shape and to back them by evidence his case was properly dismissed. Cases of this sort very often do break down when investigation is public and every body hears the evidence. My own impression is that Noake has during the two or three years he has held office at Patea, managed exceedingly well. At first he was overburdened with all sorts of offices military and civil and had very little assistance in the performance of his duty. The position of affairs was a very difficult one, between peace and war, and no one knows better than I do what the difficulties were, as you