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191. I want to get it in your evidence at this point. Upon what grounds did you state that these girls were not of the best repute ? —Because I was told so. 192. Who told you ?—I think I declined to answer that before. 193. You have already got the ruling of the Chairman on the matter ?—Not on this matter. Mr. Maginnity : You see, Mr. Chairman, the -difference is most important—whether the constable took a girl of virtuous and moral character into the station or a girl of bad repute. lam asking the witness to state upon what grounds he said that these girls were not of the best repute. Witness : I told you I was so informed. 194. Mr. Maginnity : And I have asked you who informed you ? —Different people. 195. Then, tell us who they were.—lf the Chairman rules that I must, I must, and that is all about it. Mr. Maginnity: You have already ruled, I understand, Mr. Chairman ? The Chairman : Yes. It seems to me I must be continually ruling on the same question. Witness : The constables told me. 196. Mr. Maginnity : Which?— Constable Williams. 197. Who else ?—I think Constable Bird said something, but I would not be sure. 198. Who else ?—I think Mr. Trask said something. 199. Are you sure? —Well, lam pretty well sure. I know some people did. 200. Mr. Colvin.] There are two Trasks. Was it Mr. Trask, sen., or Mr. Trask, jun.? —Mr. Trask, sen. 201. Mr. Maginnity .] Who else told you?—l think, but I would not be positive, that the man who keeps the livery-stable in Nelson said something to me to that effect. 202. I want the names?—l do not remember his name. 203. You say that he did tell you ?—I said that is my impression. I cannot go further than that if you keep at it till night. 204. Impressions will not do, I am afraid. The Committee must have it positively. Either he did or he did not tell you?— Then, it will be an impossibility to say for certain. 205. You might be under the impression that any member of the Committee said so, but there would be no ground for it ?—I am not under such an impression at all. 206. Who was the livery-stable keeper ?—I forget his name. He is in the same street as the Masonic Hotel. 207. You do not mean Mr. Canning, do you?— Yes, I think so. 208. You also think that Mr. Canning told you ?—I think so. 209. Was it him or one of his grooms ? Do you know him by sight ? —Yes, I do. 210. How did Mr. Canning come to tell you ? Did you ask him if he knew the girls ?—Mr. Canning told me a good deal of what was going. 211. Did you ask him if he knew the girls? —No. 212. He gave you this information ? —ln my opinion, he did. I think he remarked that girls of not very good character visited the station, or something like that. 213. How did he come to open up this conversation with you ?—He was talking about the state of the Nelson police, like a good many more. 214. Who else told you, then, now that you have got on to that ?—A good many people in Nelson. I cannot give you the names just now. 215. Then, we may assume he (Mr. Trask) and the two constables told you that these girls were not of the best repute ?—Do not assume anything. Just put it as I said it. 216. These are your own words : " Be Constables Burrell and Durbridge having two young women (and not of the best repute) in the station at midnight." Those whom you have mentioned are the only ones who told you that these girls are not of the best repute ?—I did not say so at all. Others may have told me. 217. But, then, other people may have, and other people may not have. I want you to give the Committee information that is within your knowledge ? —I cannot go further than that, because a great many people spoke to me. 218. You know as well as I do that a person may have told you something : I am asking you who did tell you ?—I have told you. A great number of people spoke to me about the police in Nelson. 219. Did they speak to you about the girls?— They may have or may not. 220. Did they or did they not, to your knowledge ?—I do not remember, but they may have. 221. Then, we can conclude that all those whom you can state as a fact that you heard from as to the character of these girls are the two constables, Williams and Bird, Mr. Trask, and Mr. Canning, the livery-stable keeper ? —I am not sure about Mr. Canning, mind you, but that is my impression. 222. You thought that that was sufficient to warrant you in saying in a report that these girls were not of the best repute ?—I consider that I am warranted in saying to my superior officer anything whatever that I have reason to believe there is something in—any information whatever that might be of use. 223. Although it goes really to the only possession a girl has got—her moral character ?— I cannot help that. That is perfectly true, but it is not supposed to be public property. 224. Let the Committee understand exactly what you would do, because they have to weigh fully all your recommendations in these matters. You would upon evidence such as that take upon yourself to deprive a girl of her good character in an official report ? —I do not say anything of the kind. I say that any information in my possession of the most delicate description I have always during all these years sent to my superior officer. 225. But you have not stated that this is upon information that you have obtained?— Surely it is not necessary.