JOSHUA JONES.

139

I.—3a.

was th" valuation to lie made?" And you answered, "That was left out, I suppose. It would follow thai the ( rown would have an assessor and lan assessor—something of thai sort. It (.lid not go that far. My solicitor and Mr. Kennedy Macdonald and I went to sic Mr. MoNab. Mr. Jennings was to have gone with us, but he made himself scarce, lie had to go to Palmerston, or something like that." Mr. Jones: That is so. 1 will produce evidence to the effect —that Mr. Jennings did go. The Chairman: To Mr. Kennedy Macdonald? Mr. ./ours.- \',,. You were to have gone, but you did not go. I have your statement. The Chairman: According to the report which I am reading from, 1 then asked you, "On what date was that.'" and you replied, "31st March, L 908." 1 then said, "I do not think I was in Wellington then " ; and you said, " You interviewed Mr. Macdonald with me al thai time." \\ hen I went home to Xew Plymouth three weeks ago 1 got my memorandum-book for li) 08, and I find that ¥ was at Waitara on the 30th March, 1908. And'on the -i Ist March, 1908, 1 was in Stratford, and three days afterwards 1 went by steamer to Auckland with Mr. Keith, the manager "I' the Taranaki Petroleum Company. Therefore there is a mistake somewhere. Mr. Jones: 1 can show you fr your own printing that you were. As I say. you were not there perhaps on the 31s1 March, because wo went and saw Mr. MoNab, and you did not go with us. But I have a print of yours dated the 27th March. I'll.- Chairman: I am speaking of the date you mentioned in your printed evidence. I was not in Wellington at that date. .1//-. Jones: Yes, you were here on the 27th March. The Chairman: My memorandum bears out my statement in regard to the 31st March; you are wrong in regard to that date. Mr. Tones: Supposing I show you something else of your own that disagrees with that. The Chairman: 1 shall have to take other steps if you sax thai I was in Wellington on the ■ !lst March, and you swear that. Mr. Jones: No, 1 do not swear that. The Chairman: That is my only point so far as that date is concerned. Mr. Joitex: You did not go with us; you had gone away to Palmerston. The Chairman: That is right. .1//-. Joins: But on the 27th you and Mr. Kcn,ied\ Macdonald and 1 hail a conference about it. The Chairman: I positively refused to set; Mr. Macdonald with you, and stated the reason at the time—that Mr. Macdonald had opposed my Hill in the Upper House for the protection of the Mokau River scenery. That was the reason why 1 objected to seeing him. The inquiry stands adjourned till Thursday at half past ten Mr. Masse y: Before you break up I should like to mention that 1 have this morning received this telegram. [Telegram handed to Chairman.] Tin Chairman : 1 have just received a similar one. The message reads, "I desire, as promotor Mokau Company, to give evidence before Mokau Committee on Thursday morning. Leaving here to-morrow express.—David Wiiytk." The Committee will decide about this. Mr. Massey: I have also a letter which I should like to put in, from Mr. Rattenbury, with ■ice to his evidence. [Letter handed in.] Thursday, 28th September, 1911. Joshua Jones further examined on oath. (No. 24.) 1. The Cftairtnan.] If you are prepared with your statement, Mr. Jones, we are ready to hear you? —The first thing I have got to do is t;> stttle a small matter with Mr. Jennings. Mr. Jennings said he was not in Wellington in March, 1908. Chairman: On the .'ilst March. Witness: You say SO* now. The Press report does not say that. Tht Chairman: You said I was with you on the 31st March, 1908, in Wellington. That is your evidence, as printed on this copy. Witness: If vim will remember, the last day I was here I contradicted that. The Chairman: This is what you said at question 72 of your evidence: Question. — "You approached Mr. McNab and offered your interest in the block at a valuation?" Answer. — "On the 31st March, 1908." Q. —" By whom was the valuation to be made?" A. —"That was left out, I suppose. It would follow that the Crown would have an assessor and I an assessor — something of that sort. It did not go that far. My solicitor and Mr. Kennedy Macdonald and I went to see Mr. McNab. Mr. Jennings was to have gone with us, but he made himself scarce. He had to go to Palmerston, or something like that." Q. — "The Chairman: On what date was that?" A.—" 31st March, 1908." Witness: Quite so. That does not say you were not away on the 31st March. It does not convey the construction you put on it. The Chairman: 1 asked you a specific question, "On what date was that?" and you said, " 31st March, 1908." Witness: Quite so : I say so still. The Chairman: That I was in Wellington on the 31st March? Witness: No, I did not say that. You are under a misapprehenison. The Chairman: There is your evidence. Witness: The interview was on the 31st March, and Mr. Jennings had gone.