JUDICIAL INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 49, 27 February 1923, Page 5

JUDICIAL INQUIRY.

SECOND DAY'S HEARING. CASE FOR THE DEFENCE. CRITICISM OF THE PETITION. MR. PAKR IN WITNESS BOX The allegation of corrupt practices on the part of the Hon. C. J. Parr and his agents during the election campaign in Glen Eden was further investigated at the Auckland Supreme Court to-day by their Honors Mr. Justice Hosking and Mr. Justice Stringer. Mr. John Pool, a Mount Albert elector, was the petitioner, and was represented by Mr. A. G. Quartlev and Mr. H. A. Anderson. Mr. Parr was represented by Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., and Mr. A." H. Johnstone. The court was again crowded with members of the public. Mrs. Nina E. Routley, Glen Eden, said she did not understand she was on Mr. Parr's political committee. She was present at the meeting when Mr. Shepherd told the ladies that if they would take over the arrangements for the conversazione the gentlemen would retire. He suggested the provision of strawberries as it was the first season the fruit had been grown locally. It was naturally thought that the ladies would be paying the expenses.

Replying to Mr. Skerrett, witnesß said Mrs. Parr was very popular and the ladies discussed the question of holding a social in her honour. When they were discussing the details there was a difference of opinion as to the strawberries. There was no idea that. Mr. Parr should pay anything towards tho expenses. It would have been an insult to invite Mrs. Parr and then ask them to pay. Since the election the ladies had subscribed and paid for the strawberries.

John Henry Hayes said he was at Mr. Parr's meeting on November 25, when someone asked the candidate: Do you believe in bribery and corruption? Mr. Parr's reply was: " I know what you are getting at. but let mc tell you I did not pay for them."

Cross-examined, witness said he wan not interested in getting Mr. Parr out, hut he was interested in getting a wrong righted.

The petitioner's case was closed this morning subject *i> the appearance of a witness who had been subpoenaed, but did not appear. The Court ordered a telegram to be dispatched, calling upon the witness to attend for the afternoon session. THE DEFEKCE. Mr. A. H. Johnstone opened the case for the defence. Counsel submitted that never had a petition been submitted in which charges of personal corruption had been made upon grounds as flimsy as in the present case. Indeed he went further. In regard to more than one half of the petition, there were no grounds whatever. The election took place on December 7, and the petition was presented about a month later. Yet after that lapse of time the petitioner, without <he slightest grounds, did not hesitate to charge a series of acts involving personal corruption on the part of Mr. Parr.

Tt was true, said counsel, that in regard to Avondale, the charges were subsequently withdrawn, but only in the following language: —"The petitioner has no knowledge of the facts alleged in the petition (in the paragraphs deleted), and hereby abandons them as grounds for the petition." It was admitted he had no grounds for these particular allegations or knowledge of them on January 31: therefore he had certainly none on January 10, when he filed his petition, yet after making serious allegations of a most damaging kind against a public man, there was not one word of regret for having preferred charges entirely without foundation. Even yesterday there was no explanation of the petitioner's conduct. Mr. Justice Hosking: If you were put to any expense at all, whatever the fate of the petition, you can make an application to the court for costs. Mr. Johnstone: We were not put to any expense in regard to them at all, because there was nothing to answer. CHARGES STILL STANDING. Dealing with the Glen Eden charges, counsel said it was true they stood on a somewhat different footing, but there, too, three charges of an absolutely unfounded kind had been made first in regard to the purchase'of cream, second as to the hire of a person to wash the crockery, and thirdly regarding the hire of the hall.

Mr. Justice Hoskinsr: No evidence was given about these. There is nothing in the bill produced.

Mr. Johnstone: Nothing. Mr. Quartley: We have not got the bill.

Mr. Johnstone next dealt witll tTie remaining charges. In these again personal corruption was alleged, and it was submitted without a tittle of evidence to support it. Indeed the only suggestion made by Mr. Quartley in liis speech wae that Mr. Parr or his committee did not forthwith stop the proceedings at Glen Eden.

Mr Justice Hosking: Is it necessary that there should be personal corruption on the part of the candidate?

Mr. Johnstone: No, but here personally corruption is alleged against him.

Mr. Justice Hosking: That is a form,

Mr. Johnstone: No. "The said Parr, both by himself and by his agent." I want to clear the ground of that at once, because personal corruption Is fraught with extremely serious consequences. Counsel *übmi I ted that upon the evidence before the Court the petitioner should withdraw his eharees of personal corruption against Mr. Parr, but a«j t>at hud not been done, Mr. Parr would go into the witness box. and tell the Court that he had absolutely no knowledge of the-proceedings at Glen Eden, until he went there on the afternoon of November 25. intending to address a political meetinsr. as would be shown later. Further, on November 4. one day after the committee had been set up at Glen Eden, he wrote expressly statins that his committee were not to enter upon any monetary contract without his personal sanction.

THE EFFECT OF THE STRAWBERRIES.

Counsel submitted thai It was absurd to suggest that the supply of a few strawberries -was done from corrupt motives. It was inconceivable that any attempt was made to influence votes or indeed that votes were influenced. There were about 80 women at the gathering. Afternoon tea was a common incident of such gatherings, and it was none the less a common "incident because a few strawberries were added.

Mr. Justice Hoiking: a common incident. Mr. Johnstone: At a women's gathering. Mr. Justice Hosking: For political purposes? Mr. Johnstone: We sut»mit this was not for political purposes. We submit strongly the evidence will show it was not for that purpose at all. Was it suggested that the ladies were so glutted and so filled to repletion that they forgot all about the intellectual Mr. Mason and Mr. Morton, and thought only of the corrupt Mr. Parr, and that they remained in that paralytic condition for twelve days?

Counsel submitted there was no precedent in New Zealand for such a petition. Reasonable hospitality at election times had never been grounds lor an allegation of treating.

Mr. Justice Hosking: How do you establish that proposition? Mr. Johnstone: "Reasonable." I think the Wairau case established that fully.

Mr. Justice Hosking: I do not think it does.

Mr. Johnstone: I submit that to your Honor.

Mr. Justice Hosking: In the. Wairau case the strongest point was that after the meeting a few remained and went round to the hotel to have some whisky, and finally a number of supporters had to shout for the Jot. That was hospitality.

Mr. Johnstone: That was hospitality. Mr. Justice Hosking: It was made the ground of the petition there. You say there is no case where liospitality has been the ground of a petition. Mr. Johnstone: In tlie sense it was used in the Wairau oasc that may be so, but I refer to the kind of hospitality to a person in a house-afternoon tea. Eating and drinkinjtr, as a judge said, must go on notwithstanding elections. Reasonable hospitality, when it was a mere incident of the entertainment, should not he a ground for a petition. "GRAVE CHARGES/ But, if the faots established yesterday vrere, as he submitted, triviafin themselves, the charges themselves were by no means trivial, said Mr. Johnstone. Iliey were grave enough, and accordingly the strictest proof was required, the same proof as in a crimina) ease. Mr. Johnstone. then reviewed the evidence to bo given, showing the progress of events at Glen Eden. He explained that Mr. bevy, who became secretary of the local committee, ,v as the owner of the only typewriter in the district—and he •t" that - rUCted H WaS " Ot 3 VCry S °° d ° ne AX "IDEA" DEVELOPS. At the committee meeting of November 9 Mr (roucher, upon the suggestion oi a Mr. Pollard, who was not present moved that Mr. Parr be asked to give an address at Glen Eden. That was before Mr Mason had commenced his addresses there. A date was fixed eventu. ally for the meeting for women on November 2.",, because it fitted in with his arrangement to visit the Henderson e&ow, It soon became noised abroad, as usual at such small places, that the ladies' meeting was to be held but for some reason the ladies did not "take kindly to if as it evidently did not appeal to them. So it was thought that as Mrs. Parr was very popular in the district, where there were many new residents, that it would be a good idea for the people to get together and become acquainted, so '.hat, as the *vidence of Mr. Qualtrough showed, the holding of the conversazione developed. By November 15, the idea in favour of the women's conversazione had grown, and a meeting was held, when the men decided to give way and allow the ladies to run a social in their own way. In consequence, a meeting of ladies was held on November 18, convened by word of mouth and by cards. There were thirteen present, and this was the occasion Messrs. Shepherd and Levy were present. It was then made perfectly clear that this was to lie a "ladies' show" under the ladies' charge. Mrs. Routley was elected chairman, and Mrs. Erzckson secretary.

THE STRAWBERRY DEBATE. Arrangements were made for decorations, and food, etc., and then a debate occurred as to having strawberries, the reason for this discussion being no doubt the trouble or difficulty of handling strawberries, and the arranging and work entailed in providing and washing the plates. None of the ladies had strawberries, and it was decided to order three crates from the three growers in the district. It was tacitly decided amongst themselves to pay for the strawberries. Mr. Levy called at the meeting for his wife to go to some tennis gathering, and Mrs. Routley said he was the very man they wanted. They asked Mr. Levy to arrange about getting the strawberries and as disclosed in evidence 2J crates were eventually arranged for to be delivered at the meeting of ladies on November 25. The money was eventually collected by the ladies, and the strawberries paid for. THE PRINTED INVITATIONS. Counsel also referred to the fact that Miss Cochrane was engaged typing out the invitations, when Mr. Shepherd casually called at Mr. Levy's office, and suggested that the cards would look better printed. Shepherd, at Levy's request, drafted out a card, and as Levy was going into the city, he went to a firm of printers, and took the draft with him. Mr. Rotherbam drew attention to the fact that there was no name on the card and Levy said: "Oh, put mine in," and Rotherham did so. That was how Levy's name came to be on the cards. His Honor: Would Shepherd tell the ladies they were to pay for these cards? —Counsel: Well, I don't think he knew anything about it. If anybody was liable to pay, possibly it was Levy. Resuming, counsel said the hall was only decorated to give a drawing-room appearance, and some 70 or 80 ladies attended the afternoon meeting, for which Mrs. Parr did not receive her invitation until the day after. It had been sent to their Mil ford home. The nature of the meeting surprised and pleased Mr. Parr, who, though he had a political speech ready to deliver, decided to give a general talk on matters of interest to women. PART OF THE "TREAT/ , As Mr. Shepherd had previously emphasised, the meeting was particularly a compliment to Mrs. Parr, and was promoted in the social interests of the district. So that, in all. only about 20 minutes was taken up by Mr. Parr. Mr Justice Hosking: That was a part of the treat?—lt was not all the treat, but to some extent it was an educational or intellectual treat, as referred to by my learned friend yesterday. Mr Johnstone commented on the point made by Mr. Parr when tackled by Mr. Thomas. He had replied that he did not and was not going to pay for the strawberries. There was also some question about the memorandum sent to Mr. Pugh. Well, Levy evidently did not want to make demands upon the women regarding payment for the strawberries for which he thought a few

of the men could "pnt their hands in their pockets.' . He did send out memos, but they were subsequently cancelled, so there was no proof whatever of any corrupt practice having been carried on by Mr. Parr himself or anybody else, and if what was done was illegal or corrupt then the ladies were not agents of Mr. Parr in the wider sense of the law. There was. however, no evidence to support the allegations. He hardly required to deal with the alleged bribery aspect. Treating was strongly relied upon by the respondent, but this portion of the charges was practically withdrawn by the respondent. SOME LEGAL COMMENTS. Mr. Justice Hosking commented that it was curious that in copying or following the English Act we should have struck out the words referring to treating "on the day of election."' Mr. Skerrett said that it was very difficult to get to the bottom of this, but there seemed to be an assumption it was directed against general treating.

Mr. Johnstone said .the law on treating might be taken as that assumed in the Wairau case, which lie quoted. The fact that this was the only occasion and the only place in the whole of Mr. Parr's campaign at a social which was open t* all, and where there were many people present who were not voters, indicated that this was not a political meeting.) His Honor, Mr. Justice Hosking: Under the English law the Court could excuse trivial cases, but the triviality of the incident was not a ground for saying there was no corruption. Mr. Johnstone finally said it was absurd to Pay that such a meeting was for the purpose of getting or influencing votes, and there was no evidence to show that there was corrupt intention on the part ot_anybody associated with the social. Mr Justice Stringer: If tea !P lus strawberries is an offence then 1 suppose tea without strawberries would also be fin offence. Where are we going to draw the line? , Mr. Justice Hosking: And tea ana cakes, too! MR. PARR IX THE BOX. Christopher James Parr said he thought there were roughly 18 or - 3J polling places in the district which was urban, suburban and rural. On November 3 he attended » meeting at Glen E<lon and chatted with supporters. He asked someone to take the chair, and Mr. Shepherd, chairman of the Town Board, was put in the chair at someone's suggestion. There were 35 to 40 people present. Tie suggested that the meeting should form a committee, and Mr. Anbury, who gave evidence yesterday, objected. Others were lukewarm, and he (the speaker) then suggested that those willing to work for him should hand in their names to the secretary. At that meeting Mr. Levy was appointed secretary, and Mr. Shepherd chairman. At that meeting he was approached to have a ladies' meeting subsequently. Mr. Pollard, of his commiftep. saw him. He acceded, and pave Pollard the date, which was within two or three days. It was represented to him by Shepherd or Levy that the time was too short, and November 25 was fixed for him to address an ordinary ladies' meeting at 2 p.m. A DUAiL-PURPOSE TRIP. He was going to open the Henderson flower show that day, too. He knew a;ter November 25 that an invitation was opened by Mrs. Parr at his Milford home. That was the first he saw of it. He and hie wife lived in a flat in Auckland during the election, and spent the week-ends at Milford. Mrs. Parr accompanied him to the Henderson show. Up to the time of arrival at Glen Eden he e\pi'i\ed to make an electioneering speech, to last an hour or an hour and a halt. Mrs. Routley and another lady received them at the door, and he was surprised to find the room decorated, and many lauies present. I asked '"Who has done" all this?" Mrs. Routley said, "Oh, the women have pushed the men out to give you and Mrs. Parr a social afternoon." She said it was more for Mrs. Parr. He expressed his pleasure and thanks.

Hi 3 Honor Mr. Justice Hosking: It seems a case of the electors treating the candidate, rather than the candidate treating the electors.

Mr. Skerrett: Exactly, your Honor, and I do not think you <vill find anything more in it.

Continuing, (Mr. Parr stated that Mr. •Shepherd said he took the chair as chairman of the Town Board, since Mrs. Routley was not accustomed to public speaking. He was emphatic on the point that it was a social and not a political meeting, arranged by the women of the listrict. It was more of a compliment fo Mrs. Parr than anything else. Witness heard Mrs. Parr say to Mrs. Routley, "It is very good of you to get up this social for me.' . Shepherd mentioned the fact that there were many new residents in the district, and it hail been arranged so that the ladies might meet each other and become acquainted. The chairman asked witness in public to speak on topics of general interest rather than on party politics. It was also said that the gathering was not a political meeting. The ladies had not come to hear a political speech, but only for a social afternoon. -'I was rather disappointed to hear that." said witness "I had gone there for the purpoee of delivering a speech, and I bad to change niy orogramme. - '

Mr. Skerrett: All right, Mr. Parr: we von't bother about that.

It was what witness considered a nonparty speech, all controversial snbje<-t = being carefi'llv avoided. It was incorrect to say that Mrs. Parr was introduced to only a few of the todi'ii nrcsent THp meeting terminated with the singing of "Auld Lans Syne.' , fn the evening vv tness delivered his fighting party speech to a mixed ardionce in the same hall at Glen Eden. "My meetings were alwav* interesting!" he added. QUESTION" ABOLT BRIBERY. At the evening meeting, continued witness, a strong political opponent, Mr. Thoma=, asked him "Do you believe in bribery? , ' Witness replied "Certainly not. What do you mean?" The questioner said: "What about the strawberries this afternoon?" Witness contende.l in reply that these "ere part of the social given by the ladi»s i,f the district to Mre. Parr and himself. He added: ''The ladies provided and paid for everything. I did not and will not pay for anything. I think the suggestion is contemptible.

To Mr. Quarterly: Sometimes the committee arranged the advertisements f Jr meetings, and at other times witness did it himself. The afternoon meeting was not advertised. He did not know why "iou knowfe Kinneburgh, Mayoress of Avondale?—Slightly meeUng'-Ve s e ** y ° Ur ATOnd ' te

•She told us you spoke for about half an hour?—>he is incorrect.

Counsel endeavoured to get some par :iculars from the witness regarding the

speeches he delivered at Avondale, and at the conversazione.

Mr. Justice Stringer: What is the point of the difference of the speeches?

Mr. Quartley: The point is that there is no difference, and that the speeches covered exactly the game ground. Mr. Justice Stringev: The evidence of Mrs. Kinneburgh does not bear that out. Jilr. Quartley: The topics may liave been treated differently. COMPARISON OF SPEECHES. Witness said at Avondale, he dealt with Government policy and naturally praised the Government, Indicating as clearly as he could what its future intentions were. On these grounds he appealed to the ladiee for support.

Mr. Justice Hosking: You did not do that at the social?— Not a word of that character.

Mr. Quartley: What did you say at the social?

Mr. Justice Stringer: You do not want the witness to repeat the whole thing If you wish to remind him of something particularly, you can mention it. If you are only fishing it does not matter. Mr. Quartley: Was it necessary at all for you to speak at the social?—l do not know. I was asked to do so by Mr. Shepherd—to say a few words about social questions, and to be very brief. Had it occurred to you it might be dangerous?— Not for a moment I took the assurance of Mrs. Routley that the women of the district had taken possession, and had altered the idea of an ordinary meeting into a social; also that they had organised the social as a compliment to Mrs. Parr. I was very grateful. That was the feeling I had.

Witness added a remark about not thinking it necessary to go into the street and throw the strawberries into the river.

Had you a good hearing.—Yes, I felt I was not a host, but a guest.

You had a favourable atmosphere in which to speak?—l will not say that— not that the ladiee did not wish to hear mc, but it was a social, and they chatted mostly. I did not get as attentive a hearing as I usually get. There was a lot of talkins. and three or four babies. Mr Justice Hosking: T suppose they said "We have heard all that. before. He does not say anything new."

Witness: Very likely. Mr. Quartley:"lf tliey heard it before, where did they liear it?—T do not know Mr. Justice Hoskinp: That is the kind of remark that might be passed. Witness: Tf it had been an attempt to influence votes, T would have felt it was a complete failure. It was a social gathering, and I was really a performer. LADIES GIVE EVIDENCE. Mrs Erickson. wife of Herman Eriekson, said she had resided at Glen Eden for twenty-three years. On November 18 witness attended a meeting, and before that date she had heard that there was a movement to give *n entertainment to Mrs. Parr, who was a very popular lady in the district. Mr. Pollard asked witness to go to the meeting, and when she arrived Mr. Shepherd was there, and he said, "We will elect our own chairman as secretary, and we will arrange all the details ourselves."' Mr. Shepherd made it clear that the arrangements for the gathering were to be in the hands of the ladies. Witness made a list of what each lady wae to bring to the social in the way of refreshments and furnishings. Towards the end of the meeting there was a discussion as to whether there should be strawberries and cream. Some objected, but at length it was resolved that three crates of strawberries be obtained. WHAT THE LADIES THOUGHT. On the "great afternoon' , there wa3 a big gathering of ladies. A pianoforte solo, two songs and a recitation were given. Witness did not hear Mr. Shepherd speak before Mr. Parr's address. All the ladies present understood that the social was for Mrs. Parr, and that it was given by the ladies. The washingup was done by the ladies, witness assisting. At the preliminary meeting she remembered that Mr. Levy came in to see his wife. Mrs. Routley asked Mr. Levy if he would order the strawberries, and he made a note of it. They had a fair idea of what the fruit would cost. It was to be the only expense, since everything else would be given free, including the cream, which was to be sent by the ladies.

THE LADIES TO DO THE WORK. To Mr. Quartley: At the preliminary meeting there were many present who knew of the social movement. The ladies did not issue the invitation cards. Had you not been at the preliminary meeting would you have known that the social was arranged by the ladies, or would you have judged that it was arranged by the election committee?

Mr. Skerrett: That's a truism, isn't it? She doesn't understand. Anyway, don't bother, I'll examine her on that.

Proceeding, witness said she did not think Mr. Parr covered the same subjects at the evening meeting as lie did at the afternoon. When it was decided to give an afternoon tea to Mrs. Parr it meant that ladies would have to Jo the work, and men could be done without.

Mr. Justice Stringer: Men arc useful things to have, to hang flags! (Laughter.) As far as witness recollected Shepherd did not say at the conversazione that he wanted it to be a nice meeting. Of course, all the ladies wanted it to be a nice meetins—"as nice as possible." Nothing was said about Mr. Parr being the man to vote for. Witness never thought about Mr. Parr's election at all, and nothing occurred to her about Mr. Parr being a fit and proper person to get into Parliament.

Mr. Justice Hosking: Do you know if any charge was made for the hall? Mr. Skerrett: The sum of 10/ was charged, sir.

Witness stated that the only expense was the strawberries, but the committee made no arrangements to pay for them. There were thirteen ladies on the committee, including Mrs. Rosier.

To Mr. Skerrett: At the conversazione witness understood that all the ladies knew that it had been organised by the ladies of the district. It was common knowledge.

A T Mr tT^\"\!" tleV: witne9s thought that -Mrs. Hill had told a deliberate lie with regard to the meeting and what she understood about the strawberries. ONE OR TWO JOKES. W. H. Shepherd, orchardist, eaid that when tue afternoon meeting was first discussed Mr. Levy said Mr. Parr was qujU, willing to-addre Se a worn™ political meeting on November 25, but £"?■ WaS a feeli "* tHat a Political meeting was not wanted, and that a a .r n ,°° n Was P ref e"ed. Witness knew of the letter to Mr. Lew regarding the non-.ncurring of expenses, and pointed out to the meeting that Mr. Parr c election committee could not spend any money, but if the ladies would take over the running of the meeting he would be pleased that tlievi

should. The men were to drop »U interest in the meeting. How did you come to attend the ladies' committee meeting on November 18? —I thought it was my place to go, and two ladies at least asked mc to come and give them a sUirt. Witness said he explained the poeition to the ladies' committee meeting, and after a chairman and secretary had been appointed he said: Now, ladies, you are all in working order. You know all we know. This business of yours is totally in your hands " 'God bless you, , and I suppose you left," interrupted Mr. Skerrett. who commented several times on the wealth r> f detail given by the witness. At another stage witness described how he went to the conversazione, sat down on a chair, rose up again, and (at request of counsel), he detailed portions of his speech on that occasion, when he explained that the gathering had nothing to do witn pontics. "Of course, ,, he concluded, "I Welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Parr on behalf of the ladiu, and then I sat down."

Mr. Justice Stringer! On a seat, I suppose? (Laughter.) Witness recalled having remarked that they were making Mr. Parr the* afternoon an excuse to hold the social. Having eat down amidst applause'— They did not applaud mc. Mr. Parr then spoke for 15 minutea. That wae the end of s perfect afternoon?— Evidently not. (Laughter.) <. A GOOD IDEA. To Mr Quartley: As chairman of Mr. Parr's committee, witness had been anxious to see Mr. Parr returned, and he would have done anything to fcelp his candidature. He thought the idea of a ladies' political meeting was a good' idea at the time, when it wae proposed. He never thought the conversazione would be a better idea, yet he did not think it would hurt hini. ''Why not?— Well a political meeting rarely hurts a man. I never thought as to whether it would be an advisable step. The ladies wanted to run it, and it seemed all right. The social development of the district was what witness considered before Mr. Parr'e interests. He never looked at any question concerning benefit to Mr. Parr. AN EXPERT OPINION* * "Really, as far as I am concerned. T don't think these meetings alter one's vote. The people make up their minds three or four months before, and all the political meetings in the world won't alter their opinion. They cay Tom Smith, or Dick somebody else is going to get my vote, and nothing else matters," said witness.

"An expert opinioal" eaii Mr. Slrerrett.

Witness said he probably eaid to Qualthrough, "Tell your wife to come along. It has nothing to do with politics." He wanted to see all the ladies there. "There would be strawberries there and they would all come." (Laughter.)

Did you think that if people got the impression that it was a political meeting they would not come? —No. Jt would have made no difference.

Mr. Justice Stringer: Let us get. on to something relevant, Mr. Quartley. You are burying the issue with all this.

Counsel: Aβ your Honor pleases! (To the witness): If you had intended to help as a committee man, what morp could you have done to asiat?—l do not know that I could have done much more. >

You could not liave put an apron .round jpv, and washed up?—Xo, I bar washing' tip.' You could not go round with the strawberries? —I believe I did that. SAY IT AGAIN! Well, it is convenient to say that on the one hand you had a lot of men -who were Mr. Parr's committee and on the other a number of ladies not on the committee who could very easily be brought in to help, and it would be quite safe, because they were not on the committee? —Say all that again! (Laughter.) Counsel repeated the question. Mr. Justice Stringer: Is that a question Mr. Quartley?—Yes. His Honor: Does the witness understand ". Witness: I say "Xo."' That was not so. The ladies'wanted to have a social afternoon. Yes, but it was in Mr. Parr"s interest. —Oh, no, I wouldn't say that. Have you ever entertained Mr. Parr at Glen Eden before? —Yes.

(Proceeding.)