I.—4a.

8

Inspector Atchison.

19th Sept., 1878.

Mr. Monaghan,

24th Sept., IS7B,

172. Tou have seen Mr. Commissioner Shearman's letter on the subject. He acknowledges that some such thing had occured, but the man had left the force. Who was the man he was alluding to ? —He was alluding to Sergeant Monaghan. 173. Did you discover that Monaghan did such a thing?— No. 174. Do you know where Commissioner Shearman made that discovery ?—No; I was surprised at the letter. 175. Did he tell you he was alluding to Monaghan?—No, but I knew Monaghan was the only man who had left the force. 176. So far as your investigations were concerned, you got nothing ?—No. 177. Did Mr. Shearman hold an inquiry without your being present ? —No, he held no inquiry at which I was present, and Ido not know of any inquiry being held by him. I was at AVangauui when the letter was published, and I knew he referred to Monaghan, because he was the only man who had left the force. 178. Did you know to whom I was referring when I spoke ?—Tes. 178 a. How 7?—We guessed. 179. Mr. Swanson] Are there any fixed regulations about making inquiries ?—There are the Armed Constabulary rules. 180. AVell, now, in this very case of this young man we have had before us this morning. Suppose it had been reported to the Government, and you were directed to institute an inquiry, how would you have gone about it? —I should send the complaint up, and the Commissioner most likely would cause an inquiry to be made by officers not connected with the station. 181. What would be done then? —The officers appointed would endeavour to ferret the matter out. The man would be asked to put his complaint in writing. 182. Then how would the investigation proceed? —That I cannot say. If it were me, I would call on the constable to explain, and then Colonel Reader would decide. 183. After he heard the constable, he would decide ?—Just so. He would hear the complainant, and perhaps take out a summons, and have the matter investigated in the Resident Magistrate's Court. 184. I want to know what you would do ? —-AVell, if the matter were referred to me, I would take all the evidence I could get, and then forward a statement of the facts to the Commissioner. 185. If aDy one does differently in such a case, it would be wrong?—l cannot say; that is what I should do.

Tuesday, 24th Sel'tembee, 1878. Michael Monaghan, being duly sworn, was examined. 186. The Chairman] Tou were lately a member of the AVellington Police Porce ? —Tes. 187. Do you remember the case of one McCarthy, who was convicted of assault on Mrs. Stott ?— I remember the case. 188. Do you remember Mr. Pilmer making any complaint to you about that case ?—No ; he never did. 189. Do you remember getting any message from him on the subject ? —I remember a young girl —a small child —coming down to the police station and saying that Mrs. Stott had been insulted by McCarthy ; something of that sort. I could scarcely make out what she had to say. 190. Of what age was this girl ? —I scarcely recollect. I should say she was between seven and eight years of age. 191. Tou are quite sure it was a girl ?—Quite si*re. 192. Did no boy come down ?—To the best of my recollection, No. Mrs. Stott came down and laid an information. 193. AVas that the same day?—l am not certain about tlrat; I believe so. 194. She laid tho information ?—I think I laid the information. Search was then made everywhere for McCarthy for two or three days, but unsuccessfully. He kept out of the way of the police for some time, but we caught him at last. As a matter of fact, I know that he was away from his house for a week almost, and we caught him on the morning on which he returned. 195. Did the girl say by whom she was sent ? —She said by Mrs. Stott. That was her sister. 196. There was no boy of Pilmer's came down ?—No ; there was not. It was not a boy who came ; it was a girl. 197. Tou do not recollect quite what tho girl said ? —No ; it was something about Charley McCarthy having insulted her sister, and she wanted me to go out. I could not say exactly what she complained about, but I looked upon it as one of the ordinary quarrels between neighbours. 198. Did you see Pilmer afterwards about this matter? —I do not remember seeing him about it at all. Possibly I might have. 199. Do you remember a letter being written to the Evening Post about the matter?—l do not know ; there might have been. Ido not recollect it. 200. Tou do not remember having spoken to Pilmer on the subject ?—I do not remember having spoken to him on the subject at all. 201. McCarthy was convicted ?—He was ; and got eighteen months, I believe. 202. Do you know where Mrs. Stott is now? —I believe she is in AVellington, and McCarthy also is in AVellington. I know he is driving a cart for the Corporation ; but lam not quite certain where Mrs. Stott is. I think she is in town. 203. Could you give the Inspector any information which will lead to the discovery of both these persons ? —I shall only be too happy to do so. As I said before, McCarthy is a carter, in the employ of the Corporation, and Mrs. Stott is also in Wellington. In fact, I saw her husband about a week ago.