Prior to the commence ment of the sale, witness tried to dissuade him from carrying out the sale, and offered to buy the estate at a valuation for the creditors, if he would consent to witness paying the money to the trustee. He did not offer any specific amount. Witness then requested to be allowed to bid at the sale, the money to be paid to the trustees. Prisoner said he could not trust him. Witness then offered to pay the money to the R M. of the district in his presence, and that he also refused. The stock was worth over £200. In the valuation he included everything except ing horses and gum field. The goods were sold by " Dutch auction," the price being fixed by the seller, and the bids decreasing. There were several other persons besides witness and Mr Brycrs, and her storekeeper, present. The goods were sold at a great deal below their value. Witness bought the greater part of his st^ck, Witness was a customer of Messrs Owen and Graham for some time, and knew the private mark of the firm. The mark was impressed on a suit of clothes and some drapery goods which witness purchased. The suit cost 80s, He bought a,nother suit at the same price. He estimated the goods to be worth more than 40s. All the goods purchased by him were sold under their fair market Talue. This was the first time he had seen goods sold at Hokianga by Dutch auction. There were two parcels of gum, 2 tons 3 cwt, sold at the store 500 yards distant. The gum sold at £15. and was afterwards re-sold in Auckland £30 per ton. On the second day a quantity of goods at a store several mile 3 distant was sold. Portions of these goods bore Messrs O wen and Graham's mark. They were also sold beneath the cost price. Prisoner gave as his reason for the sale that his term of lease would expire shortly, and he did not wish the goods to be seized by the bailiff under an execution war rant. The bailiff told witness beforo the sale that the goods were to be sold for the benefit of the creditors, and not Mr G. W. Owen only. The name of the bailiff was George Frederick Rees, This was the whole of the evidence. 