Then how can you say that that latter paragraph, agreeing that you should retain to yourself all the money received from the Government over and above 4s. 6d. an acre, is correct ? —I could understand all that. Some deeds are drawn differently from others, and I could not understand them. 73. The Chairman.] Suppose you had never seen this deed written in English, and that some other interpreter had been interpreting to the Natives, could you have understood whether he was interpreting correctly?—l may not, but this agreement being drawn by my instructions I understood it perfectly. Ido not say Mr. Cochrane interpreted it correctly. I told you that I asked him to do it, and I believe he did so. Mr. Hamlin and the other gentleman present put the questions to the Natives. Mr. Carroll also put questions. They have a peculiar way of putting these questions. I have a peculiar way of my own. 74. Hon. Mr. Mitchelson.] Do you not think it was rather a strange transaction, seeing that the agreement had been translated, that the interpreter did not read the Native translation instead of reading the English portion ? —I was particular about the English, and I asked him to read it. 75. Do you not think that you would have been more particular and more correct had you asked him to read the Native translation instead of the English ?—Every Native who signed the agreement understood it as well as you do. Mr. Cochrane, after reading the English version, turned it over and read it in Maori.