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2. Do you remember, in April last, or some months ago, an order given to you by Messrs. Briscoe and MacNeil for a supply of certain tents ?—Ever since last Easter I have taken several orders. 3. Do you remember the first order ?—The first, I think, father must have taken. 4. I refer to the first goods ?—The orders came sometimes verbally, sometimes they would be put on a slip of paper and afterwards entered in the day-book complete. 5. Do you remember the first order given?—l do not remember as regards date; I remember I received orders for tents. 6. Was any quality mentioned ? —Yes; it was specially mentioned. 7. The orders you say were verbal ?—Yes, sometimes. 8. You were asked to supply quality to tender ? —Yes ; and we made a sample. 9. Were any alterations made in the orders?—We were asked afterwards for another quality, but we were not told who it was for. 10. Was that before you supplied ?—No, we had supplied some of the proper quality. 11. And you were asked if you would supply another quality?— Yes, we were asked if we had another quality in stock, but we were not told who it was for. 12. And you supplied that other quality?— Yes. 13. Did you continue to supply to their order? Do you remember what number of tents were supplied?—l think we had about three orders—two or three orders. 14. You made up these tents ?—I am in charge of the workroom. 15. Can you tell us whether this tent produced is a sample ?—By opening it I could; I could tell by the work and the material. [Tents opened and examined.] One of these tents contains 122 yards of labour, the other 81 yards of labour—by machine. 16. Mr. Montgomery.] Do you know who it was that gave you that order?— Sometimes it would be Mr. Bridson who brought them, sometimes a younger man—a lad about nineteen. 17. Did you have any conversation with Bridson in regard to these orders ? —Once or twice he asked me if I had any quality between : I told him we only had the lower. iB. Did you protest against supplying that? —Not exactly; I told him they were not the quality. I did not know who they were for, and he did not say. 19. Did he try to beat you down in price ?—Well, he generally did want to beat down the price I asked for ; there are few firms who do not do so. 20. Mr. Tanner.] Can you tell us the number of tents you supplied of the original quality ?— No, I could not tell you. There were several; then those lower, and then the good ones afterwards. There were three orders : one was a large order, the other two were very small. About eighteen in the large lot were the lower quality. 21. Then, a number were of inferior quality, comparatively? How many tents were there altogether ?—I have not that with me. 22. Cannot you form an estimate ?—No ; not for the year. 23. Mr. McGowan.] Is it the width of the calico that makes the difference in the labour ?—The extra machine-work. Then there are the flies and the rope that is put round them; all that makes extra work. 24. Mr. T. Mackenzie.] What quantity of calico is in that large tent ?—27 yards—tent and fly. 25. What is the original value of the calico ? —lo|d. a yard. 26. What do you consider the value of the labour ?—Do you mean in money or in time ? It would cost in labour alone 4s.—that is, for the tent only —not the tent and fly ; it would be 6s. for tent and fly. 27. In addition to which there would be the rope : how much is that ? —2s. Then there would be the twine, thread, &c, included. 28. Mr. Lang.] What is the difference in the value of the cloth in the one tent and in the other?— One is a yard, the other is 10fd., or 2d. difference. 29. The Chairman.] What are the dimensions of these two classes ?—One is cut according to the cloth, and would be about 2in. shorter; the other is cut into the stuff. 30. After these tents are complete, are they both of the same size ? —Not exactly. 31. Is there much difference ?—There would be a difference in the width and length. I never measured to see, but it might be three or four inches. 32. On the whole size ?—Three or four inches. I have not measured, because there was never any necessity to do so. 33. Would anybody know the difference by looking at these tents ?—Yes, they would know by the material and the finish. 34. Would a Government officer of the Public Works Department be likely to distinguish, between them ?—Yes ; they are folded in different lengths. 35. Then, it would not be easy to deceive them ?—Not at all. 36. Whose handwriting is that ?—lt is mine in the body of the invoice. [Document handed to witness.] 37. These small figures, are they in your handwriting?— No. 38. You do not know whose figures they are ?—No. 39. Mr. Skerrett.] Are you quite certain that the first order by Briscoe and MacNeil was for " tender " quality ? —Yes. 40. Could you tell me whether that invoice marked "29" is not the first order which appears in your books from Briscoe, MacNeil, and Co. ?—I could not say whether it is first in the book; I will look at the date. 41. They did not take the contract until February 29?—1 cannot answer your question, but I can find out and let you know. 42. And the number of tents, if you please ? —Yes.