F.—B.

[L. FISHER.

26

Mrs. Laura Fisher examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is your full name, Mrs. Fisher?— Laura Fisher. 2. And you are the wife'of Mr. J. W. Fisher? —R. H. Fisher. 3. What does " R.H." stand for?— Robert Henry. 4. And your address is, what? —" Netherton," Dominion Road, Mount Eden. 5. Did you receive that letter addressed to your husband?— Yes. 6. When you received it had it any contents or was it empty?—lt was empty. 7. Can you tell the date on which you received it?—No, I could not be sure about that, but I think it was the Tuesday week before the meeting, by morning delivery. 8. The Tuesday week before the meeting would be the 3rd July?—lt was not on the Tuesday before the meeting; it was the Tuesday before that. 9. The Tuesday before was the 10th July : the Tuesday before that would be the 3rd. Can you remember whether the flap of the envelope was in or out?—lt was out. 10. Just like that?— Yes. 11. What did you do when you received the envelope empty?— Took it down to the house and left it until my husband came home. I looked inside, and there was nothing in it. 12. Did you know from whom the letter came? —No, not at all. I wondered who it was. 13. Did you see the notice, " Tf unclaimed return to box 912, Auckland"? —Yes, I noticed that. 14. Did you know who the people were that had the use of box 912 ?—No, I did not know at all. 15. Were you present at the meeting?—No, I did not come to the meeting. 16. Did you know of the meeting before it was held? —No, until we found out. 17. Mr. Gray.] Did the letter-carrier hand the letter to you?—No; he put it in the letter-box. 18. Where is the letter-box? —About a hundred yards from the house; but I was near the box. 19. You went and got it out directly he put it in? —Yes; I was about as far as I am from you. "20. Was this the only letter ?—No, there were three. 21. There cannot be any possibility of mistake?—No; the flap was out and the envelope was empty. 22. Had the postman got away?— Just as I got up. I could not tell who the postman was. I saw him move from the box when I was about as far as I am from you. 23. Did you notice it was empty?— Yes. 24. Did you or your husband make any complaint about it?—No, I did not. 25. And you never heard of your husband doing so? —No. Henry Woodruffe examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is your full name, Mr. Woodruffe?—Harry Woodruffe. 2. And your occupation ?—Carpenter. 3. And your address? —Muritai Road, Takapuna, at present. 4. What was your address in the early part of July? —53 Prospect Terrace, Mount Eden. 5. When did you change to Takapuna?—Only just recently. I am doing work there now, and I shall be living there five weeks. 6. Did you get a circular inviting you to apply for tickets for this Protestant, meeting?—-No. 7. Did you apply for tickets yourself? —I applied for two tickets. 8. You say you applied for two tickets : how did you apply?—By writing. 9. Was the writing a letter? —I saw the advertisement in the Herald, and I immediately applied, and my letter was posted before 9 o'clock at the Mount Eden Post-office, addressed to box 912. 10. Do you remember the date? —Oh, yes; I posted it on the Saturday. 11. What Saturday was that?— The Saturday before the meeting—the Saturday that the advertisement appeared. 1.2. Very well; we will have to prove on what date the advertisement appeared. Did you write only once?—-Yes, only once, asking for two tickets. 13. Did you receive any tickets? —No, I received nothing. 14. Did you attend the meeting?— Yes. 15. How did you get in without tickets?— When I got no tickets I went and called on the Rev. Elliott, and I wanted to know why the tickets were not sent me. " Oh," he said, " you are one of the thousands —one of the many—-who have not received tickets"; and in consequence he told me to go and see Mr. Dupree, and I got two tickets. 16. Mr. Gray.] Did you post, the letter yourself?—l did. 17. At the Mount Eden Post-office, before 9 o'clock?— Yes, before 9 o'clock. 18. In a closed envelope or a post.card? —Mine was in a closed envelope. 19. Addressed, what? —Addressed to the Political Association, box 912, Auckland. 20. Do you know whether or not the Political Association has got this letter?—l do not know, of course. 21. When did you go and complain to the Rev. Elliott?—On the Wednesday. Mrs. Leila Harriett Stainton examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is your full name, Mrs. Stainton—your Christian name?— Leila Harriett Stainton. 2. And you live, where? —16 Norman Street. 3. Did you receive an envelope similar to that in the early part of Julv?—l did, on the 3rd July. 4. On the 3rd July?— Yes.