H.—2

79

assault committed at the Borough Hotel, Christchureh, by a man named John Barrett, landlord of the Borough Hotel, on the 24th March, 1883. The constable begs to request that he may be exempted from further police duty pending the inquiry into charges brought by the constable against the Queenstown police, forwarded to the Hon. Defence Minister in January, 1883. The constable has been subjected to a course of injustice since he has been stationed at Christchureh, and requests that steps be taken that he may obtain some redress to prevent the constable from resorting to extreme measures ? " —Yes. 48. And I minuted your letter : " Sergeant Mason.—Please inform Constable Neale that this is the first time I have heard of any injustice having been done to him. Give the constable a defaulter's sheet form so that he may enter thereon any complaints he may have against any member of the Force, and the fullest inquiry will be made at once into his alleged, grievances." Did you put your charges on a defaulter's sheet?—l put them on a sheet. 49. Were you invited to put your charges on a defaulter's sheet ?—Yes. 50. Did you not refuse point-blank the orders of the sergeant to put your charges on a defaulter's sheet ? —I may have done so. 51. Then, you got into communication with the Minister of Defence without letting "me know anything about it ?—Yes, I forwarded a document to the Hon. the Minister of Defence in 1883. 52. You were discharged or dismissed in Christchureh ?—I walked out of the station. 53. You fell out of the ranks and refused to do duty ?—Yes, I refused to remain in the Force after the murder case. 54. And you were suspended for insubordination ? —Yes. 55. And you were discharged by the Governor ?—I was discharged because I refused further duty. I was paid up till the date I was discharged, although I refused duty a fortnight prior to that. 56. After that you managed to be taken on again ? —I came down to Wellington to petition the House; and I was taken on to shut my mouth, in 1885. I suppose that was what was at the bottom of it. 57. And you were again dismissed for insubordination?—l will not answer you, and my reason for not answering is that this case of conspiracy has not been inquired into. If the Commission is not going into the circumstances bearing on the other case I am not justified in answering the question. 58. Were you dismissed for insubordination ?—I was dismissed through a conspiracy. 59. Was the charge insubordination to Inspector Bullen ? —I never was charged. 60. Were you not brought before Mr. Preece ?—Yes, but I never was charged. 61. And you opened a detective office in Christchureh, after you left the Force ?—Yes, I had to do something for a living. 62. Why did you not, knowing I had committed these offences, go to the Court and lay an information, and so perform your public duty?— Simply because 1 thought I would wait my time and petition the House. 63. Why did you noD lay an information before the Magistrate ?—Because I would have been shot, you were so well liked amongst a certain set in Christchureh. 64. You brought a charge against a man named King for arson ?—Yes. 65. And you worked up the case? —Yes. 66. And the man was committed for trial at the Supreme Court ?—Yes. 67. And I believe a man named Stinson swore on his oath that you had tried to bribe him to give evidence to get the insurance money ?—Yes. 68. And you swore you never spoke to him about such a matter ?—Yes, I swear so now. • 69. Do you recollect the Judge, in addressing the jury, saying that if they believed you they should convict the prisoner, and that if they believed Stinson they should acquit him ?—Yes. 70. And they did acquit him ?—Yes. 71. And the next day you arrested Stinson for perjury?—l applied for a warrant and you refused it. 72. I could not give you a warrant; did you go to the Magistrate ?—You would not give me a chance. 73. Will you believe me when I tell you I wrote a report saying that I did not believe what Stinson said ?—I am very glad to hear that. 74. When you were dismissed, would you believe that I wrote and gave you a good character for duty ? —You could not have done anything else. lam very glad to hear it, and must thank you for it. 75. You and your wife were ill for some time?— Yes. 76. Did I not treat you and your wife with the greatest consideration, and give you leave on several occasions when you were not entitled to it ?—I do not think so. . 77. Look at the papers then and see if I did not, and then do you charge me with being harsh towards you ?—I suppose you only gave me the leave other constables got. 78. Was I ever harsh towards you, or did I ever do you a wrong ?—I considered your actions in some instances wrong. 79. In what instances?—l thought your actions extraordinary in connection with that case of Barrett's. 80. Leaving aside that case : I mean, had you any reason to think that I had a "down "on you ?—By what occurred I considered you had a down on me for reporting officers. 81. When the child was found, I think I relieved you from all duty and sent you in plain clothes to hunt the case up?— Yes. 82. You were employed for a long time in hunting up this case ?—Yes, and with another oae.