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»•«. Jif'+i, •' Tl fP ector of Pollee - a * d ln char g e of the station, would naturally be acquainted with all the circumstances connected with a ease of that kind?— There was never a case a th* station m the way of crime that I was not acquainted with 6 ca° S U es d 0 nOt reC ° lleCt th 6 particulars in re § ard to this case?-No; I had more 158. Any dead children ?—Any number of them. «r- P i S M Any exhumed a con stable ?-If I could recollect I would tell you; I have no doubt you 160. And, of course, you stated that if a body had been exhumed out of private grounds and placed in the police morgue, it would be necessary to hold an inquest ?-Yes; that is the usual course. Dysontver HkV reP ° rt t0 thiS cMld WaS su PP OSed to be the child of Amy 162. If no inquest was held, would it not be detrimental to the prosecution of the case ? ±Sy having an inquest it is possible to obtain a great amount of information ?—Yes •itis a very good means of obtaining information. ' ' ™ fSkSf 11 ** l h ?f-T a u no J^ uest ' it would naturally be detrimental to the case of concealment of birth of a child, if he child was supposed to be the offshoot of a woman who died through he treatment she received ?-That would be a matter for the Coroner. The case would be reported to him, and it would be for him to decide whether an inquest was necessary. .164. Dr. Symes, medical practitioner, used to attend members of the Force ?—Yes 165- Had you any conversation with him in reference to this child on the'morning I brought it to the morgue ?-I really cannot answer you. I had frequent conversations with Dr Symes 166. Did he state to you that morning that I had brought in a decomposed rabbit-skin ?—I do not remember anything about a rabbit-skin. V, tA 67 ' BI \ S IT S info I rmed T th T a * h ° had inspected this decomposed body of a child, and that he had come to the conclusion that I had unearthed a rabbit-skin?-That is a serious thing for the doctor, but I am not responsible for it. ° 16a What position did Constable Cullen hold under your jurisdiction ?—At that time I think ne was Court orderly. »«u*n, 169 Had he anything to do with cleaning out your private office in the morning?—l cannot recollect now. b ' " 170. Had he access to your office ?-Unless he was cleaning it in the morning he would not have access. Captain Lanauze had charge of the office ; but I should not have hesitated to leave any number of documents under the control of Constable Cullen, who was a highly respectable man and one of the best constables in Christchurch. He had been in charge O S f the station at Philhpstown for a year, and is a very efficient man. aii 171. If he had access it would be possible for him to get hold of any document if he wanted it for any particular purpose,?-It would all depend what stage an important case had arrived at whether they would be under lock and key in the office. William Thomas Mason was examined on oath. 172. Mr. Neale.] You are a sergeant-major of police at Wellington? Yes 173. You were stationed in Christchurch in 1883 ?—I was. 174. I was under your jurisdiction ?—Yes. child*?-i ei do mber me being connected with a case-Boyd and others, concealment of the -R }™C Y ,Z n , reD ? T emb^ r mv exhuming the decomposed body of a child in the grounds of Mrs Boyd's brothel in New Street ?—Yes, I have a general remembrance of it 177. Was there an inquest held on that decomposed body?—l cannot positively state from memory. I believe there was an inquest. There is only one reason that I can urge for an inquest not being hela, and that is the doctor may have declared it was an immature child or a fcetus I believe, however, that an inquest was held, owing to the subsequent proceedings 178. You cannot swear positively that it was held ?—No. 179. Do you remember any witnesses being called, if there was an inquest ?—I remember witnesses being called, and you submitting their statements. 180. At the inquest?—l cannot say about that. I remember you submitting statements in reference to the child ; but whether there was an inqnest or not I cannot say 181. Virtually you had not much to do with the case right through?— All your reports and Inrector n pender Sh S ° * ° Ught t0 & Uttle m ° r6 ac l uainted with the details of the case than WerS SUb^Daed in this CaSe for *» • 18 ; 3, If £? u nqUe ? had eea held On this decom P°sed body of a child, all witnesses at the inquest would have been subpoenaed for the Eesident Magistrate's Court examination ?-Thev would be the same. ' X " C J' 184. If there was no inquest on the child there would be no subpoenas ?—No Witnesses would not then be necessary. That would account, then, for my remarking, that if it was a fcetus there would be no necessity for an inquest. ±^iuts . 185. Were you in the barrack-house when I brought in the decomposed body ?—I remember being present when we brought the thing out of the ground. There were several there at the tIUQG. - 186 Do you know this man, William Wood, I referred to; or George Wakefield ?—Wakefield L- ,°Yi n °} remember hlm m connection with the case. Wood I cannot call to mind I think there was such a man.
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