fl.—2lb

24

The Eev. William Kirk was requested by letter and formal summons, to attend at 12 o'clock to-morrow.

Tuesday, 2nd November, 1869. Mr. David Lewis, being duly sworn, states: My name is David Lewis. I reside in Wellington, and am Commissioner of New Zealand Company's Land Claims. I am one of the trustees of the lands in Wellington granted to the representative of the Wesleyan Methodist Society. Grant, 1 acre 6 roods 11 perches, Wellington. No. 1 refers to copy grant p. 91, N.M. Miscellaneous (area 1 acre 6 roods 11 perches). Th c piece of land distinguished in the plan on the grant as reserved for a Wesleyan Chapel is occupied by the Wesleyan Church in Manners Street, and the Wesleyan minister's residence adjoining. The church contains 800 sittings, and has recently been erected at a cost of about £2,500. The piece of land distinguished in the plan on the grant as reserved for a Wesleyan Cemetery adjoins the Catholic Cemetery, contains one acre, and was granted with a view of building a minister's residence, and is at present vacant. Endeavours have been made to let it, but unsuccessfully. These two pieces of land are comprised in one grant, and vested in the following trustees: — David Lewis, William Clark, David Kinniburgh, James Entwistle Watkin, and Charles Edward Luxford. Grant, 1 rood, Wellington. No. 2.—The land comprised in the grant recorded p. 68, N.M. Miscellaneous (area 1 rood), was purchased by Sir George Grey, and was granted to form a road from Wellington Terrace to part of the Town Belt, known as the Wesleyan Eeserve. It is part of town section 457, and is now used as a road to the grammar school. The above pieces of land, by conveyance and appointments under " The Beligious, Educational and Charitable Trust Act, 1856," are now vested in the following trustees: —David Lewis, William Clark, James Entwistle Watkin, David Kinniburgh, and Charles Edward Luxford. Grant, 73 acres 1 rood 22 perches, Wellington. No. 3. —The land comprised in the grant recorded p. 49, N.M. Miscellaneous (area 73 acres 1 rood 22 perches), was granted to the Eev. James Watkin, superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission, in 1852, being at that time under the supervision of the Wesleyan Missionary Society in England. Mr. Watkin expended a considerable sum of money in putting up a post and rail fence on all sides of the reserve. As far as my knowledge extends, it was found impracticable to put up any school at all. lam not aware that there are any records in the Colony of Mr. Watkin's administration. lam aware that in 1854, a district meeting was held in the southern portion of New Zealand. After a full consideration of the matter of building schools, it was decided by the ministers then assembled that the prospects of success for an institution of that kind were more hopeful, and the need more pressing, among the tribes on the West Coast to the north of Wanganui. It was thought that an institute might be built in the Ngatiruanui country, but that was also found impracticable. Ultimately a site was fixed at Kai Iwi, north of Wanganui, when it was thought that that was as much as the Society could effect at once, leaving the land in Wellington to be dealt with for the benefit of the institution to be erected hereafter. It was in 1855 that it was found that there was a discrepancy in the grant, so that the Eeligious, Charitable, and Educational Act could not be dealt with legally, viz., that the grant vested the land in the Eev. James Watkin personally. There was a desire to act in order to get a revenue for the object contemplated in the grant, but was found to be impracticable, from the terms of the grant as above stated. Subsequently to 1855, the Eev. James Watkin transferred the property to trustees, viz., David Lewis, William Clark, James Entwistle Watkin, David Kinniburgh, and Charles Edward Luxford, under " The Eeligious, Charitable, and Educational Trust Act, 1856," —in accordance with professional advice from Sydney —by deed, which deed declared the following trusts, viz. :" To hold the said hereditaments and. premises, with every of their appurtenances, unto the said David Lewis, James May, John Holdsworth, David Kinniburgh, Charles Edward Luxford, James Entwistle Watkin, William Clark, John Gooder, George Henry Luxford, and Stephen Simcock Jacka, their heirs and assigns, for ever. But nevertheless upon such and the same trusts, and to and for such and the same ends, intents, and purposes, and with, under, and subject to such and the same powers, and provisoes, declarations, and agreements, as expressed, contained, and declared or referred to, in and by a certain deed of conveyance, bearing date on or about the thirty-first day of October, 1856, and made or expressed to be made between Henry Matson, therein described, of the first part, the Eev. John Eggleston, therein described, of the second part, and Edward Bull, George Lovett, Eobert Lovett, Captain James Stone, Henry Ellis, James Heron, Eichard Matthews, Alfred Boon, Henry White, and Archibald Somerville, therein respectively described, of the third part, and enrolled in Her Majesty's Supreme Court of New Zealand at Auckland aforesaid, on the fourth day of November, 1856, being a deed made for the settlement of a piece or parcel of land, and chapel or place of religious worship, with the appurtenances, situated at Parnell, in the suburbs of Auckland, Parish of Waitemata, and County of Eden, in the territory of New Zealand, for the use of the people called Methodists, in the ' Australian connection,' and to, for, and upon no other use, trust, intent, or purpose whatsoever. In witness whereof the said parties," &c. It was our impression that the Eev. Mr. Watkin had power to transfer the land under " The Religious, Charitable, and Educational Trusts Act, 1856."