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Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon : Perhaps Captain Clark can explain. Captain Clark : I got them from Mr. Barber. I gave him all my papers, and he handed them back to me. I presumed when I got them back the Department did not want them. I was surprised myself in getting them back. With regard to the personal voucher, I may explain that a man became sick, and I had to engage a cab and paid 12s. 6d. out of my own pocket. Then I paid 7s. 6d. for writing-paper out of my own pocket. I naturally expected I should get a refund, but I have not received it. 57. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon (continuing examination of Mr. Grey).] You sent a report to this Committee in answer to their request. [Report produced.] You did not submit the Committee's request to me, did you, Mr. Grey ? —No. 58. The report you sent back was on your own motion ?—Yes. 59. Why did you depart from the usual rule?—l thought the case was so decided, to my mind, that it was unnecessary to ask you. If there had been any doubt I should have asked for advice. 60. The Chairman.] Have you the Commandant's report ?—Yes. 61. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon.] Did you submit the Commandant's report to me?— No. 62. In the face of that, why did you not do so ? Did you see it ?—Well, as I said just now, the position was so decided. 63. According to that, Captain Clark was detailed for further work. Does not that practically set aside the Ministerial authority altogether and support Captain Clark's claim ?—I think it does. 64. Is not that a contradiction of what you said ?—Yes ; I must confess now I should, under the circumstances, have submitted the report to you. 65. According to the facts, that report is misleading? —Yes. 66. He ignores all reference to the authority of the Minister for £4 ?—Yes. 67. Could you not have sent it ? —I should have done so, I can see that now; but I could not alter the Commandant's report. 68. The Chairman.] Just ask Mr. Grey about these vouchers certified to by Colonel Abbott. Are they in order?— They would be in order after being checked by the Department, but it does not appear that they have been checked.

Monday, 2nd November, 1903. Captain J. J. Clark further examined. (No. 11.) 1. The Chairman.] We shall be pleased to hear you, Captain Clark?—l understand, sir, and gentlemen of the Committee, that the previous statement I made last Thursday week has been annulled by the statements of the Hon. the Defence Minister, and I think I had better recapitulate the thing from the start. I will do so as briefly as possible. To start from the first : I left New Zealand as regimental quartermaster-sergeant in the Second Contingent in January, 1900. I was promoted to be lieutenant in the Seventh Contingent on the 31st March, 1901, on the strong recommendation of Colonel Cradock. I served with the Seventh until their return, when I was transferred to the Ninth Contingent as captain. My promotion as captain is dated the 13th April, 1902, but I could not assume the duties and the rank until the 23rd May, the date of the landing of the contingent. It was not possible for me to be a captain until the contingent actually arrived in Africa. Colonel Porter and I met them at Durban. He at once ordered me to assume the rank of captain, and I carried out the duties of captain. You will notice that the claim for my services as captain—in the joint petition—is only dated from the 23rd May, not from the date of my actual promotion. 2. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones.] The date of the arrival of the contingent?— Yes, that is the date from which I claim pay as captain. I remained with the Ninth until they came home to New Zealand, arriving here on about the 14th August. It was the duty of the adjutant of each regiment on arriving home to complete the discharges for his own particular regiment. On that day I was ordered to commence that work by Colonel Abbott. That occupied from the 18th August till the 11th September, a total of twenty-five days. I submitted a voucher for that when it was finished —25 days at £I—£2s; and detention, 25 days at 12s. 6d~£15 12s. 6d. : £40 12s. 6d. together. That was duly paid. There was no question about it whatever. They got the account in one day, and the cheque reached me the day but one afterwards. Now, I may say that no less than one lieutenant-colonel, one major, another captain in addition to myself, and five N.C.O.'s were all employed on this work at the same time, and we were all paid for it. That is a large staff to run for one regiment. The pay of a lieutenant-colonel for the duty is, I think, £1 Bs. a day ; that of a major, I think, is about £1 4s. a day, in addition to detention allowance of 12s. 6d. a day. We were all paid without question. 3. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon.] Eight officers to prepare the discharges of one regiment ?—Nine altogether —four officers and five N.C.O.'s. 4. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones.] Was that for one contingent ?—Yes. 5. Mr. Hardy.] What was the duty ?—Making out the discharge-certificates. The Ninth landed in New Zealand with its medal rolls and everything complete, with the exception of the discharge-certificates, which we were unable to give on the ship because we had no forms on board. You will naturally wonder why so large a staff was employed. Well, the Ninth was properly termed a brigade. It comprised two regiments, each one of about five hundred men. Each of these had a regimental adjutant, and then I was supervising as brigade adjutant, being appointed such by Colonel Porter. So they made out the discharge-certificates, but all of these had to come before me before being issued. It was really a waste of time in one sense having all these officers engaged on the work, because I could have done the thing myself in almost the same time as I Could check their work. When the Ninth Contingent work was done, Colonel Abbott returned to his 4—l, lc