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169. From your experience, would you like to be judged by a newspaper report ? —-No, certainly not by anything in the West Coast Times. .170. Mr. Duncan.] You have no actual knowledge as to who was the reporter on this particular occasion ?—No. 171. It is only supposition that it was Simmons ?—Yes. 172. Mr. Massey.] Do you know of any reliable report ? —Yes, the Kumara Times. 173. Do you remember the Hokitika, Star ; did it have a special reporter present at the meeting? —I do not think there was any special reporter there. 174. Do you remember a report of the meeting in the Hokitika Star ? —No, I do not remember, it is such a long time ago, though I might have read the report at the time. Alexandee Caldee Campbell sworn and examined. 175. The Chairman.] What is your name ?—Alexander Calder Campbell. 176. What are you ? —An ironmonger. 177. Where? —At Kumara. 178. Do you know the purpose of this inquiry ? —Yes. 179. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon.] You were a member of the Kumara Borough Council for many years ?—Yes, about eight years. 180. You were a member at the time of the special audit which was asked for in 1882 ?—Yes. 181. A petition was got up by a man named Simmons? —Yes. 182. Was there bad blood between Simmons and Wylde ?—Yes, I believe so. 183. Was Simmons struck off the roll, and put out of the Council?— Yes, and that was the reason of the bad feeling. 184. Were you a member of the Finance Committee?— Yes. 185. What was your usual course in passing accounts ? —Well, the accounts came before the Finance Committee, and they recommended them to the Council, and the full Council went over them again and passed them finally. 186. Who signed the cheques ?—I believe I was one who signed with the Mayor and the borough treasurer. 187. Now, when this report came in from the auditors what took place in the Council ?—A special meeting was held to consider it. 188. What was the difference of opinion in the Council ?—Well, one party was for investigation, and the other for instituting criminal proceedings at once. 189. Which side did you take ? —I took the side of an investigation by the Council before taking any extreme measures. 190. Now, if any one had stated that I blocked the business of the Council to prevent consideration of that report, would that be correct ?—lt is not correct. It is decidedly incorrect. 191. Was it unusual for the Council to sit till 1.30 or 2 o'clock in the morning?— Bather; but it depended very much on the business before the Council. 192. The morning that the report came in we had a very late sitting, did we not? —Yes; until about 8 o'clock next morning. 193. What was the business? —It was the special business of taking proceedings or not. 194. Do you remember a demand by Davidson as one part of the business?— Yes, I remember that now. 195. If the Kumara Times report says that we finished at 6.30 in the morning, would that be correct ? —Well, I think the ordinary business was finished before then. 196. Well, if Mr. Eudkin or Mr. Burger had said that it was correct, would you dispute it ? - No ; it was a long time ago. 19.7. You took part in the deliberations upon the auditors' report?— Yes, I did. 198. Would two hours and a half be a long time, considering the interests involved?—Oh, no. 199. You have said that you were for an investigation before extreme measures were taken?— Yes. 200. Do you think Wylde had fair-play, in view of what transpired?— Well, scarcely; he was hardly used at that stage. 201. At that stage, you say ? —Yes; my argument was that it was a pity to drag the man before the Court as a criminal before some investigation by the Council. 202. As chairman of the Finance Committee you were sceptical as regards the special auditors' report ? —Yes. 203. Did you believe it was correct ?—Well, no, not to the whole extent to which it went. 204. A statement has been made that there was an overpayment to Nathaniel Seddon of £219 : did you believe that to be correct ? —No. 205. Do you believe that he received any overpayment?—lt is my belief that it was impossible. 206. Now, you have heard it has been alleged that I had received the overpaid moneys on Nathaniel Seddon's account, do you believe that?— No. I have no recollection of your having received anything either directly or indirectly. _ 207. Notwithstanding the difference of opinion in Wylde's case, was there a single Councillor who believed chat Nathaniel Seddon was overpaid ?—No, I do not think so. 208. And as regards myself? —Well, that was never even hinted at. 209. You contested the election with Barnett, did you not? —Yes, and there were only about two votes between us. 210. Had he been using this petition during the election to make capital of?— Yes ; I consider I lost the election through that. 211. You knew Mr. Hannan ?—Yes.