P.—8.

24

J. H. HANNAN'.

John Henry Hannan examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] Your full name, Mr. Hannan?—John Henry Hannan. 2. You are a draper ?—Yes. 3. And you reside at Victoria Avenue, Remuera?—Yes. 4. Did you receive an empty envelope—one of these envelopes with "If unclaimed within seven days please return to box 912 " stamped on it?—I could not say what was stamped on it. 5. I will show you the envelope: did you receive that envelope?—Yes. 6. When you received it did it have any contents?—No. 7. What did you do with it/—I waited until the letter-carrier came round and handed it to him. and asked him to ascertain what was in it. 8. What did you hear aboul it next? —lie brought it back with that written on it. 9. The words " Received without contents " and some initials on it?—Yes. 10. Did he say anything about it?—He said he believed it contained a circular with regard to this I'rotestaut meeting. 11. Mr. Gray.] Do you know the name of the letter-carrier, Mr. Hannan?—His name, I think, is Mr. Woods. 1.2. When you received if was the Hap of the envelope turned in or out?—It was turned in, I believe. 13. This pencil note?—That was something in regard to a party who interviewed me. 14. It was in that state with Ihe flap turned in? —Yes; I believe it was in that state when I received it. 15. The letter-carrier did not write-that memorandum, did he?—I do not know who wrote it. 16. When did he bring it back? —He brought it back the day after, I think. 17. Mr. Ostler.] Did the letter-carrier tell you he had written that memorandum, " Received"; no contents " ?—No, I do not think so. Henry Symons examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is vour full name, Mr. Svmons? —Henrv Svmons. 2. Not "J. H. "?—No.' 3. Your occupation?—Retired Civil servant. 4. And your address is Hillside Crescent, Mount Eden? —That is so. 5. Did you receive that envelope through the post?—I did. 6. Did it have any contents when you received it?—No. 7. What did you do when you received it?—I retained it for the greater part of a week, I think, lying upon my blotting-pad on my desk at home, not having placed very much importance upon it: expected to hear perhaps, later on, something regarding its contents. After about a week I returned it. 8. To whom?—To box 912. 9. Did you know when you received that letter who were the people who had rented box 912? — Not at all. I did not know anything about the meeting until the morning after it had occurred. 10. Can you tell us the date on which you received it? —No, I cannot. I think it was on the Saturday, about nine days before the occurrence of the meeting. Mr. Gray.: It was posted on the 3rd. 11. Mr. Ostler.] Posted on the 2nd and received at the General Post-office on the morning of the 3rd—that is, Tuesday. What was the position of the flap when you received it, did you notice?—It was open—-not tucked in. 12. Mr. Gray.] Are you sure of that, Mr. Symons?—I am sure of it. I took it from the postman myself. 13. The letter-carrier delivered it to you 1 —Yes. 14. Did you draw his attention to the fact- that the flap was out? —No; I received it amongst other letters. Bertie Smith examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is your full name, Mr. Smith? —Bertie Smith. 2. And your occupation?—Plumber. 3. And your address? —28 Croydon Road, Mount Eden. 4. Did you receive an envelope addressed to you similar to that?—That is correct. 5. This is not his own. He has destroyed it. Was it empty?—Empty. 6. Did you notice if it had " Tf unclaimed please return to box 912 "?—That was on it. 7. Can you give us the date on which you received the letter?—That I cannot remember. 8. Was it before the Protestant Defence Committee's meeting?—It was before. 9. About how long before? —Well, as well as I can remember, about four or five days. 10. How was the flap—in or out?—Out; that was how it was when I found it. I never inquired of the wife; she was the one who received it. 11. Where is your wife now?—At home. 12. I understand she is ill? —She is convalescent. That was the reason I came in her place. We were trying to guess whose the handwriting was. 13. Was it empty when she received it? Mr. Gray: How should he know? Mr. Ostler urged that the evidence should be accepted. His Worship: That is not the point. The point is that it is bad secondary evidence, Mr. Ostler. I must draw a line somewhere. I quite agree with you I would not consider myself bound by any strict rules of evidence, but I am not going to be bound by that sort of evidence.