LXXV

H.—2

The Commission were engaged during the whole of the day perusing documents and drafting their report. . At 5 o'clock p.m. the Commission adjourned until 10.30 o'clock a.m. to-morrow.

Wednesday, 6th July, 1898. The Commission sat at 10.30 o'clock a.m. Present: Messrs. Wardell and Poynton. The minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. The Commission were engaged during the whole of the day perusing documents and drafting; their report. At 5 o'clock p.m. the Commission adjourned until to-morrow at 10.30 o'lcock a.m.

Thursday, 7th July, 1898. The Commission sat at 10.30 o'clock a.m. Present: Messrs. Wardell and Poynton. Minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. Mr. Taylor, M.H.E., attended and delivered a letter, dated the 7th July, 1898, asking for subpoenas for the Eight Hon. R. J. Seddon and the Hon. T. Thompson to attend for examination before the Commission, as follows :— Deab Sir,— . 7th July, 1898. After full consideration of the matter, I beg to make application for subpoenas for the Right Hon. B. J. Seddon and the Hon. T. Thompson. I shall be glad if you will let me know what day will suit them for examination, so that I may arrange not to inconvenience them. I am, &c, H. S. Wardell, Esq., Chairman Police Commission, Wellington. T. B. Taylob. The Commission were engaged during the whole of the day perusing documents and drafting, their report. The Commission at 5 o'clock p.m. adjourned until 10.30 o'clock a.m. to-morrow.

Friday, Bth July, 1898. The Commission sat at 10.30 o'clock a.m. Present: Messrs. Wardell and Poynton. The minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.H.E., wrote, under date Bth July, 1898, quoting authorities in support of his application for the issue of subpoenas for the attendance of the Eight Hon. E. J. Seddon and the Hon. T. Thompson, as follows : — Djsab Sib,— Bth July, 1898. With further reference to my application for the Hon. the Premier and the Defence Minister, and the conversation we had yesterday on the subject, I beg to ask your attention to May's " Parliamentary Practice," page 111. It is there stated as follows: " The claim to resist subpoenas upon the same principle as other personal privileges —viz., the paramount right of Parliament to the attendance and service of its members—was maintained in former times. Of late years, so far from withholding the attendance of members as witnesses in Courts of justice, the Commons grant leave of absence to their members on the ground that they have been summoned as witnesses, and have admitted the same excuse for defaulters at calls of the House." May then goes on to declare that " Although the claim of privilege is not now enforced as regards other Courts, one House will riot permit its members to be summoned by another without a messenger desiring his attendance, &o. It seems clear that the privilege of exemption from subpoenas has ceased to exist by virtue of its non-assertion." On the 4th May, 1894, the Hon. E. J. Seddon, A. J. Cadman, P. A. Buckley, John IMcKenzie, W. P. Reeves, J. G. Ward, and James Carroll were all examined on oath before the Fox Royal Commission. A full report of the proceedings is embodied in the Appendices of the House of Representatives for 1894—H.-5. The control of the Force has been by Ministers and not by a Commissioner, and Ministers only can explain what principles were applied in the selection of recruits, or in transfers and certain promotions. Your order of reference empowers you to call all persons or papers calculated to elucidate the questions submitted to you for investigation. Whatever attitude Ministers may assume, I submit, is a matter that does not affeot my right to call them as witnesses before you. They are possessed of information and facts without which I am unable to establish certain points in the charges lodged by myself; and, under these circumstances, I ask that you will supply me with subpoenas for Monday next at any hour which will suit the convenience of the Ministers named. I am, &c, H. S. Wardell, Esq., Chairman, Police Commission, Wellington. T. E. Taylob. The Commission was engaged during the whole of the day perusing documents and drafting their report.

Saturday, 9th July, 1898. The Commission sat at 10.30 a.m. Present: Messrs. Wardell and Poynton. The minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed. Subpoenas were issued for the attendance of the Eight Hon. E. J. Seddon and the Hon. T. Thompson for Monday next. The Commission was engaged during the whole of the day perusing documents and drafting, their report. At 1 o'clock p.m. the Commission adjourned until 10 o'clock a.m. on Monday next.

xi—H. 2.