I.—sa.

10

j_E. A. PATERSON.

Witness: I meant 1907, not 1908. Mr. Kensington: I would like to ask, did Mr. Paterson see His Worship the Mayor and Mr. Macdonald together in my room on that occasion. Witness: Yes. Mr. Hislop: Had you any personal acquaintance with me? Witness: No personal acquaintance. 9. Mr. Hislop: How long have you been in the office?— For ten years past in Wellington. 10. Do you know me?— Well, by sight. 11. Since when?— Ever since I have been in Wellington. 12. I have never met you?— Never, personally. 13. Never in the office at all?— Not to speak to. I have seen you come into the office. 14. Mr. Greenslade.] You say, about the end of April, 1907?— As far as I can recollect. 15. How do you locate the date? —I can only locate it by having during the year seen the correspondence, because the correspondence followed immediately on that, The correspondence was all dictated in this case by the Under-Secretary. 16. Mr. Hislop.] Do you see the correspondence?—l did in this case, and Ido in many cases. * 17. But you are Chief Accountant?— But it is a question of payment for the land. Under these circumstances the Under-Secretary makes it a practice to tell me. 18. When did you first hear of payment for the land? —It is mentioned almost from the very start. 19. What is mentioned?—. About the land being sold, and the receipt of the money. The money would come in when the transaction was being completed. 20. When did the money come in? —I could not tell you from memory, because it first goes through the hands of the Receiver of Land Revenue. 21. And does it come to you ?—The cash-book comes eventually. 22. How long afterwards? —He renders his account every week to the Treasury. 23. How do you arrive at this date in April? Because you do not see the correspondence unless it comes to a money matter? —The correspondence is always available to me. 24. Had you any interest in this correspondence?— None particularly. 25. When you had known of this interview that took place, was it a matter of any importance to you ?—No. 26. Have you ever thought of it again until lately? —The matter is not particularly new now. 27. Had you thought of it at all until quite lately?— Yes. 28. When? —I should say about September or October. In September, I think, a reporter from the Times came>to the office. 29. Last year?— Yes. There was no correspondence with him, and he did not interview the Under-Secretary, but he had come with that intention. 30. When did he come?—l could not tell you the exact date. 31. Shortly after this inteview? —About the time the matter was actually settled that the land was to be conveyed to Mr. Macdonald, and a sum of £652 to be paid. It was immediately after that was done. 32. Was it shortly after this inteview that this New Zealand, Times reporter came?— Some considerable time afterwards. 33. How long?—lt was about September or October when he came. 34. What did he come about? —Information as to how to acquire derelict lands. 35. A New Zealand Times reporter?— Yes. 36. That was the first time you thought of this interview afterwards? —I should think so. 37. What connected the interview? —Because he came to inquire about this particular piece of .land. 38. In September last?— Yes. 39. Was that after the matter had been made public?—No; nothing had been in the papers. He came for the purpose of getting information to publish. 40. There was something in the paper in September?— There may have been. I did not hear of it. 41. The report of the Finance Committee of the City Council was in the paper then?— That may have been. Ido not always see these things. Robert Letham examined on oath. (No. 4.) Witness: I am messenger in the Lands and Survey Department. 1. The Chairman.] Tell what you know about this matter, if anything, betwixt the UnderSecretary for Lands and Mr. Hislop?—Of course, I could not say anything as to what occurred between the Under-Secretary and Mr. Hislop and Mr. Macdonald; but I do know of them calling upon him to see him. .2. About what date? —I did not take a note of the date, but it was some time about April. I remember them coming up and asking me if he was in. I went in and told Mr. Kensington, who said, " By all means adroit them." 3. You do not know anything more about it?— No. I do not know what the object of the visit .was —merely that they called inquiring for Mr. Kensington. 4. Mr. Lawry.] Have you been long acquainted with those gentlemen?—l know them as influential men of Wellington. Ido not say that lam acquainted with them. 5. Mr. Greenslade.] You would not be likely to mistake them for anybody else?—No, sir.