A. —4b.

objection by the committee. Our suggestion is that a reduction in the number of officials from New Zealand would render this expenditure unnecessary. Your suggestion is to reduce the number ? —Yes. The next is the cleaning of Government property, and care of the waterfront grounds, and care of the bathing-pool. What is the complaint behind that remark ? —£soo a year seems to be a large sum for keeping Government property clean and looking after the Malifa bathing-pool. We simply ask for an inquiry as to whether it is justified. We are not in a position to say if that expense is warranted. The same, I conclude, then, applies to No. «3 ? —Yes, and generally applies to the whole. This report was framed for the purpose of placing it before the citizens at the meeting which was held on the 15th October, and for the citizens to make any suggestions they desired to make, or any complaints. It will be noted from the wording of this report that we throw out suggestions or hints to the citizens to make their own suggestions. What I want to say, there was no formed idea of actual complaints. The same applies to No. 4 and No. 5. The Minister suggests that you should have made an inquiry into the new wharf. There is no secrecy about the new wharf ?—We do not say that there is any secrecy with reference to the expenditure on the wharf ; it was with reference to the carrying-out of the work that an accident occurred as reported to us. No bottom could be found for piles when they were being driven in. Have you made any inquiry since ? —I have made no inquiries. The Chairman.] You say close secrecy was being observed ? —lt is not a complaint at all or a source of complaint. We intended this for the citizens to give further instructions and formulate any complaints if they so desired. Mr. Baxter.] Now, your paragraphs 5, 6, and 7 : These are all New Zealand Reparation Estates ? — We were not aware at the time that they did belong to the New Zealand Reparation Estates. I have nothing to say about them. Loans : Have you anything to add to your remarks there ?—I have nothing to add. Mr. Smyth might when he comes. Control of public money : It is known that the Administrator has the control of public money subject to the Minister —that is in the Act. Now, have you any complaints about this or not ? —Yes, the complaint is stated here. We consider that the people who pay the taxes should have a better representation in connection with the expenditure of public money. It should not be placed in the hands of one person. In what way do you consider that the people should ?—I think what we have suggested here. It is recommended on page 13, " We realize that so long as the present Samoa Act is not amended we must submit to the present system, and we respectfully recommend for the earnest consideration of the Administration and for the approval of the New Zealand Government the creation of a Financial Board whose members will be elected by the people. This Board may first take into consideration all proposals of public expenditure and the collection of revenue, and make recommendations to the Legislative Council on revenue and expenditure." How do you propose that the Board should be elected ? —Elected by the taxpayers. What about the Samoans ? —The Samoans should have a say in the matter, and there should be certain Samoans elected on that Board. The Chairman.'] You say that Samoans should have a say in it ? What voting-powers do you suggest that they should have ? —Well, they would have as much right to speak on the expenditure as the other persons on this Board. That is not an answer to my question. On what franchise do you suggest that the proposed Board should be elected, particularly as applied to Samoans ?■—The Fono of Faipule may elect several of their members to sit on this Board. lam asking what you suggest. Your suggestion according to this is that they should be elected by the people ?• —Well, the Europeans would be elected in the same way as the Legislative Council here, and the Samoans may be nominated by the Fono of Faipule. Then you do not propose to grant the franchise to the Samoans ? —The matai is the head of the Samoan family, and from these matai the opinions of the people would come. That is not direct franchise, surely %—By virtue of being a matai he has the right— The Chairman: Very well. We will see when the matter is further investigated. Mr. Baxter: The latter part of the report must be admitted to be well astray in regard to the £100,000. Mr. Meredith.] You are a member of the committee ? —Yes. And on that committee there are the three members of the Legislative Council ?—That is so. Mr. Nelson, Mr. Westbrook, and Mr. Williams ? —Yes. And on that committee I think that you had some Samoan representatives too ?—Yes. Now, these various reports, they were prepared by sub-committees ?—That is so. And who was the sub-committee on finance ?—Mr. Smyth and myself, of the European section. But of course the sub-committees were preparing it for the whole committee ?—That is so. And when these reports were finished they would be submitted to the whole of the committee for adoption ? —Yes. Because these reports were sent out as the considered opinion of the whole committee %—That is so. And I think in the covering letter Mr. Nelson sent he states, " T forward you herewith a complete file of the reports, which were sent you by the Citizens Committee and were approved of by the people of Samoa." Now, I take it that means that these various reports were explained to the Samoans ? — To the Samoans who attended the meeting in November,

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