I.—lα.'

E. MACKAY.J

101

152. It was a respectable house, then ?—Yes* I would say so. 153. Was any complaint ever made at any time from, I think, the Bush Tavern about any one creating a disturbance there at a late hour of the night?—No, I got no complaint of that. 154. You never heard of any ?—No, not to my knowledge. 155. You did not think it a very grave offence for a constable to go off his beat into the station in order to make himself a cup of tea at night ? —No, I did not, because it had been going on prior to my going there. 156. But supposing it had not? —Considering the quietness of the town and the hour at which they would go in I do not think there was much harm in it, especially in a small place like Nelson. 157. You would not think that anything was likely to take place on the streets suddenly?— No ; most people would be in bed at that time —the streets would be practically deserted. 158. You have heard of the famous row on Christmas Eve, I think it was : you were there at that time ?—That is all I heard about it. 159. Was it reported to you at all ? —No. 160. By the constable, or any one outside ?—No. The only thing that was said to me about it was what was said by Mr. Bannehr, which 1 have related. That is all I heard about it. 161. If there had been anything very serious I suppose you would have heard? —I could not hear it unless it was reported to me. 162. It would have been reported ?—Yes, I should think so, if it had been in any way serious. 163. Inspector Macdonell.] Did you ever receive any letters in reference to Durbridge and Miss ?—I never did, except one from yourself. 164. That was the only one ? —The only communication or information that I got about it at all. 165. What did you do with regard to the one I sent you?—As your instructions were so stringent not to allow anything to leak out, and my not having heard anything about the matter before, I sent it back to you, stating that as I did not know any person there to inquire of I was leaving the matter till you yourself arrived, as you stated you were about to come. 166. Are you sure that is quite correct ?—I am quite positive. 167. Is it not a fact that I asked you in Nelson, before you did anything, what you had done in the matter?— What transpired in Nelson was this : you arrived in the evening, and I produced the correspondence and told you that I had not done anything in the matter as I knew no person to inquire of, your instructions being so stringent. Then you wrote to me afterwards to forward the correspondence to Greymouth. That I did. 168. You said in the first place that you did nothing—you were waiting for me to come myself; as a matter of fact, I came there and asked you what you had done in the matter ? —You sent the correspondence down. 169. How long had you the correspondence altogether?—l should say, about a fortnight or three weeks. 170. Not more than that ?—I would not think so. 171. Not nearer two months?—l will not say that, but Ido not think so. In any case, I had no person to go to under your instructions. 172. What were your instructions that I gave ?—To report at my convenience, and to be very careful not to allow anything to leak out in any way, and mentioning a woman's name—no, I do not think you did mention the name. I did not make any inquiry in case it might leak out, so that you would not be able to say it had leaked out through my inquiry. 173. You neglected to carry out my instructions ?—No. 174. I instructed you to go and inquire into the matter ? —At my convenience. You arrived before I had done so. 175. I am aware of that. But you did actually nothing?—l tell you that I was afraid to inquire, because it was a very delicate matter. Only one woman was mentioned by you, and it would not do for me to go there and make inquiries after you had been there. 176. After I had been there ? —Yes, if you had been there. From this anonymous letter I presumed you knew more about it than you let on to me. 177. Had you any right to do so? Did you not get your instructions clearly and definitely in writing?— Your instructions were so stringent that I did not care to inquire. 178. I told you to be very cautious and see that the matter did not leak out, and I hoped the woman would be discreet: did I mention her name to you? —I do not know that you did. If the correspondence is there it will show. 179. You cannot say whether I mentioned the name of the woman you were to go and see or not ?—I do not think you did mention her name. 180. Was it not mentioned in the anonymous letter ?—Yes, I believe it was. 181. And yet you stated just now that you did not know whether her name was mentioned or not ? —I am talking about your correspondence, and not the anonymous letter. 182. Was not the anonymous letter attached to it ?—Yes. 183. The woman's name was mentioned, but you never went near ?—I did not. 184. Do you think you were justified in that?— Yes, because I could hear of nothing—l never heard anything before about the matter, and I thought it was in your hands. 185. But you know that you are not supposed to go and order what lam to do. It is the other way about, is it not —you are supposed to carry out my instructions ?—Yes. Probably if you had not been coming yourself 186. Did I not say in the letter that I was sending you the anonymous communication because I could not go to Nelson myself at the time ?—Yes, at that time; and to make inquiry at my convenience.