H.—lB

Monday, 24th June, 1912. The Commission met at the Government Buildings, Albert Street, at 10 a.m. All the Commissioners were present with the exception of Mr. W. G. Macdonald. The following witnesses were examined on oath : .1. W. Mcllraith, LL.B., Litt.D., J. T. Reid, and R. Salmon. Mr. Smeeton, grocer, attended, but, under legal advice, refused to give evidence. The following witnesses were examined on oath : A. Schmitt, E. Phelan, J. B. Tonar, and A. Rosser. Tuesday, 25th June, 1912. The Commission met at 10 a.m. at the Government Buildings, Albert Street, Auckland. All the Commissioners were present with the exception of Mr. W. G. Macdonald. The following witnesses were examined on oath : E. C. Banks and G. L. Peacocke. Dr. Bamford, barrister, &c, appeared on behalf of John Schischka, merchant, and L. D. Nathan and Co., merchants, and stated that he had advised his clients to refuse to give evidence. The following witnesses were examined on oath : F. G. Ewington and H. Green. G. Hutchison, grocer, appeared, and was excused from giving evidence on account of ill health. The following witness was examined on oath : W. Ranstead. E. C. Bunks was recalled and further examined. The Commission adjourned at 1 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday, on account of, and as a mark of respect to, the late Sir John Logan Campbell. Wednesday, 26th June, 1912. The Commission met at 9.30 a.m. at the Government Buildings, Albert Street. All the Commissioners were present with the exception of Mr. W. G. Macdonald. The following witnesses were examined on oath : J. W. Wiseman, H, W. Segar, G. Winstone, A. C. Caughey. S. Wing, G. George, and A. Kent. Thursday, 27th June, 1912. The Commission met at the Government Buildings, Albert Street, at 9.45 a.m. All the Commissioners were present with the exception of Mr. W. G. Macdonald. The following witnesses were examined on oath : W. M. Evans, H. N. Bagnall, A. G. Tooley, J. H. Gunson, T. Bell, T. Long, G. C. Garlick, and A. Tooman. A. J. Entrican, merchant, attended, and refused to give evidence, as, being a member of the Merchants' Association, he was involved in a law-case now pending. The Commissioners excused witness on this ground. E. Langguth, general merchant, also refused to give evidence. The following witnesses were examined on oath : E. W. Allison, G. Court, H. Goldstein, M.D., and J. Gallagher. H. Banfield, secretary, Carpenters' Union, attended, and stated that his union had instructed him to decline to give evidence. The following witnesses were examined on oath : W. Richardson and A. M. Carter. Friday, 28th June, 1912. The Commission met at 9.45 a.m. in the Government Buildings, Albert Street, Auckland. All the Commissioners were present with the exception of Messrs. W. A. Veitch, J. Robertson, M.P.s, and W. G. Macdonald. The following witnesses were examined on oath : W. E. Sill, T. D. McNab, E. A. Craig, W. J. Holdsworth, D. A. Headley, J. W. Garrett, D. Reid, P. J. Nerheny, and J. Rowe. J. W. Hall, wholesale grocer, was sworn, and supplemented his evidence given previously. The following witnesses were examined on oath : F. W. Arns, H. Banfield, AY. H. Murray, J. Slator, W. H. Whitehead, S. C. Macky, and M. Garnaut. Saturday, 29th Junk, 1912. The Commission met at the Government Buildings, Albert Street, at 10 a.m. All the Commissioners were present with the exception of Messrs. W. A. Veitch, J. Robertson, M.P.s, and W. G. Macdonald. The following witnesses were examined on oath : G. Davis, W. F. Bines, A. Crumb.T. Bell, manager, Union Soap, Oil, and Candle Factory, was sworn, and given an opportunity by the Chairman to send further evidence by sworn affidavit later. The following witnesses were examined on oath : W. B. Leyland and A. Nixon,

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