7

H.—33

positive what the amount was ; I got £38. I believe the total was £42, out of which I had to pay £2 to Mr. Whewell, Mr. King's partner for assisting me in looking over the papers, and the other £2 was, I think, interest which I paid to Mr. King for money advanced by him to me whilst I was collecting the census. Ido not recollect how much he advanced me. I got the £38 through an agent. Ido not remember who it was. The voucher shows that it was Mr. Edmiston; most likely I gave him his charge for discount out of the £38. Messrs. King and Whewell had an office in the Insurance Buildings. I think they were accountants. I asked Mr. Whewell to assist me. 9. Mr. Campbell.'] Ido not recollect getting a cheque from Edmiston for £41. On seeing the entry in King and Whewell's book I think it is very probably correct. I believe I did hand them a cheque, and Mr. Whewell deducted what I owed him. If Mr. King says he gave me a cheque for £4 on the 26th March, it is most likely correct. I say the same of a cheque for £5, on 24th April [butt of cheque produced]. I say the same of cheque for £6 15s. on the 10th May [butt produced]. We settled up when I gave Edmiston's cheque to King and Whewell. I have no reason to doubt that I received a cheque for balance due, £24 155., if Mr. King's book shows it: that would allow only 10s. for Whewell's charge, which I certainly thought was £2 ; but that does not show any interest paid to King. lam still positive of the sums of £2 —one to Mr. Whewell for assistance and the other to Mr. King for interest. I cannot remember how or in what manner it was paid I cannot swear certainly to anything but my own handwriting. I discounted a voucher for my work in 1891; the voucher (8754) was for £12. Ido not remember what the discount was.

Tuesday, 17th Januaey, 1893. John Brown sworn and examined. I am a surveyor's assistant, at present residing at the Bay of Islands. I was employed by Mr. King in 1886 in collecting census returns for the two districts of Epsom and One Tree Hill. The terms were that I was to receive £1 a day if I found my own horse, or if walking, 10s. a day. I did the work, and I believe I got £32 for it, but I cannot be positive as to the amount. I believe I got" a'cheque from Wellington—whatever I got was the full amount of my account. I was not certain of the amount when 1 wrote to Mr. Seaman the letter of 27th July, 1892. lam not certain now, but lam satisfied that the amount stated on the voucher is correct. I had no other transactions or understanding with Mr. King, nor were there any special conditions of my taking the appointment, except that I was to do the work. I never considered I had any cause of complaint. In 1891 I received £25 from Mr. Seaman for the same work. Mr. Seaman told me the Government would not sanction the same expense as was incurred on the previous occasion. I contracted to do the work for £25. Ido not consider I was overpaid in 1886, but underpaid in 1891. I took it because I was doing nothing else at the time. Ido not remember signing any form or declaration other than the voucher. I produced no vouchers or receipts for horse-hire to Mr. King; he took my word for it. I think he knew I had no horse of my own. His check on such accounts would consist in his knowledge of the number of days it would take to do the work. 1. Mr. Bussell.] I paid for horse-hire the days I claimed for. On seeing the voucher lam now quite satisfied that I got the £34. Walter Graham sworn and examined. lam a newsagent, residing in Auckland. I was employed by Mr. King in taking the census of 1886 for a part of the North of Auckland district. I made no agreement about terms until after the work was done. There was no understanding of any kind between me and Mr. King, and no condition except that I was to do the work at a fair price. I did the work, and was paid for it. I do not remember the precise amount, but I think it was about £16. I received the money by cheque from Wellington. I think 1 signed the receipt myself. On looking at the voucher I find, that I signed an authority to Mr. Gallagher to draw the money, and he signed the receipt. Ido not remember the circumstances, but I have no reason to call it in question in any way. I must have got the money from Mr. King. I wanted the money, and Mr. King undertook to get some one to advance it to me on discount. I was under the impression until I saw the voucher that this occurrence took place in 1881, when I was also employed by Mr. King; but it must have been in 1886. 2. Mr. Campbell.} I presume the £2 10s. was deducted for Mr. Gallagher's interest. Whatever was done was in compliance with my own wish. Mr. W. E. E. Brown's examination resumed. 3. Mr. Campbell.] I believe Mr. King acted in 1878 in census-collecting and as superintendent enumerator of agricultural statistics. If so, I offered him the appointment under instructions. I had no reason to complain of the quality of his work. In 1881 Mr. King was again appointed to similar offices: it would be on my formal recommendation ; but I think in both cases the initiative came from the Ministry. I raised no objection. In 1881 his work appeared to be correctly done ; but there was a good deal of friction about the cost of the work. I believe that was the case in 1881; but, speaking from memory, I cannot be positive about that. Mr. King was again appointed in 1886. To the best of my recollection I objected to his appointment on the ground of expense. In that year there was nothing to lead me to doubt the correctness of his work. Ido not remember ever, in any of the years mentioned, expressing to Mr. King any dissatisfaction with his work. I should have done so had I thought there was cause for it. In 1891 Mr. Seaman was appointed census-enumerator. Mr. King was appointed as clerk under Mr. Seaman. This was done through political pressure used by some member or members for the district to induce the new Government to get him appointed. It was done by special instructions of the Government. Ido not know of