5

I.—4a

Mr. Pilmer.

19th Sept., 1878,

67. How long ago was it?— About four years ago. 68. Well ?—At last my wife went out at the back door, and she came back and said she thought something wrong was going on. Then a girl came down, and said her sister, Mrs. Stott, was being murdered. I went up immediately, and found a man with his clothes disarranged molesting the woman. I knocked him over ; and, as soon as I had secured him across a chair, I sent one of my boys down for the police. The boy came back and said the police would not come. I sent him a second time, but still they would not come, and I was obliged to let the man go. The woman was a good deal knocked about, her clothes were torn, and she was much exposed. The man was at large a week after this, and then was arrested. I saw Sergeant Monaghan afterwards—l think the same evening—and said, " Well, that was a pretty mess you made of that business to-day." He said, " Tou must make your complaints regularly." The woman wished a letter to be placed in the paper as to the conduct of the police, and to please her 1 wrote one to the Evening Post. Monaghan afterwards taxed me with the letter. He said, " Did you see that letter in the Post ?" I said, " Tes." He said, " I wonder who wrote it. Did you?" I replied, " Tes." He said, "I suppose you will withdraw it." I said, "No; I shall repeat it, if necessary." He then said, " Well, I will make it hot for you some day." That is what he said. 69. What occurred after that in reference to the case ? —They apprehended the man afterwards ; he was tried in the Supreme Court, convicted, and sentenced to eighteen months' or two years' imprisonment. 70. Mr. Barton] Was the letter in the paper written after the woman laid tho information or before ?—I am not sure. 71. Inspector Atchison] Did you ever make a complaint about this before to any one ?—I had no occasion to make a complaint to any one. The man was tried by the Supreme Court. 72. Did you ever make any complaints about the conduct of the police ? —I have spoken of it in ordinary conversation to people in the city. 73. Will you mention one or two ?—I have spoken to the whole city. I cannot particularize. 74. Did the letter in tire Post appear before or after the arrest ? —I am uncertain. It can be seen from the police records. 75. The Chairman] How long did the arrest take place after the time you first sent for the police ? —I believe about a week. He escaped, and got himself in hiding for a time. 76. Tou could turn up the letter in the Evening Post ? —Tes. 77. Inspector Atchison] Tou gave evidence in the case? —I did. 78. Did you tell the Magistrate on the bench, or the Judge, that you had sent for the police, and that they had refused to come? —I do not know that I did. That could be found out in the office. 79. Tou distinctly say Monaghan said he had nothing to do with the matter, and that you must make your complaints regularly ? —Tes, he did. SO. Tou have not a very friendly feeling towards Mr. Monaghan, I believe ? —Oh, I do not know. I have no unfriendly feeling. 81. Did not Monaghan supersede you as Inspector of Nuisances ?—Tes ; but that was a long while after; about six or seven years after. 82. Tou were dismissed ? —No. 83. Paid off? —I was. Not paid off in the ordinary acceptation of the words. My services were considered unsatisfactory by two personal enemies on the Committee, and I received three months' pay. 84. Mr. Tole] What messenger did you send for the policeman ?—My boy. 85. Is he here ? —He is somewhere about. 86. What were the words of the reply he received ?—I could not say. 87. Was anything said about a "cock-and-bull" story? —There may have been, but I do not recollect. It is several years since these things occurred. 88. Mr. Barton. Was anything of the sort said by Monaghan ? —No ; he said in reply to me, when I told him he had made a pretty mess of it, " We have nothing to do with this sort of thing." 89. The Chairman] Is Mrs. Stott in the same place still ?—She is living in Tory Street. 90. Mr. Barton] Do you know Constable McGrath?—Tes. 91. Do you remember asking McGrath one day to come with you for the purpose of inspecting a nuisance ? —Tes. 92. Did he make any threat against you then? —He did. 93. What was it ?—He seemed to be annoyed because I asked him to step out. I was in a hurry, and, as he was walking slowly and dawdling, I said, "I wish you could step out a little." He said, " I could walk faster if I chose." I replied, " Their I wish you would choose." But he would not. When he arrived at the place he said there was nothing to complain of. I took up a clothes-prop and stirred the nuisance up and said, "Is there nothing there to complain of?" He said, " People cannot always keep their places so clean." I said, "Do you call that clean?" Ho said, "Tes, I do." I replied, " I would like to know what you call dirty if you call that clean ? " He said, "If you talk to me in that impertinent way," or something of that sort, " I will run you in just as I would do any one else." 94. Tou did not care to interfere with the police after that ? —No. 95. Did you report that to the Mayor, Mr. Hutchison?—l did. 96. Do you know whether it was reported to the Inspector ? —Mr. Hutchison told me he did, and said the Inspector had not the courtesy to answer the letter. 97. Inspector Atchison] Did you not take McGrath off his beat without any authority, and ask him to go with you? —I met him between Charlotte Street and Sydney Street. The house I found fault with was one of Mr. Cleland's, on the other side of the Galatea Hotel, and I told him what I saw, and we went a little way past the Government Buildings. He dawdled along so slowly, and as I was losing time I asked him to step out, and then took place the conversation I have referred to. I thought I could get assistance from the police, but I never troubled them much after tlrat. 98. Did you invite him into the Metropolitan to drink ? —I did not.