1.-14

XXXV

(g.) In the month of June, 1907, after the order of the Court had been perfected and the survey of the block completed, the Government purchased the interests of the Ngatipare and the Ngatitahinga Tribes in the 13,000 acres, at the price of £2 per acre, and the said purchase was arranged by the Native Land Purchase Officers with the Native owners personally, without any interference by Mr. Kaihau , and the purchase-moneys were paid by the Crown to each individual Native owner direct, and not through Mr. Kaihau. (h.) No influence was exerted by Mr. Kaihau either on the Government or on the Native Land Purchase Department to induce the Government to purchase the said 13,000 acres, or as to the price or other terms of purchase. (*.) After the purchase-money had been paid by the Crown to the Native vendors, Mr. Kaihau received from the members of the Ngatitahinga Tribe the sum of about £2,000 ; being the sum which Para Haimona, the leading man of the Ngatitahinga Tribe, with th consent of the tribe, fixed, pursuant to clause 3 of the agreement, as a reasonable remuneration for Mr. Kaihau's services. This sum included the sum of £800, or thereabouts, disbursed by Mr. Kaihau in connection with the litigation. (j.) That the negotiations for the purchase from the Ngatipare and Ngatitahinga Tribes of the said 13,000 acres were properly and regularly conducted by the Native Land Purchase Officers. Finding. 4. The Committee finds that Mr. Kaihau did not in or about the year 1906, while a member oj Parliament, conduct the sale to the Government of any portion of the Te Akau Block , but, on the contrary, the Committee finds that the said sale was negotiated and conducted by the officers of the Native Land Purchase Department directly with the Native owners. The Committee further finds that nothing done by Mr. Kaihau in the course of the transaction amounted to a breach of any rule of law or of any established parliamentary practice. Paragraphs (a) to (d) read and agreed to. Paragraph (c). Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Allen, to insert after the word " Court " the words "amounting to £500," and after the word " and " to insert the words " this with," and after the word " proceedings " to strike out the words " amounting to about £800," and to insert the words " it was stated probably amounted to between £700 and £800 " in lieu thereof. ■-■• Paragraph as amended agreed to. Paragraph (/) read and agreed to. Paragraph (g). Moved by Mr. Allen, to strike out the words " without any interference by Mr. Kaihau." On the question being put, the Committee divided, the names were taken down as tollow :— Ayes 4.—Mr. Allen, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Massey. N oeSi 6.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Hanan, Hon. Mr. Millar, Mr. Myers, Mr. Reed, Right Hon. Sir JG. Ward. So it passed on the negative. Paragraph as amended agreed to. Paragraph (/*.) On the question being put for the retention of the paragraph, the Committee divided, the names being taken down as follow :— Ayes, 6.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Hanan, Hon. Mr. Millar, Mr. Myers, Mr. Reed, Right Hon. Sir JG. Ward. Noes, 4.—Mr. Allen, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Massey So it'was resolved in the affirmative, and the paragraph agreed to. Paragraph (i). Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Buchanan, to strike out all the words after the words " this sum included " to the end of the paragraph, and insert the words " the payment referred to in paragraph (c) " in lieu thereof. Paragraph as amended agreed to. Paragraph (?) read and agreed to. Finding. Mr. Buchanan asked whether this finding was relevant to the charge. The Chairman ruled that it was. Mr. Allen moved to strike out the word " not " in the first line. On the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken as follow :— Ayes 4 —Mr. Allen, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Massey floes] 6.—Mr. Graham, Mr. Hanan, Hon. Mr. Millar, Mr. Myers, Mr. Reed, Right Hon. Sir JG. Ward. So it passed in the negative. Moved by Mr. Allen, That after the word " Block " the words be inserted, " but he did agree with the Natives to conduct such sale." ..-,,,, , i j tv On the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow :— A Y es 4—Mr Allen, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Massey Noes, 6 —Mr. Graham, Mr. Hanan, Hon. Mr. Millar, Mr. Myers, Mr. Reed, Right Hon. Sir JG. Ward. So it passed in the negative.