E. MACDONELL.]

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I.—lα.

245. Is it on record in the charges that the constables were in bed when they were supposed to be relieving one another? —No, they were not in bed. There was no such charge as that. 246. Do you consider the duties of a policeman in Nelson onerous: is it looked upon as an easy place or a hard one ?—I should look upon it as an easy one. 247. Do you think the duties could be performed satisfactorily with half the number of constables ?—I hardly think so. As far as crime is concerned, perhaps they could be ; but at the same time so large a place requires somebody about. 248. I am at Nelson a good deal and I never see a policeman about, so that I thought that two or three might be dispensed with ; but I suppose there are more about when you are there?—l would not say that two or three might be dispensed with. 249. Have you, to your own knowledge, known of cases of hotels being kept open after hours in Nelson?— Not when I was there. I think it compares favourably with other places in that respect. 250. Do any of the police at Nelson live in hotels?—l do not think so. 251. Do you know of any reason for their going into hotels after hours?—No; unless they went to see whether the law was being broken or not. 252. But that would be immediately after closing-hours?—No; at any time that they may have cause to go. Their duty is to see that the law is obeyed. 253. With regard to the supposed case of abortion, you said that you would like to see the telegram that this girl sent ?—I would like to know the explanation. According to my information, she said in the first place that she was in trouble by a certain man, and then she went away, apparently to get rid of her trouble, and she did get rid of it. 254. Did you see the wire ? —No. 255. Do you think it exists ? —I do not think it does, except in the telegraph-office. The woman who told me said she destroyed the original copy. 256. Can this woman be brought here to give evidence?—l suppose so. 257. Do you think it would be worth the Committee's while to bring her here? —-I would not say that, because I know that the last time I saw her she told me that Durbridge had been there to see her, and begged me not to tell any one that I had been there, for fear of her getting into trouble. 258. Was this a young woman or an old woman ?—A married woman keeping an hotel there. 259. There were no grave charges against these men before those under review were made, were there ? —No. 260. They were looked upon as fairly good samples of constables?— Yes, as far as I know. As I said before, until I went to Nelson in February last, at the Jubilee time, I knew nothing of the complaints against them. I just heard of one complaint against them. I just heard of one complaint —that against Durbridge with respect to the girl—before then. 261. As far as you personally were concerned, you had nothing at all against the men except what was brought to your knowledge?— That is so. 262. And you only reported in your official capacity in the performance of your duty?— That is so, undoubtedly. 263. Did you inquire into the charges made at the request of the Commissioner?—-No; I heard of them while at Nelson, and reported. 264. But after reporting did you investigate them ?—I was present when the Commissioner inquired into some of them. 265. You did not make any inquiry yourself, apart from the Commissioner?—No; I preferred that the Commissioner or somebody else should do it. I did not wish to deal with them myself. 266. What evidence was called—any outside evidence ?—Yes. 267. Was Remnant called?— Yes. 268. And his wife ? —No, I do not think so; but another man and his wife who had been present when Remnant was, according to his own statement, assaulted were called. 269. Was Blincoe called?— No. That case was not inquired into. 270. Why? Commissioner Tunbridge : Because it was a statutory offence, which should have been inquired into by a Magistrate, if any one. 271. Mr. B. McKenzie.] Was young Bannehr called ? —No. 272. Why? Commissioner Tunbridge : For the same reason. 273. Mr. B. McKenzie.] His case was settled out of Court ? —Not so far as I was concerned. I reported on the cases. 274. He was not called at the examination?— No. 275. Was his father?— No. 276. Did you consider his case of sufficient consequence to be inquired into?—-I did, certainly. 277. It occurred in the principal street of Nelson on the afternoon of Christmas Eve ?—No; about midnight. I think it was after 11 o'clock, or about then. 278. Were you in Nelson then ?—No. 279. Would there be a large number of people about the street between 11 and 12 o'clock ?— Yes, it appears so. 280. With this row occurring between a private citizen and a policeman, was the policeman justified, in the discharge of his duty, in letting the man go and not laying an information against him ?—Not if he did anything wrong. 281. The policeman accuses him of assaulting him with a stick ? —I never heard that before. 282. If a man assaults a constable with a stick, is it the constable's duty to take him in charge ? —Undoubtedly.