53

A.—l

Consul to ascertain if we should be acting illegally by conveying tliese people to a British colony, and was told that I should not. Monsieur Nardin, Superintendent of Police, inspected the passengers, and gave them a clearance on leaving/'7 William Bishop states: "I am owner of the schooner ' Griffin.'' On the 16th January, 1880, I left the port of Noumea, New Caledonia, with that vessel, and took from there twentythree passengers. We landed on the 17th February, 1880, at the port of Manukau. These passengers, I was informed by my agent at Noumea, Mr. Manning, were time-expired convicts, and were sent away by the Government. I transacted no business respecting their passages myself; that was all done by Mr. Manning. I agreed to convey them to Auckland at the rate of £5 per head. Their passages were to be paid by a Treasury bill, but Mr. Manning agreed to pay over the amount in cash, and retain the Treasury bill himself. I received no documents from the authorities at Noumea, and had only a list of the passengers supplied by Mr. Manning. This list showed eleven political offenders, and nine offenders against the criminal law, two females, and one infant, the latter three being friends of the first-named offenders. " Sergeant Martin begs also to forward herewith copy of a letter referring to these people, supplied by Mr. D. B. Cruickshank, the French Consul of this place. J. Bell Thomson, Esq., H. Martin, Superintendent in Charge of District. Sergeant, No. 210.