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Commissioner Tunbridge : You said, Mr. Maginnity, that my decision with regard to Eemnant's case did not appear on the records. My minute, on page 80 refers to this case as well as Blincoe's. Mr. Maginnity : I only said that I could not put my hand on it. I did not make any reference to the Minister. Did you understand, Mr. Chairman, that I made any reflection on the Minister in any of my remarks ? The Chairman: No. Mr, Maginnity : I prefer to take your ruling, sir. Now, Mr. Commissioner Tunbridge informs me that his finding on page 80 refers to Eemnant's case as well as Blincoe's. I read the finding a few minutes ago. Eemnant's name is not mentioned, so that I think it was quite excusable, sir, that I did not quote Eemnant's name when it did not appear. I propose, with your permission, gentlemen of the Committee, to at once examine Messrs. Durbridge and Burrell with regard to the charges. They would then be relieved. They want to get to their homes, and I myself have to leave by steamer to-morrow. So with your consent I shall ask to have them examined on oath. I think that examination will probably occupy the Committee for the rest of the morning's sitting. I propose to examine Arthur Burrell first. Abthuk Bukeell examined. (No. 3.) The Chairman : I may say, Mr. Maginnity, that it is not necessary to swear the witness. Mr. Speaker has ruled that giving evidence before a Committee is equivalent to a witness being examined on oath ; he is liable to the same pains and penalties if he gives false evidence. 1. Mr. Maginnity.] You are now as if you had been sworn in a Court of law, Mr. Burrell, and you know the necessity for giving your evidence truthfully?— Yes. 2. Do you remember a complaint being made against you by Neave and others ? —Yes, I do. 3. By Neave, Burns, Cox, and Simpson. Do you remember the nature of that complaint?— Yes. 4. What was it?— They complained that I had assaulted them, and in addition used obscene language. 5. Will you relate to the Committee exactly what happened, as near as you can ? —Yes. An old gentleman living in Waimea Eoad, Nelson, named Marinaduke Wilson complained at the police-station that the youths in that locality were very troublesome—they were constantly insulting him and his daughter ; in fact, he said the respectable people could not walk by without these youths having something to say to them. Sergeant Mackay instructed me to attend to that locality and see if this was going on. 6. In accordance with instructions, you went there ?—Yes. 7. Now, just state what happened when you got there ?—When I got there there were a number of youths sitting on the culvert near this old gentleman's house. I passed them. I did not think they would know who I was. I asked Wilson to walk by them and see if they would say anything, and I would be handy to hear what they did say. He came out of his house and walked along the street past these youths. I was not near enough to hear exactly what they said, but it was something to this effect: "Halloa, my father." I walked up to them and asked them why they could not leave the old man alone. I told them that complaints had been made about them, and advised them that they had better knock it off or they would get into trouble. One of the boys —about the biggest, I think—stepped up to me and put his hands out and said, " What has it got to do with you, anyhow ? " and gave me some cheek. I just put out my hand and pushed him, keeping him off. I did not hit him. There was another boy on a horse. He put spurs into the horse, and nearly rode over me. I did not hit him. I just pushed him off. 8. Do you mean that you pushed his horse away, or pushed him off his horse ?—I put my hand on the horse and pushed it away. That is about all that passed. I told the boys about the complaints being made, and windows having been broken there, and that I believed they had something to do with it—which I still believe they had. They denied it. 9. Did you knock any of them down?— No. 10. Are you sure of that ? —Yes. 11. Was that the only occasion that you went up there?— That was all. 12. That was the only occasion when you met them ?—Yes. 13. Do you know whether or not Wilson made a statement as to your conduct on that occasion ? —Yes, he did. 14. Who wrote that statement?— His son. 15. Was Wilson present?—He was in the room —he was present. 16. Would you know the statement if I were to read it to you?— Yes, I would. 17. I will read it: " This is to certify that I, Marmaduke Wilson, was present with Constable Burrell on the evening of the 25th October, when he had occasion to caution several youths for their bad behaviour. The constable did not make use of any obscene or abusive language. Their conduct to him was threatening and defiant. The boys of this locality have been a source of great annoyance to my daughter and myself for this last two months. About eight weeks ago the windows in my house were broken with these larrikins throwing stones, two large stones coming through the window into the room in which two of my infants were sleeping. Had the stones struck them lam sure it would have killed them. Since Constable Burrell censured these boys it has had a good effect, and I have not been troubled with them. I am prepared to give this statement in any Court of law. —I am, Marmaduke Wilson "?—Yes, that is the statement. 18. He was present when that was written by his own son ? —Yes. 19. Is that the whole of that episode ?—Yes, that is the whole of it. 20. Have you told the Committee all you know about it ? —Yes. 21. Do you know a man named Blincoe?—Yes.