REPORT OE THE PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE.

19

H.—No. 7.

237. That you had suffered pecuniary loss in the matter ?—Yes; I have a copy of the letter in my lodgings. I think I said it would cause me pecuniary loss. I should like the letter to be produced. 238. Was it in reference to that part of your letter that Mr. Henderson said, " We do not wish you to be put to any expense on our account ? " —lt was. 239. Had you, in any part of your negotiations with Mr. Brogden, or any person connected with his firm, any proposals made to you that you looked upon as affecting your position as a Member?— None whatever. 240. Had you, until the conversation with Mr. Harrison, entertained any suspicion that any proposal made to you, or any conversation with you, tended in that direction ? —I may have gone so far as to say, in reference to the offer of remuneration by Mr. Henderson, " Surely it cannot be thouo-ht in any way to influence my political action." 241. Had you any suspicion yourself that it was intended? —No, I had not. 242. Had you expressed to anybody at all that such an idea had crossed your mind until after your communication with Mr. Harrison ?—I did not speak to any person on the subject, except to Mr. Harrison. 243. May I ask you, did you intimate to Mr. Harrison that such an idea crossed your mind before his communication to you ? —I do not think so ;I do not think such a suspicion had crossed my mind until that interview. 244. You did not consider, in point of fact, that the offer to pay you £100 was one intended in any degree to operate unduly upon your mind as a Member ?—No. 245. I understand that when Mr. Harrison communicated with you, the idea crossed your mind and you said, " Surely the offer to pay mo money could not have such an object as that which is suggested?" —That is how the matter occurred to me, I believe. 246. And only in consequence of Mr. Harrison's communication ? —I think so. 247. During the political part of the conversation, when Mr. Harrison and yourself were present in Mr. Holt's room, was there any suggestion on the part of Mr. Holt that he wished the matter to be kept private? —No. 248. Have you had at any time conversations with private gentlemen opposed to tho Government of Mr. Fox—the late Government ?—Oh, yes. 249. Have any of them expressed a desire to see them out ?—Yes. 250. I ask you whether, in those private conversations with the opponents of the late Government, or the supporters of Mr. Stafford's Government, somewhat similar remarks have not been made ?— Oh, yes ; unimportant remarks. 251. Did Mr. Holt at any time suggest to you that, in the interests of Mr. Brogden, he would ask you to take such a course ?—He never went as far as that, but he said it would be for the interest of Mr. Brogden to retain the Stafford Government in office. 252. He gave that as his opinion ? —Yes. 253. I presume, as far as his opinions and suggestions went, he wished to make you a convert to those opinions? —Yes. 254. I suppose other people have tried to convert you too ?—Yes. 255. Mr. Fox.] The allegation made by Mr. Holt, that it would bo to the advantage of Mr. Brogden that the Stafford Government should remain in, I understand was made during the interview in Mr. Holt's office, when Mr. Holt was conversing with you on a matter of business as Mr. Brogden's representative ? —Yes. 256. Mr. Parker.] Was it after Mr. Harrison came in that this conversation began?— Yes. 257. And after your business conversation was concluded?—No; our business conversation was not concluded, but there was an interruption by the appearance of Mr. Harrison. 258. Did it go on after Mr. Harrison came in ? —No, it did not; Mr. Harrison invited us out to have some sherry. 259. Mr. Fox.] You met Mr. Holt at Mr. Brogden's office, as his representative, for the purpose of conversing on a matter of business ? —Yes. 260. And it was during that conversation, and after the arrival of Mr. Harrison, that Mr. Holt made the remark about its being to Mr. Brogden's interest that the Stafford Government should remain in power ? —The business was the formation, of a water company, and that was interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Harrison, when the conversation took a political turn. Witness was thanked, and withdrew. The Hon. Francis Dillon Bell, Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives, in attendance, and examined. 261. The Chairman.] I think you are aware, Mr. Speaker, of the object of our inquiry here ?— I am, Sir. 262. I think, probably, the best course I can take in the matter would be to ask you to make a statement of what transpired between yourself and Mr, Harrison upon the subject?—l made an appointment, at Mr. Harrison's request, to receive him on the morning of the day before I made the statement in the House ; that is, on the morning of the 2nd October. On Mr. Harrison's coming into the room, he told me that his object was to consult me as to whether he was bound to maintain secrecy with respect to a communication that had been made to him by Mr. Holt, which communication he would repeat to me. He then said that some arrangement had been proposed to him by Mr. Holt for employing the paper of which he was the editor to give information upon certain projects that Messrs. Brogden had in view respecting public works, especially with reference to some matters of water supply ; which arrangement he considered to be quite legitimate. That at some time subsequently to the original proposal of that arrangement, he went to Mr. Brogden's office to see, as I understood, Mr. Brogden himself, but he saw Mr. Holt. That after some conversation on the subject of the proposal for employing his professional services as editor of the paper, he said to Mr. Holt, " I suppose, then, there is nothing more?" whereupon Mr. Holt said to him, "That it must be understood he was to give his vote in the House in such a way as was necessary for Mr. Brogden's

Mr. Tribe. 10th Oct., 1872.

Son. F. Z>. Bell. 10th Oct., 1872.