51

I.—lα.

E. MACDONELL.]

226. You give it as your own ipse dixit. "Be Constables Burrell and Durbridge having two young women (and not of the best repute) in the station at midnight " : is not that your statement ?—Yes. 227. You would tell the Committee that that would not injure those girls' characters ?—No, I did not think it would unless it were made public. I would like to add to that, that cases of suspicion of murder, even when we have no evidence, we report to the Commissioner, and the constables also report to the sergeant. 228. You said, in answer to Mr. Lawry on your first examination, that you knew there had been a great deal of perjury in Nelson: do you remember saying that ?—-Perjury! 229. That was your statement ?—I do not think so. 230. I have a shorthand note to that effect ?—Then, I am sorry for your shorthand-note-taking. 231. " I know there has been a great deal of perjury " : you said that in answer to Mr. Lawry ? —In connection with what ? 232. In connection with statements made to you in Nelson ? —I would like to see what was said just before that. 233. It was in connection with the statements made to you in regard to Miss that Mr. Lawry was examining you upon at the time. Who perjured themselves?—l did not say so in regard to Nelson. I said, and say still, that there was a great deal of perjury going on, especially in connection with abortion cases. 234. You said, " There has been a great deal of perjury " : do you deny that you said so?—I do not admit that I said so. If I did it was under a misapprehension. 235. Then, if you did say that there was any perjury in connection with this matter of Miss 's you would say that you made it under a misapprehension ?—I could not say such a thing in connection with Miss 's affair. I did not say that. 236. I suppose you yourself have no reason of your own knowledge for doubting the veracity of Miss in this matter?— Well, I have stated my reason. 237. I mean from any personal knowledge of Miss or her connections you have no reason to doubt any statement she may have made here to the Committee ?—I have not seen her, and do not know her. 238. You do not know of any reason why you should urge this Committee not to believe her statement ?—I do not urge them not to. 239. But you do not know of any reason why you should, supposing you wished to?—I have stated already my reason for doubting the correctness of the statements she is alleged to have made here. 240. Not in her presence, nor in the presence of Durbridge ?—I said made here already. 241. You would doubt those statements ?—I do. 242. Can you give this Committee any good reason for concluding that they should not rely upon the statements made to them by Miss ?—I do not wish to say that to the Committee at all. 243. Supposing you did, do you know of any reason that you could give the Committee for saying that they should not accept them ? —I have given my reason already. 244. Well, then, give it again ? —I am not going to give any reason to the Committee. I simply said that in my opinion 245. I am asking you have you got any reason that you could give this Committee for saying that they should not accept the testimony of Miss ?—I do not wish to say such a thing. I do not wish to suggest to the Committee that they should believe or not believe, but I gave my reason for doubting the statement she made here. 246. Then give it again, please, to save time ?—-My reason is this : I got the statement about Miss unwillingly from a lady to whom she made it. 247. You mean to whom the lady said she made it?— Yes, and corroborated by other women. 248. Will you give the Committee the names of those persons who told you that Miss had given them information ?—I will if the Committee wish it. 249. The Chairman.'] I wish the witness would answer the question?—l will. Her late mistress was one of the women who told me. 250. What was her name? —She was the woman at the hotel—Mrs. , I think, was her name. 251. Who else ? —That butcher's wife who lives on the other side of the street. 252. Which street ?—Just opposite the hotel. 253. Were they in company with Mrs. —— when she made this statement ?—No. And I placed all the more reliance on it on that account. 254. Who was the woman, then ?—A butcher's wife. 255. Mrs. ?—Yes. 256. She is Mrs. 's daughter?—l think so, or daughter-in-law, or something like that. I think I gave it all to the Commissioner. 257. You have stated already that Miss was not there when they made these statements. Who was present when Mrs. ■ made the statement ? —No one but me. 258. Who was present when Mrs. (the other woman) made the statement ?—Only herself at first, I think, and her husband came in afterwards. 259. Did not the husband find fault with you for going there to make inquiries from his wife without his being present ?—He said something to that effect. 260. Which was the woman you referred to in one of your reports as an untruthful old woman ?—I think I gave her name. Ido not remember it now, but I can tell you who she was. You will know her; if not, Mr. Graham will tell you.