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to do with that? Absolutely nothing. They were absolutely and entirely irrelevant to what he says was the main object of his communicafion. It is perfectly clear that the charges of perjury were made quite irrelevantly, and I must say that, for myself, 1 do not accept Mr. Sinclair's assurance that he was not actuated by any animus or malice against Mr. McCallum. One has only to look at the language in which these charges are couched against Mr. McCallum to see that they are grave charges expressed in almost venomous language. We submit that it is clear that this Committee, exercising the ordinary prerogative of common-sense, cannot suggest that there was any justification or privilege for such communications. With regard to the question of " Private and confidential " being indorsed on the covering letter, I desire to point out that it would be a monstrous proposition that a person could circulate libels —gross charges affecting the honour and the private and personal character of another —by prefixing the two words " Private and confidential." If he does it in thirty-nine cases, why is he not able to do it in the case of the eighty members of the House? "If he is able to do it to the eighty members of the House, why not to all the citizens of a city? It is submitted that the expression " Private and "confidential " has no magic at all. You have got to regard the circumstances under which the letter was written, the relationship of the parties, and the purpose and object of the letter before these words have any effect.

APPENDIX. B. (Private and Confidential.) . High Street, Blenheim, 30th March, 1912. Dear Sir, — Wairau Election Petition Case, 1912. Thinking you may, as a member of the Reform party, be interested in the trial of the Wairau election petition recently held in Blenheim, I beg to enclose a copy of the report on the case, in which I was engaged as counsel for the petitioners. In addition to the report, suggestions are made as to the methods to be adopted to have the judgment of Williams and Chapman, JJ., reviewed by the Privy Council in the interests of the purity of elections. The whole subject will be brought before Parliament next session. Yours faithfully, A. High Street, Blenheim, 25th March, 1912. Dear Sir, Wairau Election Petition. The judgment of the Election Court given on Saturday, the 23rd instant, in "favour of the respondent was an improper judgment on the following heads. In respect of these heads the petitioners were (according to the evidence disclosed on the Judges' notes) clearly entitled to succeed : — . (1.) Grovetown —Treating within twelve hours of the opening of the poll. (2.) Grove Road —Treating on the polling-day, 7th December, 1911. (3.) Engagement for payment of the McKenzie Company's vehicles. (4.) Engagement for payment of Parker's motor-cars. (5.) Treating at Seddon on the 7th, admitted by Humphreys (McCallum's supporter). (6.) Supply of beer at Mirza, as proved by Dodson and Co., on order given by Frank Bull (respondent's secretary) purporting to come from one "Jenkins," a navvy at Mirza, who was in town at the hearing of the case —unknown to the petitioners, but known to the respondent—and whom the respondent did not dare to put in the witness-box. (7.) Treating at Okaramio. (8.) Engagement for payment of Humphreys as canvasser, admitted by Humphreys to Patrick Meehan. (9.) Engagement of Morrison for payment, as admitted by Morrison to several persons. (10.) Receipt of money in respect of (9), as admitted by Morrison to Holdaway. (11.) Incorrect return of election expenses to the extent of £10 by McCallum, as proved by Best's day-book —tampered with. Most gross and corrupt perjury was committed by many witnesses, and this was only too sadly and plainly manifest. The perjury was so barefaced, brazen, unblushing, and callous as ■ to be incapable of toleration, or of being winked at or condoned by honest men. The police will do nothing, being the humble wages-men of the Government of the day. I say nothing against the police : they do their duty according to their lights, but their usual functions begin and end with the control of inebriates, the prosecution of persons for driving without lights or trotting round corners of streets. You cannot expect and you do not expect them to tackle perjurors in high places, and embark on a sea of crime for repression and punishment of perjury as part and parcel of their day's work, for which they get the wages of a common labourer.