9

I.—2a.

Mr. Coleman Phildips examined. 28. Mr. Armstrong .] You said you were away when these nominations were received. Did you not see this advertisement [See Exhibit No. 2] ? Where were you when this advertisement appeared?—l was out at the back; I fancy I was at Taueru or Blairlogie. I never saw that advertisement. 29. There is some distance between the Taueru and Blairlogie—which were you at ?—1 could not say. 30. Will you say that you were not at North Featherston when this advertisement appeared'? —I do not believe I was. lam almost certain I was not. I believe that advertisement came out on the Friday. Perhaps you will say when it appeared. Mr. Armstrong : It was on the Saturday. Mr. Phiclips : It is very wrong to have only four or five days' notice calling for nominations. 31. Mr. Armstrong.] Were you not at the Taueru on the night of the 23rd November—did you not lecture there ? Will you say you did not address the electors there ? —Possibly I did. 32. You were at the Taueru? —I will have to look up my diary and see. 33. Did you not go from the "Knoll" to the Taueru? —I really could not say. lam not sure of the day that I started, but I am certain I did not see any advertisement, because it was this way : it was the first time I had stood for Parliament, and 1 did not know anything about these nominations. With reference to this advertisement, I intended to look out when it appeared, but was out at the back, and did not see it. 34. You are not positive about anything ?—Not unless I look at my diary. Mr. Phillips : Do you want to show I saw that nomination advertisement ? Mr. Armstrong : I want to show that if you had looked yourself or made inquiries when the nominations appeared, you would have had time to have done so. Mr. Phillips : I relied upon the Act. 35. Mr. Armstrong .] Did you know anything about the clause before you came into Carterton, and it was pointed out to you ?—No ; I knew nothing about it. 36. Do you know anything about the postal arrangements in the Wairarapa ?—Yes, something. 37. When does the mail close for the Taueru, Whareama, Homewood, and Mat Point ?—I do not know. I know that you do not see any of the southern papers, the Observer, Standard, or any of those, in the Taueru. 38. What papers did you see at the Taueru? —I think a Wairarapa Daily Times was the one there. I was hunting for late papers to see the news, but did not see them. 39. Did you not see the Wairarapa Star at the Taueru ?—There were some old copies of the Star in the house. 40. They take the Star there, do they not ?—I believe so ; but I did not see the nominations. 41. Did you look for them ?—I looked for the papers to see if there was anything in the North Valley affecting the South Valley, but did not see it. 42. Did you know when the writs were issued? —I believe I did. 43. Before you left ?—I did not take much notice of when the writs were issued ; the only thing I relied upon was, when making my itinerary to go round the coast, I made sure of being back two days before the nominations closed. 44. How did you make that arrangement when you did not know when the writs were issued ? — I did not know when the nominations were closed. I think you are wrong about my passing through Carterton on that date. My one horse and trap could not go sixty miles in one day. Mr. Armstrong : But the distance is only thirty-two miles altogether. The Chairman: The whole distance from the " Knoll " to the Taueru is thirty-two miles. Mr. Phillips: I did not make that journey in one day. It is more than likely I stopped in Masterton on the Sunday night. 45. Mr. Armstrong.] This advertisement appeared in the Star on Saturday, 21st November, and you say you passed through Carterton and did not see it ?—I know I did not come to Carterton in one day, and I know I did not see the Star and the nominations. 46. I intend to establish that Mr. Phillips saw the advertisement, or, if he did not see it, that was his own neglect, not mine ?—lf so, Mr. Armstrong will establish an absurdity. He had no business to close the nominations before the proper time. I did not see the advertisement calling the nominations. 47. I asked you if you knew when the mails closed on the coast? —At 5 o'clock on a Friday, the day that you say the nominations ought to close. 48. Can you tell me when the mail goes to Pahau and Pirinoa?—No. 49. Then you were out at the Wharau. How often does the mail go out there? I tell you it goes out on Saturday? —I do not know. 50. You said in your evidence you saw me at 10.30 on Thursday morning, the 26th November? —Yes, I saw you on the morning of the 26th November. 51. What did you say to me ? —I said that I had been out at the back, and here is my nomination. 52. Did you offer me a nomination?— Yes. 53. You are positive you offered me a nomination-paper then?—lt was 10.30 when I saw you, and I said that I had come in to give in my nomination. Then it was I told you that I had been out at the back. You said that I could have seen the newspapers. I told you that I had not seen them. I said that the rule of closing-time was seven days before the date of the election. I then said, "Do you refuse to accept my nomination? " You said " Yes." I then said, " I will post it to you." 54. Were these the only remarks you made? —No, there were certain other remarks, which I have given.