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B. SMITH.]

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14. Hit Worship (to witness).] What state- of health is your wife in ?—She has recently come out of hospital after undergoing three operations. It is the excitement that is the drawback. The help also witnessed the envelope being received empty. 15. Perhaps we could bring her ? —I think so. 16. Mr. Ostler.] Where were you when your wife received the envelope?-—I was at business. 17. You were not, at home?—No, sir. 18. What became of the envelope?—My wife destroyed it. 19. What is the name of the help ?—Miss Phillips.' 20. Is she at, home now?— Yes. 21. Could she be got this afternoon, do you think : we could probably send a motor-car?— Yes. Mr. Gray: No questions. Rev. Frederick Arthur Thompson examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.\ What is your full Christian name, Mr. Thompson?— Frederick Arthur Thompson . 2. And your occupation ?—Presbyterian Minister. 3. Where do you live? —76 Crummer Road, Grey Lynn. 4. Did you receive a letter from the Protestant Political Association asking you to notify a public meeting from your pulpit on Sunday, the Bth July?— No. 5. You never received it?— No. 6. Mr. Gray] How are your letters ordinarily delivered to you?—By the postman. 7. By the letter-carrier at your house?— Yes. 8. At the door?— Yes. Rev. George Alexander Johnstone Macdonald examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is your full name, Mr. Macdonald?—George Alexander Johnstone Macdonald. 2. Where is your postal address? —The Manse, Takapuna. 3. Did you receive a letter from the Protestant Political Association asking you to announce a public meeting from the pulpit on Sunday, the Bth July?— No. 4. You have not received it at all at any time? —No. 5. Mr. Gray.] Arc your letters usually delivered at your house, Mr. Macdonald?—Yes, as a rule. 6. When are they delivered at any other place?— Occasionally at box 1032, but only letters from other parts of the country—letters not dealing with Church matters. 7. How is the letter-carrier to know? —If it w r as addressed to Takapuna it would come to me at the Manse. 8. What letters would go to the box? —Personal letters from other districts—people I have notified that I have a box. 9. Does the Protestant Political Association know you have a box?—No, not so far as I know. Thomas Robert Mackrell examined. 1. Mr. Ostler.] What is your full name, Mr. Mackrell?—Thomas Robert Mackrell. 2. And your occupation?—l am caretaker of the Bradford Building. 3. That is Smith and Caughey's building in Queen Street?— Yes. 4. Do you in your capacity as caretaker receive letters addressed to members of the staff? —Yes. 5. Can you tell me if you received that letter addressed to Mr. Shackelford ?—Yes. 6. When you received it did it have any contents or not?—No contents. 7. Whom did you receive it from?—l cannot say the name of the postman. 8. You received it. from a postman?— Yes. 9. What did you do with it when you received it?—l handed it to Mr. Shackelford when he came. 10. Did you have any further connection with it?—No connection. He returned it to the Dead Letter Office. 11. Where is Mr. Shackelford now?— Napier at present. He will be here on Wednesday. 12. Did he take it back to the post-office ?—He returned it to the post-office. 13. When that was received did it have that pencil inscription on it?— Yes, sir. 14. By you—when you received it? —Yes. 15. Have a look at it—those words, " Received without contents "?—Quite sure. 16. Mr. Shackelford says it was put on afterwards. I want you to be quite sure of it?—lt was written in lead-pencil, " No contents." 17. When you first received it? —Yes. I could not swear that is the same, but it, was a pencilled mark, " No contents." 18. When you first got it? —Yes. 19. When you received it was the flap in or out? —I could not say, but I think it. was the same as now. Mr. Ostler: That is, with the flap in. 20. Mr. Gray.] The address appears to be " Mr. J. W. Shackelford, Elliott Street, Auckland." Whore is Elliott Street : is that where these buildings are? —Yes, Bradford Buildings are in Elliott Street. 21. Is Mr. Shackelford on the staff, or a tenant?—A tenant. 22. You handed it to Mr. Shackelford, and you do not know what he did with it afterwards?— Ido not know; I did not sec what ho did with it. 23. Was the flap tucked in like that when you got it? —I believe it was —I could not-swear.

4—F. 8.