TELEGRAPH ENQUIRY COMMITTEE.

3

H.—No. 8.

Mr. R. Pearce. 27tli Sept., 1871.

Bluff, to see how it possibly got into the possession of the Telegraph Department. I have Bent a telegram for the letters from the Argiis, and from the Telegraph Office at Queenscliffe. 46. The Chairman.'] To Mr. M'Lean —You say you have telegraphed for those letters, and you believe they will prove what you have stated ?—Yes. 47. You are not in possession of those original letters ?—No. 48. Mr. Steicard.] To Captain Pearce—We understood from you that Mr. Larnach communicated to you the contents of the telegram. Did you read it yourself. Was it handed to you, or were you told viva voce the contents of it ? —"VVe read it together. 49. Subsequently to your knowledge were the special contents of that telegram made a matter of conversation in the ship, or did you or Mr. Larnach communicate its contents to any person else?— No. I don't know. 50. Would it be possible that any person on board ship, except you and Mr Larnach, could have seen the telegram under discussion ?—1 should think not. 51. Mr. Webster.'] Am Ito understand distinctly that the contents of the second telegram were not referred to at table, or otherwise, as being extra news, as being known to Mr. Larnach ? —Not at all. There were several items of news of course in the second edition of the Argus which was published just before we left. That news was a topic of conversation upon the passage down, and more verbal news, which I don't recollect just now, was very freely discussed. 52. Would that verbal news include the headings of the telegram ? —I scarcely remember. I remember the information was very vague, and just a sort of conversation about the war and other matters. 53. The Chairman.] You positively deny the statement made on oath by Mr. O'Toole to the effect that he got the information from you. You state you have read the evidence given by Mr. O'Toole to the effect that he got the information from you, either from the second edition of the Argus, or from additional information you supplied to him. You positively deDy the accuracy of that statement ?—I do. The news contained in the second edition of the Argus extraordinary might have been obtained by anyone at the Bluff, as everyone on board almost had a copy. 54. Mr. Vogel.] Do you recollect the telegram being sent on board ?—lt was sent on board at Queenscliffe. 55. Who received it on board ?—I don't recollect. 56. Do you recollect in whose custody it was after it was received until the time it was opened ?— Mine. 57. Can you tell me what kind of cover or case it was in ?—The ordinary cover of telegrams, an envelope. 58. And it remained in your custody all this time?— Yes. 59. Do you recollect about what time it was opened ? —No. 60. You don't recollect that ?—No. 61. Are you able to say whether it was towards the latter end of the voyage ?—Yes, near the latter end of the voyage. 62. Mr. Larnach asked you for the telegram. Where was it he asked you for it ?—On board the ship. He was a passenger on board the ship. 63. What part of the ship, in your cabin, or in the saloon ?—ln my cabin. 64. Was it in day time or evening ?—I don't recollect. 65. You gave it to Mr. Larnach ? —Yes. 66. Are you quite sure no one was present at the time ? —No one was present but Mr. Larnach and myself. 67. Mr. Larnach opened it, or you ? —Mr. Larnach 68. You said you read it together. Were you sitting down close together, or was it read aloud ? —I scarcely recollect. I don't recollect. 69. If Mr. Larnach states that it was read aloud, are you prepared to say such statement is not true ?—lt was read sufficiently loud for me to hear. 70. You don't know whether you read it, or it was read aloud ? —I don't know. I know I was acquainted with its contents. I think I read it, but am not prepared to say so positively. Mr. Larnach read the telegram, and I was standing near him, and I may have read the telegram at the same time as himself. 71. I understand you to say distinctly that you are not prepared to say positively whether you read it or whether it was read aloud ?—No, it was read by Mr. Larnach, and I was standing near him. 72. Was it read aloud or not ?—I think not. 73. Was there any one present at the same time but you and Mr. Larnach ?—Yes, there was another person present. 74. Who was that person ?—I forget who he was. 75. Was it Mr. Martin, a brewer, of Invercargill ? —Yes. 76. Now, you have already stated that no one else read it but Mr. Larnach. Mr. Larnach says Mr. Martin read it. Do you doubt the truth of that statement ? —I did not see Mr. Martin read it. I do not deny the truth of Mr. Larnach's statement. 77. Mr. Larnach and you were together, and you now say to the best of your belief there was a third person present ?—At this lapse of time, it is really impossible to remember. It was nearly a year ago. I don't recollect who was present. 78. Do you desire to recall the answer given earlier, that no one was present but yourself and Mr. Larnach ? —I don't recollect. 79. The Chairman.] You have made a positive statement that only Mr. Larnach and yourself were present. It has been subsequently stated that a third person was present. The Committee do not wish to hold you to the first statement if upon further recollection you should be of opinion that there was a third person present. You may qualify your answer if you think fit to do it. They simply don't wish to take down in evidence that you stated positively that no other person was present, if you think upon consideration there might have been another person present.