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14. And who receives letters addressed in that way ? —They go to Mr. Cooper, and he forwards them to the Colonial Secretary. Of course there are some matters which go before the Colonial Secretary directly. » 15. You have said that when you were absent telegrams and correspondence may be signed by Mr. Cooper ?—Yes, he signs them as Under-Secretary. 16. Has that been the practice ever since you were appointed ? —I cannot say that positively. There was a distinct order given some months ago to the effect that if I was absent and a telegram had to be sent at once it should be signed by Mr. Cooper. 17. Then all your duties, as defined in the Sheep Act, you carry out irrespective of any other person ?—Yes, but of course I submit everything of great importance to the Minister for his approval. 18. Can you give an instance of the kind of business you refer to the Colonial Secretary ? — Such matters as letting contracts for clearing land, or the appointment and dismissal of officers, &c, must necessarily go before the Colonial Secretary. If disease broke out iu a district and it was necessary to give instructions to an Inspector, I would deal with the matter myself at once ; but anything involving the payment of money, or the making of an appointment, would have to be submitted to the Minister. 19. Then any correspondence with officers with respect to their duties comes directly from yourself ?—Yes. 19a. And no other person has a right to act in these matters except with your authority ?—No ; but I make this reservation : that if anything occurred which required to be attended to immediately, Mr. Cooper would give the necessary instructions, but of course 1 would see the correspondence when I returned to Wellington. 20. Is Mr. Maunsell connected with the department now ? —Yes; he does the inside work, i.e., the clerical work of the department. 21. Is not all the work connected with the Sheep Department done in your office ?—lt is done in the Stock Branch of the Colonial Secretary's Department, and I am the head of that department. 22. Who is the head of the other branch of the department ? —Mr. Cooper, as Under-Secretary. I am under Mr. Cooper. 23. What are the functions of that branch which does the " inside work," as you term it? —To look after the correspondence ; to see that the proclamations with regard to stock are drawn up; to compile the returns, &c. 24. Do you take your instructions from Mr. Maunsell ? —No. 25. Do you give him instructions ? —I may say plainly that his position has not been actually defined as far as I know. He has no official designation, so far as I know. 26. Supposing your duties clashed, who would be looked upon as the superior officer?—lt is generally considered that I am responsible for superintending the operations which are being taken for the prevention of the spread of scab in sheep, and for seeing that the officers of the department are doing their work outside. When I have been in Wellington nobody has interfered with me in the performance of my duties. 27. You have no authority over those who do the inside work ? —I always considered that I had no control over the clerical work. 28. But it is necessary that you should know exactly what is going on ? —Yes ; but I am frequently away for six weeks or two months at a time. 29. And it is Mr. Maunsell's duty to attend to these matters in your absence ? —Yes, and lam frequently telegraphed to for information while I am away, and the advice I give is generally acted upon. 30. Could you telegraph to Mr. Maunsell instructing him to do anything? —Yes, I think so. If I said I wanted a certain thing done it would be done. 31. But suppose he refused to do what you wanted ?—Such a thing has never occurred yet. 32. Has it ever come to your knowledge that he declined to take any orders from you ?—No. We may have had differences of opinion with regard to the course to be pursued, but Mr. Maunsell has never declined to do what I required him to do. 33. As I understand it, there is a kind of " trinity " in this department: viz., yourself, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. Maunsell ? —Yes, I suppose that is the case. 34. Can the department be carried on by an officer who has only control over the outside work, and who has not the control of the inside work also ? —The positions of Mr. Maunsell and myself have never been thoroughly denned. 35. Then we are to understand that you have no control over the inside work ?■—Yes, I say that distinctly ; but, at the same time, I say that nothing is done without my advice having first been asked for. 36. You have control over the outside work ?—Yes. 37. But not over the inside work ? —No. 38. Then what position does Mr. Cooper hold with regard to the inside work ?—As Undersecretary, all correspondence must go through his office. 39. Does he perform any active duties, or is he simply the medium through which orders from the Colonial Secretary come to you ?—All correspondence as a rule is forwarded through the Colonial Secretary's office, and anything that appertains to my office comes to me from the Under-Secretary. 40. You send your correspondence to the Minister through Mr. Cooper: does he ever return your correspondence with remarks on it ? —Yes. He is the permanent head of the Colonial Secretary's Department. 41. But he only interferes with you when he is dealing with correspondence between you and the Colonial Secretary ? —Yes. 42. Does he by acting in that way assume the position of head of the Stock Branch of the Colonial Secretary's Department ? —Yes. 43. Then he is practically the head of the department? —-Yes. 44. Then, if Mr. Cooper is head of your department, what position does Mr. Maunsell hold?—I cannot say exactly, but he has held the same position that he does now for some years past. 45. Do you think that that sort of thing is likely to work well ?—I can only say that no disagreement has arisen as yet,