MINUTES OF EVIDENCE OF THE

H.—No. 8,

12

Mr. O'Toole.

9th Oct, 1871

it was on a telegraph form or not, or on a piece of paper ? —I wish it to be altered. lam not certain whether it was upon a telegraph form or a piece of paper. [This evidence referred to the document spoken of as being a copy of a telegram and taken off Mr. Fordham's Jile.~\ 305. You stated that next day every person was aware of the information you knew ?—Knew more, Sir. 306. And among others you have stated that Mr. Fordham knew more ?—Yes. 307. And that he showed you a copy of a telegram that he himself had sent away? —Not at that time. It was sometime afterwards : in March. 308. He subsequently showed you a copy of a telegram he had sent away on the 30th September ?— Yes, Sir. I will explain that fully. "When I was asked that question on my last examination I stated that I had got the copy of a telegram that Mr. Fordham sent off. I got it in March. That was perfectly true. It must have been the 14th March : the day I went to Dunedin. I had quite forgotten that I knew on the 30th September that Mr. Fordham sent off a telegram. I have since reason to believe that that telegram was written by me for Mr. Fordham and signed by him. To account for that I may tell you that I generally lunch and have my tea occasionally when on night work at Mr. Fordham's, and that he and one or two other persons often ask me to write and do little matters for them at odd times. 309. Have you anything else to say ?■ —I have since ascertained that it was in my handwriting, but I have not any recollection of it. I quite forgot. 310. How do you know it now ?—(Mr. Lemon informed the Committee that on Friday night he had told Mr. O'Toole that the telegram sent by Mr. Fordham was in Mr. O'Toole's handwriting).— Until that moment I had no recollection of it. 311. You stated in your evidence on Friday that you gave it back to Mr. Fordham ?—I believe I did. I had no reason to believe that it was in my possession. I returned it to Mr. Fordham when I came back from Dunediu. 312. How did you get it out of Mr. Fordham's possession again ?—I don't know. He may be under the impression I did not return it. 313. Mr. Webster.~\ Mr. Fordham showed it to you, and you took a copy of it, and you were not conscious that it was written ?—-I did not recollect until last Saturday. I recollect being in Mr. Fordham's bar on the 30th September, about 4 o'clock, or a few minutes after 4 o'clock. I recollect Mr. Fordham asking me if I would copy a telegram, and take it to the office as I went down. I copied a portion of the third issue from the slip of paper, which he afterwards gave me to take to Dunedin, in March. Ido not recollect whether the second edition news was copied from a newspaper or a telegram ; but all that was in the third issue was upon a piece of paper that Mr. Fordham handed to me. 314. That is to say the telegram you wrote out you copied from a piece of paper ?—That which I subsequently ascertained to. be the information that was in the third edition of the Argus, was written on a piece of paper. 315. Where did you see the third edition of the Argus ?—I think I read it in the Invercargill papers on the Ist or 2nd of October, two or three days afterwards. 316. It is rather curious that you could not recollect any of this on Friday ?—With respect to Mr. Fordham's telegram that I wrote, and he signed, the matter only came back to my mind when I saw the telegram. I had no reason to recollect it, for there was no importance attached to it. 317. Mr. Farnall.] When Mr. Fordham took the telegram off the file and showed it to you, did you recognise it as having copied it before? — [Not answered.'] 318. Do you know where Mr. Fordham got the information you copied '?—The news was on a slip of paper. He would not tell me from whom he obtained it. It was not likely he would tell me. He said it would commit the person who gave it. 319. Mr. Steward.'] We understand that you sent a telegram to the Government on the morning of the 30th, at 9 o'clock?— Yes. 320. Also, you now are aware that you wrote and sent off Mr. Fordham's telegram to Chesney & Co., Hokitika ? —I copied it. 321. You were aware one was being sent ?—Yes. 322. You also expressed a feeling of annoyance on that very morning, or on that very day, upon having ascertained that persons were in possession of information that had not reached you ?—Yes. 323. When you saw the telegram that Mr. Fordham proposed to send, did you say anything with regard to that annoyance you felt with the view of pressing him to say how he got that information ?— I recollect expressing surprise that he should have got that information. I was sure to have done that, because I was very much annoyed about it. 324. You don't say that you did press him ?—I cannot recollect that I did. 325. We understand distinctly that you cant say positively that you took any means of ascertaining Mr. Fordham's authority for those items? —I asked Mr. Fordham where he got his information from, and he would not tell me. He declined to tell me. 326. Mr. Pearce.] You did not know in whose handwriting it was ?—Not at that time, and I have only suspicions now. 327. Have you a knowledge of handwritings ? Do you know this handwriting ? [Document marked A produced.] —I have only my suspicions. I feel pretty certain they will be found to be correct. 328. Mr. Webster.] I want you to explain to the Committee how you arrived at the position that Fordham should say to you in conversation " I could have given you more information than that," and pulled down that telegram ? —The conversation took plaGe before it was copied. 329. The Chairman.] You have stated that Fordham's telegram contained more information than you sent in yours ?—lt contained two or three items. Captain Pearce told me, but I cannot recollect what they were. I mean more than I could recollect to send off. 330. What information was there in Mr. Fordham's telegram more than you knew ?—I cannot recollect what it was. It was my impression there were some items. 231. Did you supply Mr. Fordham with any of the information which was contained in the