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[c. macdonell.

418. This one is a young fellow who lives at Stoke ? —Yes, I have seen him. 419. Did you have any conversation with him about the police ? —Yes, I did. 420. Was it reported to you in Nelson that this young man made a boast that he would get Sergeant Mackay and these men cleared out from Nelson ?—No, Ido not think so. I heard that one of them said something to that effect, but that information came from the police. 421. From which of them—Constable Bird or Constable Williams ?■—No. If I remember correctly, it was from the Commissioner. 422. I am asking you if it was mentioned to you in Nelson that this young man had made such a statement ? —I do not think I heard it from any but the police. Sergeant Mackay, I believe, said something to me about it, but I would not be certain. 423. Did any others of the Trask family complain to you beyond what you have told us as to Mrs. Trask telling you about the police ? —No, they made no complaint. 424. Only this one referred to just now ?—I did not say that this one did. He sent me a letter to Greymouth at one time about some matters not being attended to up about Stoke. 425. Is that the only complaint he ever made to you ?—I think so. I told the Commissioner that I called on the three Trasks in reference to untrue statements made by Sergeant Mackay. Commissioner Tunbridge : There is nothing on the file about it, and I have not the slightest recollection of your telling me. I never knew there were three Trasks until you just mentioned it. I only knew of the old Mr. Trask and the young man living at Stoke. Witness : Ido not know which of them was said to have used the threat. I understood at first that it was the old man. 426. Mr. Maginnity.] You say that you told the Commissioner that you called upon three of the Trasks : what was your object in calling upon them ?—When I arrived in Nelson—the day after, I think —Sergeant Mackay told me that he was informed that some one of the Trask family was in communication with me at Greymouth, and also another man whom he mentioned, sending complaints about the police. I told him it was not true. I might say that apparently behind my back Sergeant Mackay went and told the Commissioner that, for in November last the Commissioner told me that such was said. I referred him to my letter-book so that he could see all the letters that had passed. Then I went to see one of the Trask family and asked him whether he heard anything about my writing letters to him or he to me, and I went to the three of them one after the other in order to clear the matter up. 427. They denied having written you any letters?— They said there was no such thing. They could not deny it, because the one at Stoke wrote me a letter in reference to some little things occurring about there. 428. Commissioner Tunbridge."] Whatever there is is on the file if it has to do with this inquiry. I do not know whether you are referring to anything that has to do with the inquiry ? —No, I am not. 429. Then it will not be on the file ?—That is so. I sent you a copy of that letter and of every letter I sent to Nelson before I left Greymouth. 430. Mr. Maginnity.] I want to ask you now whether it was reported to you by any other person in Nelson that this young man had made a boast in a publichouse in Nelson that he would have Sergeant Mackay and these two constables cleared out of the police ?—I really cannot remember. I heard the name of a publichouse mentioned. 431. But you do not remember any complaint being made to you that the young man made such a statement ?—I do not, except what was said by the police. 432. Have any of the Trasks, or has any other person in Nelson, constable or otherwise, made any report to you since Commissioner Tunbridge's inquiry, either by affidavit or verbal complaint or letter?—l do not remember any. 433. Are-you sure ?—I am not, but let me see. 434. Can you say that there has not been any such complaint made ?—I cannot say that for the moment, because I may have heard several things before I left. 435. Have you sent anything you heard since in the shape of a complaint on to the Commissioner in the same way that you did the others ?—No. 436. Is there any reason why you have not? —I had very little time. I had to clear up a lot of correspondence in the office before I left for Greymouth, and I had not a moment's time before I left. 437. It is clear that some complaint was made to you after this inquiry held by the Commissioner?—l am not at all sure about that. If you can tell me what it was supposed to be I may be able to tell you. lam not aware at the present time of any complaint being made, but no doubt I heard a lot of things verbally. 438. Was any complaint made to you in writing?—l cannot remember any, but I have got a number of papers in my bag here. I will look through them to-night if you like in order to see if there is any. 439. It was running in my mind from something you said that something had been said to you about the Commissioner's investigation and I wanted to know what it was ? —I cannot remember anything. 440. Has Constable Bird or Constable Williams made any complaint to you ? —No ; I have not seen Constable Williams to speak to since. 441. I mean before he was ordered away from Nelson ?—I did not speak to him once from the time the Commissioner left, except yesterday when I saw him outside in the lobby and asked him how he was getting on. That is to the best of my recollection. 442. You did not receive any affidavit from either Constable Williams or Constable Bird ?—No. 443. Now, I understand the relations between yourself and Sergeant Mackay were not of a very friendly character ? —They could hardly be expected to be so when I was investigating charges against him.