A.-—4b.

his agitation." As a committeeman yourself, is it right to blame Mr. Gurr for setting up the organization ? —No. I want now to refer to the visit of the Minister. A large concourse of people assembled outside here ? —Yes. When the interview was over, did the chiefs and the committeemen tell the people assembled outside the Courthouse what the result was ?—"Yes. When was the meeting held at Lepea ? —The first one was after we left here. There was another meeting at Lepea : were you present 'Yes. And most of the members of the committee were present. It has been given in evidence that the chiefs were to go home and obey the request of the Minister ? —Yes. Were any records taken of that ? —You had them. Did anybody else write anything ? —I think you were the only one. Was I asked to go to the meeting ?—No, you were not asked, but you voluntered to be there I was going with you along the road, was I not ?—Yes. Where to ? —Up to my place. Jvdge MacCormick.] What date was this ? —I cannot remember the date. The Chairman.'] Was it a few days after the meeting ? —I cannot remember. It was a few days after the Minister left here. It was either a Monday or a Tuesday that a letter came from the Administrator, and then Mr. Nelson called a meeting. There was another letter asking for an explanation and requesting them to disperse, and it was decided to hold another meeting. Mr. Slipper.] I was not invited, and I did not know of it until I left town ?—That is so. Mr. Baxter : That would be about the 13th or 14th June. lam not sure of the date. The Chairman: That would be two days after the Minister left. Mr. Meredith.] I take it you will agree that the Samoans are all suspicious ? —Not all. Speaking generally, as a race their suspicions are easily aroused ? —A certain type, but not the majority of them. I put it to you that they are all rather suspicious in respect to money matters ? —The Samoans do not value money. Have there not been various disturbances in the island about Church funds ? —That is a different question altogether. But they were concerned with money ?—Yes ; that was with respect to the collection of funds to build a church. And they raise trouble if they have any doubt about the proper collection of Church moneys ? — Ido not think so, because they have come together. The Samoans are a very good crowd of people, and they generally make it up. Until they understand a matter they raise trouble —that is, until the position is explained to „hem they raise trouble ? —Not all. You were a member of the committee that prepared the various reports ? —I was one. And you prepared one, of course ? —I did not. I was in the Native affairs. But you, along with others, adopted the accuracy of all the reports ?—Well, to a certain extent, as to the particulars of the whole report. You allowed them to go out on the authority of the committee of which you were a member ? — Yes, I was one. Did you take any trouble to investigate the accuracy of those reports yourself ?—No. They were handed in by Mr. Williams on the morning of the meeting : is that correct ? —That is, before the public meeting ? Yes, the second public meeting. They were handed in on the morning. When did the committee sit to discuss those reports ? —ln the afternoon, as far as I know. Were they gone through in detail by all the members ? —Some were. Did you check the accuracy of the comparisons in the report ? —No, I did not. That was left entirely in the hands of Mr. Smyth and Mr. Gurr. And were the other reports treated in the same way by the members of the committee ? —Some of them were read out. And some of them were not ?—That is so. We met at 4or 5 o'clock, and we only had about an hour to do it. So, naturally, that would not be sufficient time to do it ? —No. They were read out in the afternoon before the public meeting for discussion. Discussion by whom ? —By the majority of the people. Were there many there ?—Yes. Would you expect the Samoans at that meeting to discuss the financial statement prepared by Mr. Gurr ? As a matter of good common-sense, could they have discussed the matter at that meeting ? —I do not know. Did any Samoan get up at that meeting and either ask a question about those reports or discuss them publicly ?—I do not remember. Did any European in the audience get up and discuss them : I am not referring to the members of the committee ? —Really, I do not remember whether one got up. As a matter of fact, was there any discussion on any report by anybody outside the members of the committee ? —At the meeting ? Yes ? —I think so, when it came to Samoan affairs. Who discussed them ?—The Samoans. Who spoke ? —lt was read out by Mr. Nelson, and it was left to the Samoans to discuss the matter. How many of them discussed the matter ? —Quite a lot, but I do not remember how many.

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