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The Chairman : I would like to ask if you can tell the Committee was any evidence shown at the trial as to why the police did not receive information of this shot-wound previous to Saturday. Mr. Jellicoe : There is no evidence available which can be placed before the Committee. We do not know why the doctor did not conclude it was murder earlier. The Committee : Perhaps because there was not sufficient examination by the doctor. Mr. Gully : The whole thing rests with the doctor. The Chairman : I understand the body was lacerated with the shot, and the clothing discoloured ; and I should say it would be evident to laymen that some one had shot him. Mr. Jellicoe : I will ask the Committee to look at the clothing. The doctor and police must have arrived at the conclusion that the man was killed, but what caused the delay in taking action Ido not know. It was a most extraordinary thing. Mr. Gully : There may have been errors of judgment on the part of the doctor and police, but they will not assist you one way or the other. Mr. Jellicoe : As regards Mr. Fisher recommending Chemis not to employ me, as far as I am aware he may have been actuated by the best of motives ; he may have had reason for thinking I was a person the Judges did not like, and that it would be better for Chemis to employ some other counsel. Mr. Jellicoe, sworn and examined : I have read to the Committee the whole of the notes taken by me at my private interview with Chemis. I took down verbatim everything he said. I have also read to the Committee a copy of the note which I took at the first interview in the presence of Warder Millington. At the first interview, before leaving I read over my note to Chemis and Millington, and they said that it was an accurate statement of what had taken place. During the hearing of the charge against Benjamin, and the examination, on oath, of the convict Chemis, Sir Harry Atkinson was in Court, and after Chemis's cross-examination was completed Sir Harry said to me, " Well, after that evidence, I really believe the man is innocent." I said in reply, " Why do you then allow the Crown authorities to defend Benjamin on this charge?" and Sir Harry replied, " We are bound (or obliged) to support the officials." During the proceedings in the magisterial Court I was in communication throughout with Sir Harry Atkinson, and I placed before him from time to time the evidence I obtained. Sir Harry gave me information that Bowles had left Wellington, and had stayed at Belmont on his way to the Wairarapa. At the suggestion of Sir Harry I personally endeavoured to trace this man Bowles, and I went out one Sunday morning to Belmont. I may say that I was disguised. I went out with a young man named Hare who had been working at Hawkings's. At Belmont I found the witness Norman, who knew Hare was a friend of Bowles, and he concluded that I had come out with their friend Hare for the day. I said, " Jellicoe has offered some reward or found some knife," and that Bowles had asked me to see that the knife was put away securely. I asked him to tell me where it was, and I would see to it. He said, " Did he not give you a note to that effect ?" I said, "No; he did not give me any note, but he asked me to come out at once and see that everything was all right," or words to that effect. He then said, " Well, he promised to write to me if he had any communication to make. Ido not understand him not writing if he has anything to say." This was all I could get out of him in reference to the matter, except that he did not tell the Judge everything, and had omitted all about Bowles. C stayed with him a little time and tried to get some further information. In reference to the whereabouts of Bowles he said, "He stayed here on his way to the Wairarapa. lamon my way up to him. He writes to say he can get me a job." I had a subpcena in my pocket, and I then gave him the subpcena to attend in the Magistrate's Court the following morning. The man stammers, but spoke to me with little difficulty in the conversation which I had, lasting over an hour. On the following day I called Norman as the first witness. He then began to stutter, and it was quite impossible to get him to give any evidence at all, but what I did get out of him appears in the depositions, and that immediately on his arrival in town he went direct to Benjamin's counsel—the Crown Prosecutor. It is not for me to suggest why he went to the Crown Prosecutor. He repeated to some extent what he told me at the interview the day before. In reference to the evidence he gave at the Supreme Court, he said in his examination, " I did not tell all that I had written down in the statement I gave Benjamin. I left out all about Bowles." There he stopped, and we could get no more out of him. I called Mr. Woodward—my clerk— who was with me for the purpose of giving evidence as to what Norman did tell me, but Mr. Bell objected to any such evidence being given. You will find a note of the Magistrate's ruling at the end of the deposition. On my return to Wellington that evening I reported to Sir Harry what had taken place, and on his advice I sent up young Hare to Charles Bowles for a letter for Norman, and Detective Kerby awaited the reply at the Lower Hutt. The message sent was to the effect that Norman was waiting an urgent note from Bowles and sent up for it. The message returned was that Bowles said he would send his letter by post. Detective Kerby was told off, and watched the post office at the Lower Hutt until the letter was delivered to Norman, and on its delivery Detective Kerby said, " Let me see that letter." There was nothing in it, as I understand, except, "Come here at once, you will get a job," or something to that effect. Sir Harry promised me to do his best to obtain a detective from Australia or some other part to assist in clearing up the matter, and I believe he did communicate with Australia. A difficulty, however, arose, and nothing came of the application. I have to thank Sir Harry for the very great effort he made to probe this case and to assist in getting at the real truth. I deeply deplore the fact that he is not now with us to assist in this inquiry. I do not know that I need trouble honourable members any further. If Mr. Eichardson is here he can be called and examined. The Chairman: Do you want to ask Mrs. Chemis anything? Mr. Jellicoe : No ; it is not necessary. The Chairman : Have the Committee anything to ask Mrs Chemis ? The Committee : No. Have you any information about Bowles ?