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Session II 1918. NEW ZEALAND.

RANGI KEREHOMA COMMISSION. REPORT OF COMMISSIONER.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Christchurch, 26th April, 1918. To His Excellency the Governor-General of New Zealand. May it please Your Excellency,— In obedience to your Commission, issued under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and dated the 22nd day of December, 1917, directing me to inquire and report into the circumstances connected with the declaring of one Rangi Kerehoma to be a European, and particularly as to whether the Public Trustee or any officer, servant, or agent of the Public Trust Office was concerned in the application of the said Rangi Kerehoma to be declared a European, and further as to whether the Public Trustee or any officer, servant, or agent of the Public Trust Office was connected with the disposal of, or other dealings with, any portion of the estate of the said Rangi Kerehoma either before or after he was declared to be a European, and, if so, was the Public Trustee or any such officer, servant, or agent guilty of any neglect or dereliction of duty with regard to the said Rangi Kerehoma, I have the honour to state that I have held such inquiry, and now beg to report as follows :— When I opened the Commission Mr. Morison, K.C., appeared with Mr. lloggard, instructed by Mr. Hornsby, M.P., who had formulated certain charges which he desired should form the basis of the inquiry. Sir John Findlay, K.C., appeared for the Public Trust Office, with Mr. Yon Haast; and Mr. Skerrett, K.C., with Mr. Crombie, for Chennells. The charges as formulated by Mr. Hornsby were as follows : — " That William Poyce Chennells, while agent of the Public Trustee at Masterton, was guilty of neglect or dereliction of duty with regard to Rangi