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E. MACDONELL.]

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in your report it was important enough to record in your office ?—lt is recorded in the report, and if the report was written in copying-ink—as is often done—there would be a copy in the office. 112. Are the Committee to understand that you always take verbal complaints from your subordinates in cases of this nature ?—No, not at all. I say that this fact about the hotel was mentioned in connection with complaints against the constable. It was not a complaint against the hotel. It was simply mentioned in connection with the other charge. 113. Do you not state in your report that the hotel was not well conducted ?—I did not say so. I said that it was so reported —that it was so by repute. 114. Do you think it right to damage the reputation of an hotel by repute ?—I was reporting facts as far as I was aware. Whether they damaged the reputation of the house or not I cannot help it. And I may say that this report of mine was simply for my superior officer's information. 115. But now it is for the information of the public ? —Evidently; but I am not responsible for that, and I regret that it should be so. 116. You are not responsible for your report ?—I meant nothing of the kind, sir. I mean that lam not responsible for its now being before the public. 117. Did you get the complaints against the constable for injury to the young woman by means of an anonymous letter ?—Yes ; I am pretty well sure that I got two letters. 118. What is the constable's name?—Durbridge. 119. Did you know the young woman ? —No. 120. Did you know her by repute ?—No, I did not know her at all. 121. Did you investigate the case ?—Yes, I made some inquiries in reference to the case. 122. Were you satisfied that the charges made against Durbridge were true ?—Well, I was satisfied there was something in the charges from the evidence I got, whether the whole of them were true or not. 123. Was it a case of seduction ?—I could not say that. All the information I received was that the girl got into trouble, and went to Wellington to get quit of her trouble, and so forth. I did not inquire into the matter. 124. Was Durbridge charged with finding money for the purpose of paying for procuring abortion ?—No. 125. You never heard of such a rumour ? —Yes, I did. 126. Did you believe it ?—Well, I neither believed nor disbelieved it. I would not doubt such a thing, for it is very common—especially in Nelson. 127. Mr. Hardy.'] What is it that is common in Nelson ?—These abortion cases. Mr. Maginnity ."Might I ask, sir, if you will kindly note that reply to Mr. Lawry's question : that the carrying-on of abortion is common in Nelson? Witness : Question me on it and you will get more. I can say a great deal about that matter. 128. Mr. Lawry (to witness).] Why do you not bring the criminals to justice?—We tried very hard, but they were not convicted when we did bring them up. We had four or five abortion cases before the Court in Nelson in my time. 129. Did you know anything about the reputation of the girl referred to—you seem to have great faith in reputations ?—I did not say that I do, and Ido not know why I should be told so. 130. You gave the Committee that impression. However, that is neither here nor there ? —I heard of the girl, and have it in writing that until she met this constable she was a most decent girl. That is what her mistress told me, and I had no reason to doubt it. 131. You believed the girl ? —I have never seen her in my life that I know of. 132. Well, then, do you believe the statement made by her mistress about the girl's character? —I did believe it. 133. You have no reason to doubt it ?—No, because she made her statements very unwillingly and with fear. 134. Then, from the character given her by her mistress you would not believe that the girl would make a false declaration ?—Oh, what nonsense ! I have seen too much of that sort of thing. 135. Then, you believe there is wholesale perjury? —I know there is a great deal of perjury. 136. Do you believe this girl has perjured herself?—l do not know what she has said. 137. Would you believe that the girl had committed perjury if she came here and swore that Durbridge never had any immoral connection with her?—l would not believe her. 138. And yet you give the Committee the impression that you believe what is written in anonymous letters ?—I did not say so. 139. You said that you believe them, because you act upon them ?—No ; I inquire into them to see whether the information given in them is correct or not. 140. You were not aware that the girl had sworn here that Durbridge never had any immoral connection with her?—l was not aware of that. I did not know until this morning that she had been here at all. 141. You knew it before I put the question?— Yes; that she had been here. 142. Did you not know what sort of evidence she gave?—l heard that she denied that Durbridge was responsible for her condition. 143. On oath ?—I did not hear that. 144. You heard what the Chairman said about evidence given here being equivalent to that given on oath?—l was not aware of that. It may be so for all I know, but I did not know that it was so. Ido not dispute it. 145. Did the girl ever make any charge to you as to Durbridge being the father of her child?— How could she when I never saw her in my life ? 146. Then, how came you to bring that into your report as one of the charges against Durbridge? —I reported what was reported to me. 4—l. lα,