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520. That is the system of tyranny ? —Yes. 521. You got charge of a station pretty soon ? —Yes, too soon to my liking. 522. You were only a short time in the service ?—Yes. 523. Though you have studied up all your work so well, and though you have studied up the opinions of all the men—do you mean to tell me if you went to Mr. Wright, the district clerk, and asked to see your defaulter's sheet and merit-sheet, you would not have been allowed to see them?-—Well, I never asked him. 524. Why did you not ask him ? —I was quite satisfied. I knew what was in it. 525. Did not you tell the Commissioners you did not know anything about it?—l said in my evidence I did not get any knowledge of the conviction until after I was convicted. 526. This entry was made in your defaulter's sheet before you had sent in that written explanation ? —The conviction was entered in my defaulter's sheet some time after I had made the first complaint. 527. Was this conviction recorded against you before you had written that explanation, that the woman had asked you some questions ?—lt was after I had made the first complaint. The whole thing is there. 528. You admitted, did you not, that the woman was speaking to you in the Court ?—Yes. 529. You were called on to explain that, were you not? —I was not called on to explain. I first complained myself about it. 530. The first time you put your grievance forward was on the 28th January, 1896 ?—Yes. 531. And you asked then to have the report forwarded to me ?—I asked for an explanation, and if not given, that my report be forwarded to the Commissioner. 532. In that do you say a single word about any witnesses ?—No. I never dreamt for a moment the case would be dealt with without going through the usual form. 533. Your grievance is that the case was dealt with without your getting a hearing?— Just so. 534. And that is what you meant when you said you wanted the system of tyranny stopped ?— Yes. 535. That is a system of tyranny ? —Yes, I think so. 536. You have given the Commissioners to understand you considered I had a down on you, and the Inspector had a down on you?— Yes. 537. Will you try and explain to the Commissioners how Cairns getting charge of the Manners Street Station can in any way possible be traced to any down that I can have on you?— Well, I was, I may say, two years in charge of that station, and, after I had broken up this system, Cairns was sent there to assist me, and eventually I was done out of the station. 538. Cairns was sent there to assist you : had I anything to do with that ? —I do not know. 539. He was sent there because I had a down on you?—l presume he was not sent there without your knowledge. 540. In June, 1896, Cairns was sent to work with you at Manners Street Station?— Yes. 541. Was the new station begun at that time ?—No, not at that time. 542. The Chairman.'] Do you think Cairns was sent there in June, 1896, with the view of ousting you from the station when the station was built?— Yes, I think so. 543. Colonel Hume.] You say there is a good deal of dissatisfaction amongst constables, especially about married people not getting house-rent ?—I only speak for myself. 544. And yet you said to Mr. Taylor there was a great deal of dissatisfaction in the Force ?—I simply say 545. You do not simply say. You said there was a great deal of dissatisfaction amongst members of the Force on this point. Is it the general opinion of the Force or is it your own idea ?— Well, of course, the men know what they are getting, and they must abide by it. 546. You do not know there is general dissatisfaction ?—I think there is; I would not be quite sure. 547. Mr. Tunbridge.] What are you paying for rent? —15s. a week. 548. Are the other married men in Wellington paying pretty nearly the same—those who are not in charge of stations?— Some are paying less, I believe. I was paying less myself some time ago. 549. What is the number of your family ?—Only two. 549 a. You cannot get a decent house for your wife and family under 15s. a week?— No. 550. Where are you living ? —ln Cuba Street. I have to live at a house near to the station. 551. I suppose there are many constables, married men, who have to pay nearly as much as you are paying ?—Pretty nearly so. 552. What do you consider your uniform costs you a year?—l suppose it would cost over £5. 553. Do you remember what it cost you when you had your first outfit? —£3 10s. for the jumper and trousers, shako 11s. 6d., and boots. 553 a. Can you tell the Commissioners, roughly, what a pair of boots, two pairs of trousers, jumper, and shako, would cost altogether ? —I think £6 would cover the lot. 554. What did you pay for your overcoat ? —£l 14s. 6d. 555. That would last you two years?— Not quite, for day duty. 556. For an ordinary constable doing day and night duty would an overcoat be required every two years to keep him decent ?—I think it would be less than that. 557. Then, as to the macintosh, what was the price of that?—l think it would be about the same as the overcoat —about £2 2s. It was the macintosh I was speaking about before. I got that from the Artillery. 558. Well, your uniform would cost you at least £8 a year ? —I think it would. 559. Colonel Pitt.] One tunic would last more than a year ?—One tunic will last more than a year, but there are two pairs of trousers.