I.—4a.

6

Mr. Pilmer.

19th Sept., IS7B,

Mr. Gunston,

19th Sept., 1878,

99. Did you go iv there yourself?—l might have done, but Ido not remember. Certainly, I did not ask him to go in. 100. Did you not invite him, and did he not refuse ? —No. 101. Tou did not threaten him in consequence of what he said to you? —No; my words were to this effect: Tou would not use a threat like that to your own Inspector, and you must treat me with the same respect. 102. Mr. Tole] Was there no conversation between your pointing out the nuisance and his threat to run you in ? —There was no conversation beyond what I have stated. 103. Mr. Swanson] This was a nuisance you say?—Tes. 104. What was your object in taking the policeman to see it? The chief of the police seems to think it wrong to take him off his beat. Did you ask him as a policeman, simply because he was a policeman ? —Yes, I asked him because he was a policeman. 105. Is it a crime in Wellington to ask the assistance of a policeman if you see wrong being done ? —I did not know it was. I wish to make an explanation. I did not take the man off his beat. I remember I ouly took him from Charlotte Street to Molesworth Street. That was not off his beat. 10G. Mr. Bunny] Where was the nuisance ? —lt was at one of Cleland's houses in Molesworth Street. 107. The policeman never objected to go ?—No. 108. It was merely a matter of speed ? —That was all. 109. He raised no objection to go ? —No. 110. Aud if you had not been inclined to walk fast, there would have been nothing more about it ?—No. 111. What was the result of the visit?—l afterwards took a person named Buck to see it. 112. Was the man summoned ?—I forget. 113. What was his name ? —lt was some foreign name. I think it ended with a " witch." 114. The Chairman] Could you find out whether you summoned him ? —The police-books would show, 115. I understand tho constable said there was no nuisance ? —Tes. 116. And you then took a private person to see it ? —Tes. 117. Now, what action did you take on that? —I forget. 118. If it had been a nuisance, what action would you have taken ? —lf I could get the nuisance abated without any trouble, I would not summon a man; but, if people would not abate nuisances when their attention was called to them, I summoned them. 119. Hon. Mr. Fox] I understand you are not now Inspector ?—No. 120. What were the circumstances of your dismissal ? —There was a reorganizing committee formed by the Council, and on that committee I had two personal enemies, Mr. J. R. George aud Mr. T. K. Macdonald, and they "reorganized" me out. 121. Tou were not dismissed for misconduct? —They said my work was not satisfactorily carried out, and I got three months' pay, and my services were dispensed with. I asked why, but got no answer. 122. Mr. Bunny] Were you the only one dismissed ? Were not other officers —the Town Clerk, the Engineer, and others—dismissed? Was there not, in fact, a regular change-out at that time?—l was not the only one. The services of ten officers were dispensed with. lam obliged to you for asking that question; a wrong impression might have been left on the Committee otherwise. William Gunston, being duly sworn, was examined. 123. The Chairman] AVill you state to the Committee what occurred on the 13th August, in reference to the arrest of a prisoner in Manners Street? —We were going down Manners Street 124. Who were "we"?—AVillis, and I, and Boyd, and Charles Pox, were going down Manners Street together. We never went off the road. Burke was ou the foothpath. They were ill-treating him. There was a crowd of people round. 125. Was Burke under arrest ? —They were talcing him to the lock-up. 126. Who were the policemen ?—A man named McWilliams was one, aud there was another whose name I do not know. 127. What were they doing ? —They had him on the footpath. His hands were tied behind his back, and his legs tied. McWilliams was kneeling ou him, and they were knocking him about. 128. His hands were tied behind his back ?—Tes. 129. Was he lying on his back ?—I could not say. 130. Mr. Swanson] They were kneeling ou him ? —McWilliams was. They took him down to the Police Court. About a hundred persons were there following, and I went down with the others. When they got Burke in McWilliams came out of the station, walked past the path out into the road to me, aud said he would make it " hot " for me. He took me by the shoulder. I said, " Oh, if you want me, I will go in." 131. What were you doing at the time ?—I had done nothing. I suppose he took me for somebody else. When I got in the door he struck me on the face, and knocked me down ou the floor, and then kicked me several times. 132. Hon. Mr. Fox] That was McWilliams?—Tes ; after that they searched us, and put us into a cell. 133. The Chairman] " Us." There were two of youthen?—Tes; myself and Wills. 134. AVhen he struck you were you resisting in any way ? —No ; I did not resist. I thought he merely wanted me to take my name. I did not dream of being kept in prison, or anything of that sort. 135. Tou were then locked up ?—Tes ; wc were kept locked up from 4 o'clock in the afternoon till 9 o'clock at night.