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application to Major Gudgeon. He submitted my papers to the late Hon. Mr. Ballanoe, and, after consultation, they came to the conclusion that I had been badly treated, and I was taken on to the Force again, which was a certain amount of satisfaction to me. Major Gudgeon was Commissioner of Police. But Colonel Hume, in 1892, said before the Petitions Committee that I got back because I had a starving wife and family. 134. You came back because you thought that the police would be a sphere of usefulness for your abilities ? —lt was a certain amount of satisfaction to know that I had been badly treated, and that I had received some consideration. 135. You received consideration to the extent of one year, and at the expiry of that year you left the Force again ? —ln double-quick time.. 136. And, of course, when you left the Force again it was not through any fault of your own ; it was the fault of the system ? —The fault of doing my duty was the cause of it—stopping a woman from opening police telegrams in the station. 137. In withdrawing yourself from duty in Christchurch you said it was because traps were laid for you; do you think traps were laid for you ?—Yes. 138. What were the traps ?—There was one trap in 1883, when I .was on duty at Hereford Street, between 12 and 1 o'clock in the morning. A constable, at present a member of the Police Force, came to me and said, " Why do you not go down to the Crown Brewery, as they have a good barrel of beer on there —just as you go in the door." I had been on the station about a fortnight then. The constable was so persistent in his recommendation about this barrel of beer that, having been forewarned as to traps, I did not go down to the brewery after leading him to believe that I would. I stopped at Oxford Terrace, about half-way on my beat, between the top of Hereford Street and the Crown Brewery. The constable was so anxious that I should go that I was suspicious of a trap. I remained there sufficiently long to have allowed me to become comfortable in this brewery, when the fire-bell gave about three peals. I ran up my beat and saw this constable and a sergeant and two other men go up a side entry in the rear of a butcher's shop. I followed them into the smoke-house. The constable was illustrating in a very elaborate way about flames going out of the window, but I saw at a glance that no such thing as a fire had occurred there. I opened the smoke-house door and there was no fire. I believe they enticed me to go to the brewery, and then rang the fire-bell in order that I might be at the brewery, and therefore absent from my beat when the fire-bell rang. 139. Was that the only trap ?—There were a few more, but I shall hold them in reserve for future publication. 140. Colonel Pitt.] In reference to the Boyd case, I see there is a paragraph as follows : " The women were tried and committed for trial, but the Crown Solicitor abandoned the prosecution at the Supreme Court through some legal difficulty, over which neither he nor the police had any control." Can you say that is not true? —I say that if the evidence had been brought forward the case would have taken a different turn altogether. Akthub Hume was examined on oath. 141. Mr. Neale.] You were Commissioner of the Police Force of New Zealand in 1892?— Yes. 142. You attended before the Petitions Committee in 1892, and gave evidence when I had a petition before the House ?—Yes. 143. During your term as Commissioner of Police I was not under you ?—No. 144. In your statement before the Petitions Committee you informed them that I was reappointed to the Police Department in 1885 by Major Gudgeon for having a starving wife and family ? —I may or may not have said so. If I did say it, I had very good reasons for saying so.--145. You remember, I suppose, Inspector Pender being brought up in connection with this charge ?—I do not remember. 146. You do not remember passing a remark that it was a pity Inspector Pender was absent, and that such an assertion should be made against him?—l do not remember passing the remark. Peter Pender was examined on oath. 147. Mr. Neale.] On receipt of my report in reference to Mrs. Boyd's case, you instructed me to make further inquiries in this matter ? —I cannot say as to what I instructed you. I probably gave instructions to the sergeant-major to let you go in plain clothes and do the best you could. 148. Did you ever receive any information through any member of the Police Force concerning the death of Amy Dyson prior to my supplying information to the department ?—I do not recollect the death of Amy Dyson. I recollect the case about the child, but do not recollect anything about the death of the woman. 149. Do you know if there was any inquest in regard to her?—l cannot say. I do not recollect her death at all. 150. Do you remember my bringing the decomposed body of a child to the station ?—I do not recollect the circumstances. 151. You do not recollect my bringing the body of a child to the morgue?—l do not. I had a large number of cases and was very busy in Christchurch. 152. Of course you know that I brought the body of a child there?—l cannot say whether you did or not. When I say that, Ido not mean for a moment that you did not bring it. 153. Do you know if there was a decomposed body at the morgue during the time I was working up this case ?—I do not recollect. 154. If there was a body in the morgue which had been exhumed from private grounds would not an inquest be held?— That is the usual course. : 155. Was there an inquest on that child ?—No doubt there was.