1.—6.

30

Mr. Johnson.

26th Nov., 1879. Mr. Berry.

26th Nov., 1879.

Mr. Maginnity and Mr. Sheehan.

28th Nov., 1879.

493. Tou might have taken them down without an envelope?—l might on one or two occasions. I think in Auckland I did so, but the practice was to enclose them in a Government envelope. 494. Mr. Pitt] Wore you personally known to the Telegraph officials?—No; I was not. Mr. AVilliam Beery sworn and examined. 495. The Chairman] AVhat capacity did you hold in regard to the late Native Minister? —I travelled with him, doing shorthand work, and sent off his telegrams and letters. 496. As shorthand writer?—Tes. 497. AVhat instructions had you with regard to paying for telegrams?— Just before the dissolution Mr. Sheehan said there would be a number of electioneering telegrams of a private nature, aud we had better get a private wire-book. I got one on the Oih August, in which I entered all private wires, and from that time up to the meeting of Parliament we entered and kept copies of all private wires before sending them to the telegraph office. The telegraphist would send a memorandum in the afternoon or the evening, when the amount was paid to the telegraph messenger. 498. Mr. Wakefield] Was it left to your discretion to say whether a telegram should be considered a private wire or a Government telegram ?—To my own aud the person who was writiug with me, the Private Secretary. 499. The Chairman] Air. Sheehan dictated to you what he wanted to say, and you took it down in shorthand, aud then it rested with you and Air. Johnson to write the telegrams and send them away ?—Tes. 500. Did you sign Air. Sheehan's name ? —Tes; Mr. Sheehan seldom saw the telegram unless it was on an important matter. If it was doubtful, wo showed tho telegram to Air. Sheehan before we despatched it. 501. Mr. Pitt] If you did not mark a telegram " Private wire," was it intended to go as a Government telegram?—Tes.

Feiday, 28th November, 1579. Mr. A. T. Maginnity, Secretary of Telegraphs, and Mr. Sheehan, M.H.R., re-examined. 502. Mr. Sheehan] I want to ask, Mr. Maginnity, whether Mr. King is a person authorized to frank telegrams? —No. Mr. King is not authorized to frank. This one he sent is a reply to a , Government telegram No. 1 1. 503. Is it the pracl ice of the Telegraph officers to transmit messages free, in reply toGovernment telegrams, from persons not authorized to frank ? —No; but I should add to that, it would be necessary for me to look up this Government telegram No. 41, in order to see what instructions were contained in it. 501. Then, assuming there wore no instructions, " Eeply paid," of authority to frank.it should have been the duty of the telegraph office at Auckland to demand payment of that wire?—Tes; or to have refused it. 505. The Chairman] Have you got a copy ? Mr. Sheehan : I have ihe original. 506. Docs the original require a reply or authorize one? Jfr. Sheehan : I have not got the message to which that is a reply. Mr. Maginnity : I have just given evidence that it would be necessary for me to look up that telegram No. 44 to see wdiethcr tho officer was justified or not in receiving it without payment. It would be necessary for mo to seethe Government telegram in order to ascertain whether any instructions were given whereby the officer in Auckland would be authorized to receive it as ho does any other. 507. Hon. Mr. Gisborne] Do I understand you to say that if a Alinister sends a telegram to another person which requires an answer, unless he puts on it " Rejily free," giving that person authority to reply free as a Government telegram, the telegram can be sent free?—No, he could not. There must be somo instruction in tho original telegram to enable him to reply. 508. The Chairman] Alay I ask you, Mr. Sheehan, whether tho telegram to which that is a reply did contain authority? —f could not say. I had to send so many telegrams at that time. 509. Have you got a telegram from Colonel AVhitmore of the 12th September? Mr. Sheehan : I have no objection to the Committee reading this telegram, though it is "strictly private and confidential." It is so marked by me, and was paid for by me. " Wellington, August 6th, 1879.—John King, Auckland.—Striotly private and confidential. I decline myself to stand for blank against blank. I feel so much disgusted with blank that I shall not stand. Wire me." That is a private wire paid for by me. I have no objection to take this wire out, and leave it. 510. Mr. Wakefield.]'\\ T a* that sent from Wellington P—Tes. 511. Mr. Bowen] Mr. Maginnity, why was ihat telegram of Air. King's sent back as a Government telegram? —I could not say, unless I turned up tho original, No. 44. 512. Hon. Mr. Gisborne] Cannot you turn it up, because that is wdiat the whole thing depends on. Have you got it here ? —No, I have not got it here. Mr. Sheehan : Here is another telegram, I see, on tho same day, 6th August, 1579. " Privato wire." It is another telegram to the same person. (Telegram read.) 513. Hon. Mr. Gisborne] Is that charged as a public telegram ? Mr. Sheehan : No, it is charged as a private telegram. AVire No. 12 of the 6th August, is marked " Urgent," not " 0.P.5," and a receipt is given for it, probably by some one in the Library. It is not marked " Collect." Then ou 2nd September there is another wire from Colonel Whitmore to me, sent from the AVellington office. 514. The Chairman] AVhat do you desire to bring out? Mr. Sheehan : First of all, there are telegrams in the list sent to me, that one of 2nd September to which 1 have just referred from Colonel AVhitmore, is not marked on public service, and not entered as a wire to be collected. It was receipted probably by the Librarian. I think these are his initials,