43

1.—14.

C. E. MAJOR.

you asked any reasonable man in Toko or in Stratford he would tell you that the Government acquired that land at less than its value, and that the late Alfred Bayly did not get its value from the Government. I had an opportunity of helping Mr Arndt, who was a friend, but I could not have helped him if I thought the price being asked for the land was excessive, and time has proven that, because the land is worth more than twice the amount that the Government paid for it. 81 I have asked the question because I recollect that in your statement you said you were desirous of doing a good turn for Mr Arndt. What I want to know is whether, as a member of Parliament, when you sent that letter indorsing what he said, you thought the land to be good value for the amount asked ?—Yes, I knew it to be so, because I had land at Toko which I sold, and I was sorry I sold it. I sold it at £5 per acre, and it rose to £25. 82 Mr Myers ] Did you, in your position as a member of Parliament, ever offer land to the Government which, in your opinion, was not satisfactory to the Government for land-settle-ment purposes? —No; and for two reasons, the moral reason and for the reason that considered myself an average land agent, and I should not have been ass enough to offer anything that was not good value. 83. And for that reason you have not offered anything which was not good value?—No, I have not. Mr Reed May I ask the witness a further question, Mr Chairman? The Chairman: Mr Major is not represented by counsel, and 1 am giving the members every opportunity, as I allowed the Prime Minister to ask another question. 84. Mr Reed.] Were all your transactions carried out as a land agent?— Every one of them. 85. Did you try to bring any influence to bear upon any member of Parliament?— Not on any occasion 86. The whole of this was a business transaction as a land agent and with the Department?— Quite, so. I think no one would consider me foolish enough to attempt to do otherwise. 87 Mr. Buchanan ] You say you wrote to the late Mr Seddon, as a friend of Mr Arndt's, to do him a good turn?— Yes. 88. You have spoken of yourself as an average land agent, with a knowledge of land and so forth : has it ever occurred to you since that, instead of doing him a good turn, you happened, with the best of intentions, to do him a bad turn, because, as you now say, the land is worth double the value that it had at the time you recommended him to sell it?—Mr Arndt and Mr. Bayly are two different persons. It was the agent I was trying to help. I was not acting for the vendor, Mr Bayly, in any way whatever—he never approached me. Mr Myers So far as these charges are concerned, the present position is that I have still Mr Fred. Bayly to call, and Mr Skerrett is calling Mr Symes. Then I propose to take the case relating to the Flaxbourne payment, and then I propose to go on with the case against Mr. Kaihau. Now, sir, may I ask when the Committee proposes to sit again, because in the case against Mr Kaihau there will be a number of witnesses, and I propose to give you a list probably this afternoon or to-morrow morning; but I want to save expense as far as possible, and if I can get some indication from the Committee as to what days it will sit next week, I think I could so arrange as to give you a list to bring them down as they are required. The Chairman We will deliberate for a moment or two, and I will advise you what the Committee decides. Mr Skerrett: May I point out that Mr Symes is entitled to precedence, because he has been waiting here some time. Ido not know whether there is any probability of the Committee sitting on Monday Members: Hope not. Mr Skerrett I have to go to Wanganui on Wednesday, and I should like to have an opportunity of concluding Mr Symes's case on Tuesday, and with reference to the Flaxbourne charge I suggest that that should stand over till after Mr. Kaihau's case. Mr. Myers: Is my learned friend appearing in the Flaxbourne case? Mr Skerrett: I am representing Mr Macdonald. Mr Myers: Well, Mr. Macdonald is not charged with that, and I want to get Mr Kaihau's case on first. Mr Skerrett I will ask the Committee not to take the Flaxbourne case till after Mr Kaihau s case. I must leave for Wanganui on Wednesday, whether Mr Symes's case is concluded or not. That engagement was made long anterior to this inquiry, and I must keep it. It seems to me that there could be no public inconvenience in arranging for the Flaxbourne charge to be brought on after Mr. Kaihau's case, Mr Myers: I would not mind if my friend would state what he has to do with it. Mr Skerrett Well, it is a matter for the Committee to decide. Right Hon. Sir J G Ward: I wish to state that I propose to ask that Mr Hemingway should be called as a witness upon the newspaper charge, and, as far as I am concerned, I am quite willing, after concluding that particular case, that it should not interfere counsel. I think it is a reasonable thing that we should make arrangements to allow Mr Skerrett to be here when the Flaxbourne case is on. In Committee. The Chairman: You have heard the application made by Mr Myers, gentlemen, with regard to the order of the other charges—it is for you to decide. Mr Massey: I do not think we should place any difficulties in the way of Mr Skerrett being here but our difficulty seems to be that Mr Kaihau's case will occupy several days, and in all probability we are going to lose a day if we do not go on with the Flaxbourne case on Wednesday. That is the only objection I have.