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persons who were living in the house of the murdered man ?—There was nothing that transpired at the time to draw my suspicion towards any one living in that house, nor from what I have since heard has anything transpired to case suspicion on those persons. The widow suggested Chemis; she never suspected any one else so far as I am aware of. 273. The Chairman.'] When the papers were handed to you by Benjamin, did he say whether he got them in the drawer? —Some were found in the drawer, some on a shelf. 274. Did you ever form any idea as to the time it would take Chemis to get from his house to the scene of the murder ?—For a man who knew the locality it would not take very long. The locality must have been well known to Chemis. His cattle were running there. The locality would be better known to him than to most people. I went over the ground, but made no computation as to time. Some one went over the ground afterwards and made a computation of the time occupied, but I cannot speak with any certainty about it. 275. Mr. Lake.] It was purely from the statement you got from the widow that you formed the suspicion of Chemis —there was no preconceived notion in your mind about it ?—No ; they were both strangers to me —I knew nothing of them. 276. It was not a mere fancy because he was a Frenchman ? —I had nothing whatever to do with that. Possibly lam safe in saying that it was from what the widow told me. 277. Had you information from others ? —I am not sure; I fancy it was principally from what the widow told me at the time. 278. You are in a position to state absolutely that it was not from the mere guidance of any footsteps that you went there ?—No. Mr. Jellicoe : Now, Sir, I claim the right of cross-examining the witness, and I intend to crossexamine very fully. The Committee will remember that Inspector Thomson was the principal witness for the prosecution. Witness : I object to it as most unfair to cross-examine me upon a mass of detail that occurred three years ago ; I also say that the Committee cannot give Mr. Jellicoe the right to crossexamine me : that is my contention. The Chairman. —l am under the impression that the solicitor who attends on behalf of the petitioner has always been accorded the right to cross-examine. Mr. Jellicoe : I claim the right; and if the Committee have the right, I would ask them to exercise it. If I get the right I mean to examine very fully. Mr. Thomson : The department has declined to grant the assistance of counsel, and I cannot myself retain the service of counsel. The application was made to the department for representation by counsel :it was not made by me. I did not ask it for myself. I made no application, but the application was sent through me from Detective Campbell, who requested that he should be allowed counsel. Mr. Jellicoe : If the Committee think I have no right to cross-examine, I must submit, but I claim the right to examine and cross-examine to the fullest extent. Mr. Thomson: I object to be cross-examined after the lapse of three years; besides, I have been grossly insulted by Mr. Jellicoe. The Chairman : I must say that is outside the investigation which the Committee has to make. Mr. Jellicoe : Whatever I have done I have done in the performance of my duty. Mr. Thomson : What I did was in the performance of my duty also. I contend that Mr. Jellicoe has not the right to cross-examine at an inquiry of this kind. The Committee has no power to allow it. Of course I speak with all deference to the Committee. lam simply doing what I think is necessary. Constable Laweence Caeboll sworn and examined. 279. The Chairman.] There is a petition before the Committee from Mrs. Chemis. We have gone through the evidence you gave before the Supreme Court, also, I think, in the Eesident Magistrate's Court. The principal point on which the Committee wishes some explanation has reference to the papers found in the house of Chemis at the time the first search was made. Can you tell the Committee about this, commencing with the scene of the murder ?—I found certain pieces of paper on the road, along with some others. 280. What day was that ? —The morning after the murder. 281. What time did you arrive there? — Between 7 and half-past 7 o'clock; perhaps I might say that it was about fifteen minutes past. We started from Thorndon at 6 o'clock in the morning. We walked there, myself and Constable Healy. 282. W T hat did you do with the paper?—l found some paper, and pieces of tweed from the lining of his pocket; that was all that day.' Where the body was found, we found two buttons. 283. What did you do with the paper?—l rolled it up, and put it in my pocket. I took it to the police-station afterwards. I was instructed by Mr. Thomson to bring it to Mr. Skey, at the Museum. I did so. A few days afterwards I took it from there to Mr. Tasker, in Government Buildings; that is all I have ever seen of it since. 284. Was it after you got to the scene of the murder you went to the house of Chemis ? —I went to the house in company with Detective Campbell, Detective Benjamin, and Constable Healy; that was on the sth, the morning of the day that he was arrested. 285. Not before ?—No. 286. You were not present at the first search then?—l think not. I believe that Mr. Thomson and Detective Campbell were there. 287. On your first visit to Chemis's did you take any paper out of the house at that time? —Yes; I took a piece of paper out of the pocket of a pair of trousers that were hanging on the wall. I took it home that evening. I gave it to Benjamin. 288. Was Mr. Thomson there then ?—No, he was not there then.