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I had to serve. It was dark at night, and I could not pick them up. Sergeant Cullen had meanwhile sent men from Wanganui, via Pipiriki, to Eaetihi to serve the witnesses, and the witnesses had gone down to Wanganui, and expected me to have served Creech with the summons. I reported that I had accidentally lost the summonses, and that I was willing to pay the witnesses' expenses, which amounted to £11 odd. I received no pay for meals and horses' feed, which cost me £3. I should not be charged on the defaulter's sheet, because the loss was merely accidental. Had I taken the matter easy, and not gone through this bush-track at night, I would not have dropped my summonses. 96. You had to pay £11 to these witnesses?—l volunteered to pay them, and the Commissioner said he was satisfied. That was twelve months before I was shifted. I then arrested Creech on a warrant, and had to remain in the bush all night to effect the arrest. 97. Have you anything else to mention ?—I had about twenty convictions during the time I was in the district for sly-grog selling, and got only a few rewards, and I saw other men got rewards. 98. There is one statement I read to you which said you made a false statement about the loss of the summonses ; did you do so ?—Not to my knowledge. 99. Did you make any false statement in reference to the loss of the summons, as to how it occurred ? —Not to my knowledge. 100. Mr. Taylor.] Did you cross the Moawhango Eiver on that trip ?—The district is seventy odd miles from Ohingaiti by a mud track, and I crossed a river during the night in trying to find Creech. I thought it was the Moawhango, but I found out afterwards it was not. 101. The Chairman.] Is there any further statement you wish to make ?—No. 102. Mr. Taylor.] Where were you resident before you joined the Armed Constabulary ?—I was working in the Mungaroa Tunnel, in the Hutt district. 103. After you were removed from Ohingaiti, what did you do ? —I went on street duty. 104. About how long after that was it when you got charge of the Thorndon Station ? —I never had charge of the Thorndon Station ; I was only waiting to go to the Porirua Station. I was sleeping and living in the Thorndon Station. 105. Who told you you were going to Porirua? —Inspector Pender told me. 106. Did you make any application, to go to Porirua?—No; I went up to look for a house there. 107. Why did you go to look for a house ?—Well, I think it was suggested by Inspector Pender or myself. I was waiting so long that I wished to know what would be done. 108. In the meantime were you living in the Thorndon Station ? —Not in charge. 109. Who was in charge of Thorndon ?—Constable Black. 110. Why did you not go to Porirua?—l do not know that. 111. Did you get further orders ? —I got orders to go to Newtown. 112. Had you anything to do with the change?— No. 113. Did you see anybody about the change?— No. 114. Did you see Mr. Lawry ? —No. 115. Do you know if there has ever been a constable stationed at Porirua ?—No, not since. 116. Did you make any application for the Newtown Station?— No. 117. You got it without applying ? —Yes. 118. You saw nobody about it ?—No. 119. Did you speak to your brother-in-law about it at the Eailway Hotel ?—No, I said nothing about it. 120. Did you not discuss your removal from street duty with your brother-in-law Dealy?—l cannot remember. It is two years ago. We might have said a few words. 121. Is Dealy, of the Eailway Hotel, your brother-in-law?— Yes. 122. Did you not discuss the question of your removal from street duty with him?—l was not doing street duty. 123. But, before you got a station, you did street duty after you came in from Ohingaiti ?— Yes. 124. Did you discuss the question of getting a station with your brother-in-law ? —I cannot remember. 125. Did he not tell you he had chatted over the matter with Mr. Lawry ? —No; I do not remember. 126. Did he say he had chatted over the matter with any other politician ?—I do not remember. 127. And you do not know who the charge of the Newtown Station came from?— No. 128. Is it as important a station as Ohingaiti so far as clerical work is concerned? —Just the same. I think, although Ido not write a very good hand, I write pretty quickly, and I have done the work for all these years, and there have never been any complaints. 129. Do you write all your reports ? —No ;my daughter writes them sometimes. Ido write reports with my left hand. 130. As a matter of fact, how often has your daughter written your reports to the department ? —I cannot say. 131. Does she not do so very often?— Yes; I get her to write them for a matter of convenience. But I write all reports of secrecy and consequence. 132. What interest has Mrs. O'Leary in the Eailway Hotel? Is it a family interest?—l do not know what she would have. 133. Did a former brother of the present licensee die some years ago intestate? —Yes. 134. Is not the present licensee running the hotel in the interests of the brothers and sisters ? —He is running it under letters of administration.

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