21

F.-8.

H. S. BILBY

13. Mr. Ostler.] With regard to the charge about the envelopes that were posted empty, Mr. Bilby : did you have anything to do with the posting of the envelopes containing those circulars?—I posted those with Mr. Keyworth. 14. You and Mr. Keyworth posted those? —Yes. 15. When were they posted?—Some were posted on the Monday night and some on the Wednesday night. It is a long time ago. 16. Some on Monday night and some on Wednesday night—previous to when?—Previous to the meeting. 17. That would be on the 2nd and the 4-th July?—Yes, quite so. 18. Can you say of your own knowledge whether all the envelopes that were posted were filled with the circular and the card? —Yes. 19. They were all. filled before you stamped them? —We stamped them before they were posted. 20. You stamped them last ?- —Yes. 21. Did you take part in the stamping?—Yesi 22. How do you know that you did not stamp any empty envelopes?—Because you know the difference immediately you stamp an empty envelope and a full one. There is a card in, and you can feel the imprint of the card as you push the stamp down. 23. Was your mind specially directed to the point as to whether they were filled when you were stamping them ?—Yes; the box had been filled with full envelopes and put aside for them Lo be stamped. 24. Did you actually put the stamps on some of them yourself?—Yes. 25. Who else besides you put the stamps on? —Mr. Keyworth. 26. No one else?—No, no one else. 27. Can you say that as far as the envelopes which you stamped were concerned none of them were empty?—No, none of them were empty —all full. 28. Were there others present in the room when you were stamping the envelopes besides you and Mr. Keyworth? —Yes, in another part of the room. 29. Where was Mr. Elliott : was he there ?—He was sitting at the other table. 30. He was present, in the room but sitting at another table?—Yes. 31. Did you. tell us at which post-office you posted these circulars?—Yes, Dominion Road. 32. About how mam- did you post?—Altogether, somewhere about two thousand five hundred. 33. That is to say, in the two postings? —Yes. ' 34. In your position as secretary did you get any complaints of non-delivery?—Yes, we had several complaints. 35. You had several complaints of non-delivery : were any of them from people you knew you had sent a letter to? —Yes. 36. Did you get any other complaints besides the fact that some were not delivered?—In what way ? 37. You sent these letters out with circulars and cards in : did you get any complaint from any one about them afterwards?—Yes, the complaints that they had been delivered empty. 38. Mr. Gray.] Did you keep a list of persons to whom these circulars were sent? —We had lists handed in by various people interested in the movement desiring letters to be sent to these people. 39. Desiring you to send letters to these people; but did you keep a list?—No, we did not compile a list. 40. How was the original list made up?—There was no original list —just pieces of paper. 41. You have no list now showing the persons to whom the circulars were sent? —No, we have no list. 42. Who addressed the envelopes?—Various people of the committee. 43. How many?—Different times, about five or six people—coming in at different times. 44. Five or six people at different times addressed the envelopes?—Yes. 45. Were the addresses taken from the Post Office Directory —anything of that sort?—The addresses were given by the people who gave the lists. .46. You took no steps to ascertain that they were correct addresses?—The people who handed in the lists were their own friends, and naturally they would know their addresses. Mr. Ostler: I understand as a matter of fact we have all those names. 47. Mr. Gray.] Would you be surprised, Mr. Bilby, to hear that in some cases letters were not delivered for such reasons as these: " Not known by letter-carrier "; " No such person in Beach Road " ; " Not known by letter-carrier " ; " Not found " ; " Not found "; " Gone, no address " ; "T. G. Bennett" endorsed "Not for F. Bennett, to whom it was tendered": would you be surprised 1 —No, I am not surprised; I received them back from the post. 48. Then it is a fact that a number of these letters posted by you were returned to you by the Post-office with endorsements such as I have mentioned?—Yes. 49. Take another case just as an instance: I think this letter was one of those which were' included in your posting?—Yes, that is one of them. 50. You know the writing?—Yes. 51. Who wrote that —Mr. Keyworth? —Yes, I should say so, from the writing. 52. It is addressed very plainly " Mr. J. Garley, Mt. Albert Road, Mt. Albert, Auckland." It was returned to you from the Post-office with some memorandum on the back, " Not for J. Gailey, Mt. Albert Rd." Mr. Ostler: Why do you say it was returned to us : you appear to have it yet? 53. Mr. Gray.] Do you know Mr. J. Gailey, Mount Albert Road?—No. 54. Would you be surprised that Mr. Joseph Gailey made a complaint that he did not receive this letter?—One of the Post-office officials told me.