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said, "Have they brought up their report? " I said, "Yes—recommending the Government to institute an inquiry." He saw Dr. Findlay, and, as it was reported to me, Dr. Findlay there and then said, " No, the Government will not set up an inquiry." The Chairman: This is only hearsay. Mr. Jones: We will be careful of that a little further on. The Chairman: We want to be careful. We do not want any hearsay evidence. We want any statement of facts you can make. Mr. Jones: But he put forward terms claiming certain sums of money—in all, £19,000 was demanded on behalf of Hermann Lewis and Flower's executors—£s,ooo for Hermann Lewis and £14,000 for Flower's executors. This sum of £5,000 was shortly increased to £11,000. This was the demand of Dr. Findlay to my solicitor. I was taken aback. I said, "What has Dr. Findlay got to do with Hermann Lewis? " He said, " Dr. Findlay tells me that his firm are the solicitors in this matter." When he had made the speech in the Legislative Council we did not know he was the solicitor or that his firm was the solicitor for Hermann Lewis. I said, '' Do you mean to tell me that this gentleman as Minister refused the inquiry, and in the same breath put forward these terms? " He said, " Certainly." The Chairman: Have you any proof of that statement? We want proof. Mr. Okey: Excuse me, Mr. Jones, but I do not think you have connected Hermann Lewis with the property yet. Mr. Jones: No, I have not addressed you on that question yet. However, referring to the other matter, I wrote a letter immediately after, on the 24th October, to Treadwell, and received a reply thereto, dated 29th October. I did not want any further information. The interests of Flower's executors and Findlay and Dalziell were put to me in the same document. The object of producing those letters is that Findlay said he had no communication with and had never represented Hermann Lewis. But he put forward the original terms at the first interview. The Chairman: We have no evidence to that effect before us. We have only Treadwell's letter. Whatever Dr. Findlay stated in the subsequent letter does not apply now. We have nothing before us regarding the truthful nature of Treadwell's letter, but it is one that should be submitted to Dr. Findlay as to whether it is correct or not. It is an ex parte statement. We have nothing from Dr. Findlay in writing at all. We have only your solicitor's statement regarding what is supposed to have taken place between him and Dr. Findlay. Mr. Jones: You have got Dr. Findlay's official statement that he never did refuse the inquiry. The Chairman: Since this petition was before the House. Mr. Jones: Quite so. He says so clearly: "I was never asked for an inquiry, and never refused it." The Chairman: We note the point you wish to make. We will give Dr. Findlay any chance to combat any statement you have made. If any statement is made here he should have a chance to attend. Mr. Jones (quoting) : "I could not, have not, and will not attempt to defeat any appeal Mr. Jones has made or is making to Parliament." It is a speech on the 17th August, 1910, in the Legislative Council. The Chairman: Your object is to show that Dr. Findlay made one statement to Treadwell, your solicitor, and another in the House. Mr. Jones: He has done so. I bring these facts to the notice of the Committee, so that they can form their own opinion on them. But there is the fact that I never got the inquiry. Dr. Findlay was never approached again after giving that decided answer, but on the 22nd April the Premier granted me an interview in connection with a cablegram I had received from England offering to buy the property and build a harbour at Mokau. I received the cablegram on the 11th April, but Sir Joseph Ward was away at the time. But on the 22nd April I saw him with Treadwell. I said, "What is the reason that you will not grant me an inquiry?" He said, " I do not know. I expect we have forgotten it. We have overlooked the matter." Treadwell said, " Dr. Findlay told me we should never get an inquiry." Sir Joseph Ward replied, " That is not my view. I never said so. I promised Jones the inquiry, the Committee recommended it, and there is no reason why he should not have it." I put this on paper and submitted it to Treadwell, who "Yes, that is right. I cannot understand Dr. Findlay." The cablegram is from the brokers in the matter —some of the very best in London—Holland and Balfour. I showed it to Sir Joseph Ward, who said, " I will agree to it if they will build the harbour." I asked him for an extension of the leases, and he said, " I will telegraph to Carroll." I saw Mr. Carroll later, and he said that Sir Joseph Ward had told him to fix the thing up. 1 and Treadwell had an interview with him, and he said, " This is a good thing. I will agree to it. We will buy the freehold from the Natives, and we will give Jones a bit of land to live on. In fact," he said, " I will telegraph to Sir Joseph Ward to give Jones the letter " —that the Premier had promised subject to approval by Parliament. He telegraphed to Sir Joseph AYard to give me the letter, so that I could cable to England that it was all right. Meanwhile the King died, and whether the reply came I do not know. Sir Joseph Ward came back on a Monday. On Thursday Mr. Hine was in Wellington, and he said, "Come and see Mr. Carroll." He said, " I have seen Mr. Carroll, and made an appointment. Carroll said, ' Cabinet has had a meeting to-day, and decided not to carry out Jones's wishes. It shall go to a Royal Commission.' " That is what brought me to Sir Joseph Ward. The Premier told us he knew nothing of this refusal, yet Mr. Treadwell had been basing all his actions on Dr. Findlay's assurance that we should not get an inquirjr. There is another point: Dr. Findlay states that "he never had any communication with Jones on any one's behalf." But he had plenty of communications with Jones's solicitors and his firm. He says, "Jones said he had threatened or procured an inquiry by the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Palmer, and that their