E. MACDONELL.]

I.—lα.

37

145. Did you doubt that Constable Durbridge and the girls had attended the Catholic social? —I did not doubt that he was there with them. 146. What is it you did doubt ?—Possibly I doubted the permission given. 147. Permission for the constable to remain out after 11 at night?— Yes. 148. There was no evidence that it was not given ?—No ; but from the whole tenor of the conduct of the constables and the sergeant I was satisfied there was a combination among them to support one another. 149. You had no evidence of that ? —No. 150. I had to go on the evidence only at the inquiry?— Yes, I know that. 151. Do you consider my finding a reasonable one on the evidence—not upon prejudice, or anything that might be in my mind that was not supported by evidence?—No, I do not. 152. You think it was not strong enough ?—Undoubtedly. Young women on a station at midnight! That is my view of it. 153. I will take what was proved in evidence. Was it not proved in evidence that this man and the girls had been to the Catholic social ?—Yes, I believe that is true. I have no reason to doubt that. 154. And that when going home from the social at about midnight they were passing within about 100 yards of the police-station ?—Yes. 155. And that while they were standing talking at the corner of the street Constable Burrell, who was going off duty, came up to them? —That was stated. 156. Is not that the evidence ?—Yes. 157. Was it contradicted?— How could it be contradicted? These girls were probably seen before they were brought there, and the men made the matter known to them. 158. Was it possible to disprove it ?—lt was possible to have seen these girls beforehand and got their statements separately before they put their heads together with these men —as we have had to do in many cases to be successful. 159. Was there any reasonable ground for supposing that that had been done—that there was collusion between the men and the girls ?—I have no doubt at all about it—not the slightest in my own mind. 160. Did you ever suggest that in your cross-examination of these men?— How could I? 161. You were allowed to cross-examine? —I was there to ask questions. In one case—that of Constable Kemp—l sat down altogether and refused to proceed any further. 162. The evidence, as I say, showed that the constable and the two girls passed within 100 yards of the police-station ?—Yes. 163. On their way from the social to the home of the girls ?—Yes; they went that distance off their usual route to go to the station, according to the evidence. 164. Was it not stated distinctly that in going to their homes the direct route would bring them within about 100 yards of the station ?—Exactly; but they went back that distance from the road to the station. 165. Yes, to get to the station; but I am speaking of the time that Constable Burrell joined them. Burrell was then going off duty. The evidence showed, did it not, that as he was going off duty he came across Durbridge with the two females ?—Yes. 166. And that the constables then invited the girls ?—That is what they said. 167. I am speaking of the evidence? —Yes, that is what was stated. 168. The constables then invited the girls to go to the station to have a cup of cocoa ? —■ So they said. 169. Is not that the evidence?— Yes. 170. Upon-which I had to deal with the charges ?—Yes ; I do not dispute that. 171. The girls consented to go?— Yes. 172. And all four went to the police-station?— Yes. 173. Was there any secrecy about their entering the police-station ?—I do not know 174. Did not Constable Williams say that they appeared to enter the station quite openly?— Ido not think so. If I remember correctly, he came to the station and found them there. Ido not think he saw them come there; but I may be wrong. 175. Did he not say that when they were in the mess-kitchen they were talking loudly?— Yes. 176. And that the light was full on ?—Yes. 177. And that the door was wide open?— Yes, I believe so, to the best of my recollection. 178. That Constable Williams said that ?—Yes. 179. You believed him?—l believed that. 180. Did the indications go to show that there was anything of an immoral nature ? —Not at that time; but they went to show terrible laxity in the station—that such a thing should take place. That is my opinion. 181. That two constabies should, under the circumstances I have described, invite two lady friends —one of whom was engaged to one of the constables, and has since been married to him— to their own home to partake of a cup of cocoa? —To single men's quarters; but I do not know anything about the cocoa. 182. Did not the evidence show that Constable Williams went and called the sergeant ?—Yes; which showed that he had a sense of right and wrong. 183. And that the sergeant came on the scene and found the circumstances as described by Constable Williams : the door wide open, the gas full on, loud talking going on—not whispering, or anything of the kind—and the girls and the two constables fitting down drinking cocoa, or something of the kind : was that not so?—lt may have been so. Ido not remember exactly. 184. That was the evidence? —Yes, to the best of my belief—that is, the sergeant's evidence. 185. And Constable Williams's evidence as well, was it not?— No.