!.—4a

50

Mr. T. C. Coleman.

4th Oct., 1878.

Mr. J. E. Nathan

4th Oct., 1878.

Inspector Atchison.

4th Oct., 187 S.

Detective Fairell.

4th Oct., 1878.

be rough, and I suppose that is why he quarrelled with me. I never wore a uniform, and I did not want to get a bad word amongst the people. 1401. Did you think the man was being ill-treated ? —I certainly should not have treated him so myself. 1402. Well, was ho taken to the station? —I left him, and went to the station to get some more help. There were two men in the station, one of them went to McWilliams' help, but McWilliams seemed to think that he was worse than I was. 1403. Why ? —He did not seem to lend so much assistance as I did. At any rate, the three of us, and a civilian, took the man to the station, where he was searched, and locked up for the night. 1404. Was the man injured at all?—I heard afterwards that he spat blood, and that he was not allowed to go out to work at the gaol because he was so bad. But I do not know that of my own knowledge. 1405. AVas that in consequence of the treatment he had received ? —I suppose so. An action was brought to recover the value of the clothes belonging to McAVilliams which had been destroyed, but it was held by the Bench that the clothes had been paid for by the sentence which Vitey underwent. 1406. AVas any complaint made that he had been ill-treated?—l do not know ; everything was kept quiet from me. 1407. AVas McWilliams hurt at all ?—Not that I know of. 1408. Mr. Barton] Did any policemen remain in the cell after you left ? —Several. 1409. AVas Buchanan there? —I cannot say. 1410. Was Monaghan there ? —I saw Monaghan amongst the crowd, but I do not think he was in the cell. 1411. AVas the man handcuffed?— When he came in. 1412. Did you see the handcuffs taken off? —No. 1413. Was he in the cell with the handcuffs on ? —Tes, he was. 1414. AVas he on the ground ? —Tes, he was on his back. 1415. AVas he tied ? —I do not know. I left as soon as he was put in the cell. 1416. Did you hear that he was maltreated in the cell? —I heard so, but one cannot take notice of what one hears. Mr. ,J. E. Nathan, being duly sworn, was examined. 1417. The Chairman] Would you be good enough to tell the Committee if you recollect a conversation with Swain, of the Union Hotel, about an application for a publichouse license. Swain had some negotiation with you about one ? —I believe Mr. Swain went into the business before I came out. AVhen I was in England my managing clerk, Mr. Roxburgh, bought the right to purchasing the freehold of which Swain was tenant; but that all transpired when I was away, and I knew nothing of the matter. I did not like the publichouse business at all. It commenced after I went away, and on my return I put a stop to it. 1417 a. Is Mr. Roxburgh still in your employ? —No; he misconducted himself in my absence, and is not now in my service. 1418. The allegation made to the Committee and supported by the statement of Swain is something to this effect: That he wanted some application made about the license, and went with you to see about it, and you asked him what you should give the police (by way of a bribe, of course) £5 or £10; and that he said £5 was enough ?—Nothing of the kind. It may have taken place with Roxburgh, as Swain had his license before I knew him j it could not have taken place since. Inspector Atchison, being duly sworn, was re-examined. 1119. The Chairman] AYe have called you here to-day because there is a complaint on the part of Detective Farrell: that, in consequence of evidence he has given before the Committee, he has been intimidated by yourself and other officers ? —I should like to know in what way. It has not been the case, so far as I am aware. 1420. AVell, we will swear Farrell; and then you will hear what he has to say ?—Tes. James Fabkell, being duly sworn, was re-examined. 1421. The Chairman] Now, what is your complaint, Farrell ?—I received intimation from you to produce certain papers before the Committee yesterday. On AVednesday, when 1 left here, therefore 1 went to the Police Station to get them. I saw Ellison, the second clerk, and I asked him if there was any one in the office up-stairs. He said, " No." " AVell," I said, " will you kindly come up-stairs with me, because I want to take possession of some papers in your presence, to show I am not stealing them." He came up-stairs, and 1 put the documents in my pocket. AVhen I went on duty yesterday morning Sergeant Smith, in a most insolent manner, asked me what right I had to remove papers. 1 said I had done so by order of the Chairman of the Gaols Committee. He replied, " I want a receipt for them;" and I gave him a receipt. Inspector Atchison and Sergeant Fraser were there, and the Inspector accused me of removing documents from his office without his authority, and said I had no right to do so. I said, " I did not do so ; I took them from the Sergeant's office." Smith then said I had taken them without any authority. I replied, "If I have done wrong, report me ; but do not abuse me." Fraser then said it was most dastardly and damnable conduct on my part. It was the first time he had ever known such conduct. It was most dastardly and damnable conduct, and amounted to stealing. I said, " Don't accuse me of stealing; what I did, I did by the order of the Committee. If I have done wrong, report me." 1422. Inspector Atchison] What did I say to you yesterday morning about the documents ?—Tou said I had no business to take them ; that you did not think an old policeman would do such a thing ;