I.—2b

62

218. Who was third in command? —Thore is no third in command except the captains of the companies. 219 What is an adjutant ? —He carries out the ordorly-room orders ; ho delivers orders to the sergeant-major, and the sorgeaiit-nuijor delivers them to each company. He drills the men and forms parades, and everything like thai; and sees, when men are to be punished, that the sergeant carries out the duty of punishment, and so on. 220. In the position which you held there, would you know who was adjutant at that particular time?— Captain Walker, he was acting-adjutant for a while. Then Ensign Lawson took it up : he was killed afterwards, at Opepe. 221. Walker and Lawson?—Yes. 222. Did you know a person named Bower ?—Yes ; he was captain of my company. 223. Was not Bower adjutant at that time?—No; he came down some time afterwards. I knew that Bower came down afterwards. He occupied a little place across the creek. 224. Are you sure Captain Bower was not there at the time ?—Captain Bower was not there at the time this mv.rder was committed. He came down some time afterwards. He did-not stay there long before he went away again. 225. In what is called a camp order, given by Captain Gwynneth, there are certain instructions for the preparation of the journey. Supposing you had been going at that time from Opotiki to Tauranga, would you have'provided yourself with rations, or were there places where you could get them?—l never did. You could get them at Ohope, Whakatane, Matata, and Maketu, and other places. 226. Troopers going with despatches had places of obtaining food as they went along?—Oh, yes. 227. And it was not usual then for the camp order to stipulate the rations carried by a trooper when going along with despatches?—No, we never used to think of it along that coast. 228. Mr. Letvis.] You remember Bennett White's head being brought in, Mr. Edwards ?—Yes, by Mereana, his wife. She was out there on the beach. She was in Opotiki when the alarm was brought in. 229. Who brought in the alarm that he was killed ? —Natives from Whakatane. 230. They passed over the road that he had traversed, of course ?—Yes. They saw footmarks and the tracks of the horses. 231. W T ere the Natives there?—No; they had decamped. 232. Bennett White was killed on the 26th, we are told?— Yes. 233. And Mr. Wrigg started out on the 29th, three days after?— Yes. 234. In the meantime, a body of men had been camped on the spot?— Captain Skene and his men. 235. Would you consider that a dangerous part of the country under those circumstances ?— They could not find their bodies that night, and they remained there. They got the Head early in the morning, in amongst a lot of sea-drift. 236. If Mr. Wrigg crossed this river three days after Bennett White, in the interval it had been crossed by so many people, would you consider it dangerous on the day that Mr. Wrigg crossed it?— No. If I had been ordered to take those despatches I would have taken them, and would not have thought of any danger or anything else. 237. When you talk of the road being dangerous, you assumed it would be dangerous if the Maoris were there ?—Yes. 238. About this extract from camp orders, which reads as follows: — "Cornet Wrigg and Trooper McDonald will proceed to-morrow to Tauranga with despatches to Colonel Harington, or officer commanding the district, and await his reply (if any). Report themselves to him, and return with all speed, taking two days' rations with him." Who is " him," have you any idea? —I do not know. 239. " Two days' rations with him." You could not form an opinion as to whom " him " refers to ?—All I know is, McDonald came to the orderly room for despatches. 240. Mr. Holland.] You say that when the murder was committed Captain Bower was not at Opotiki ?—I did not see him there at the time of this murder. 241. You saw him there afterwards?— Yes. 242. He may have been there before ? of course. He was captain of No. 2 Company, but only stayed there a short time, and went back again. 243. You are not quite sure that he was there ?—1 am not quite certain. 244. You told Captain Preece, when he came to see you, that you were surprised when you saw the account in the papers?-—I was surprised. 245. Would you have taken any action yourself in this matter?— No. 246. Mr. Wilford.] Have you got any MaorH)lood in you yourself ?—I am a half-caste. 247. You stated that Leonard Simpson was not at Opotiki at the time Bennett White and the mailman were killed. Do you swear that positively? —No, I will not swear it positively. 248. Then, when you say he was not there, you moan you did not sco him there?—lf he had been there I should have eoen him. I know protty well all the people. 249. Do you remember George Leaning in a store at Opotiki' , —Yos. He kept the store for a man named Campany, and than 1 think ho mid n iittlo follow miiiied Davis got into partnership. 250. Do you know whothor Goorgo ]**Mitng would he allowed to volunteer as n, trooper in the case of an emergency if he was not enrolled? -I daro Ki\y ho would, though ho was not wanted. He might have, been allowed. 251. Will you swear ho nevor did volunteer as a troo|H»r? —No. 252. Will you swour ho novor did go out sw a voluntary trooper?- — IH , might have gone out. 253. Ono more question itbout Captain liuwcr. You say Captain Bowor was not thoro at the timo ?—No.