F.—B.

104

H. G. WOODS.

me the name and address of some of the people? " I said it would not do, and passed off laughing. That was the only conversation I had with him. 6. Is it. correct that he said to you, "Did you deliver any of those empty envelopes?" and that you said, "Oh, there were several on. the'round "? —I do not remember having said so; I may have done so. At the time there were many inquiries, and I may have said, "Yes, dozens of them." 7. If you said it, did you treat it as serious information ?—I was treating it jokingly. 8. Had he any reason to suppose you were treating it, seriously?—I was laughing the whole time. 9. By that time there had been a good deal of talk about delivering empty envelopes : you were treating it as chaff?—There were so many foolish remarks, I was treating it- all jokingly. 10. Did you deliver a letter to Mr. Hannan?—Yes. 11. Would you know it if you saw it? —Yes. 12. Is that it?—That is it. 13. Whose memorandum is that at the bottom, " Received without contents " 1 —Mine. 14. And your initials? —Yes. 15. When did you put that on it?—I do not remember when; but it was the second delivery —after it, was returned to me. It was delivered in the morning at his shop; and at midday Mr. Hannan showed it to me. 16. AVere you there again at midday—the second delivery?—Yes; and Mr. Hannan showed me this envelope, and asked me if I knew anything of the contents. I.told him I did not, and he told me to take it back and see if I could get anything. I showed it to Mr. McCullough, the head of the letter-carriers, and he said all I could do was to endorse it "Received without contents." I did that and delivered it. 17. When it was delivered the first time—in the morning—to whom did you deliver it? — To Mr. Hannan himself, as far as I remember. 18. Your attention was not then drawn to its condition? —No. 19. Then why did you put the note " Received without contents "? —I took his word for it. He said he had not received them. I took it back to the office and explained the position, and Mr. McCullough said all I could do was to endorse it. 20. Are you able to say whether the flap was in or out when you delivered it?—I did not notice. 21. Is there anything on it now to indicate whether it was in or out?—I should say it was out—by the stamping-bar. 22. Do you know Mr. Jamieson, of Hinemoa Road, Grey Lynn ?—I know him. 23. Is he on your round?—Yes. 24. Did you meet Mr. Jamieson on the street some little time' ago?—I heard he said we had a conversation; I do not know whether we had or not. 25. He told His Worship that he had a conversation with a postman on the 22nd July. He said, " Delivering empty envelopes? " — jokingly. Mr. Ostler: Was that jokingly? Witness: As I said, there were so many remarks passed at the time I do not remember; there were so many cases. 26. Mr. Gray:] If Mr. Jamieson proposes to treat it as serious, what do you say?—I do not remember it. 27. Mr. Ostler.] 1 suppose you are not prepared to deny Mr. Jamieson had that- conversation with you ? —I cannot deny it. 28. With regard to Mr. Bilby's conversation, this is the way he puts it—I want to know whether you will deny this —Mr. Bilby says first of all you delivered to him a letter, which you gave him: do you remember that?—Yes. 29. Then he said to you, " I suppose it is not empty? " —I do not know what the conversation was. 30. He says you then said, " No; I don't think so." I suppose you will not deny that?—I do not remember anything of it. 31. Mr. Bilby says he then said, " By the way, did you deliver any of those empty envelopes? " —I remember that. 32. Mr. Bilby says you said, " I had some on my round " ?—I cannot remember. 33. He then said, " Whom did you deliver them to? " —I do not remember. 34. You then said, "It is not advisable to say anything about it "? —I said something to that effect. _ _ ' 35. Have you not received instructions as to what to do when an addressee complains that an envelope is empty?—In what respect? 36. Is there no rule in the Post Office as to what to do. when an envelope is said to have been delivered empty 1 —I should say that they have to go down and make inquiries. 37. How long have you been in the Postal service? —In the letter-carrying close on two years. 38! How long in the Postal service? —Six or seven years. 39. Do you not know of a regulation which provides for an official stamp being put on the letter ?—No, I cannot say that I do. 40. Do you know this rule : " Any letter or packet observed to be open or imperfectly sealed, excepting, of course, any article obviously intended to be sent open, must be carefully fastened or refastened with the authorized gummed label" 1 Mr. Gray: This was intended to be sent open. The rule does not apply.