9

I.—2a

154. That is the transfer of this account [book handed to witness] ?—Yes; this is a new account opened for the same money that appears in the old account. 155. Have you any document in the nature of an application for the transfer?— Except the book : this account (referring to the bank-book) is closed ; this is a new account in the other. 156. Is there a certificate ?—The first step was the transfer of the account to Wellington from Blenheim. Yes, there should be [produced], the 2nd January. After Mr. Livingston's decease there was a notice to transfer [produced]. 157. That is not signed by Miss Ida Prince ?—No ; I cannot say. 158. Whose handwriting is that: is it Miss Ida Prince's writing?—lt may be ; Ido not know; I would not say that it is not: the body of it is written by Mr. Morrison. 159. Is it not possible these may be copies ?—They might be ; I think they are originals. 160. When was the account transferred?—On the Bth January. 161. It would be on a form like that signed by the person entitled that you would transfer tlje account ? —Yes. 162. This purports to be a transfer of account from Alexander Livingston to Mrs. Mary Jane Eose, as trustee for Ida Prince. The Chairman : Mr. Salmon tells me this is an original, not a copy, and that it must have been the same one signed by Miss Prince. 163. Mr. Hutchison.] These are Ida Prince's signatures ?—Yes. 164. Dr. Fitchett.] She did sign all these?— Yes. 165. Mr. Ward.] Did you regard it coming from Salmon as an official telegram?— Quite so. 166. If you received a telegram recalling a letter without indicating the circumstances, would you think it your duty to recover such a letter, and deliver it ?—I would first protect myself by going to my superior. 167. Suppose a letter despatched from some other official to any particular person, and that official telegraphed to you requesting you to recover that letter, would you consider it to be your interest and the interest of the department to recover that letter and deliver it ?—I might feel justified in delivering it to the Inspector of the department: he is my immediate superior. I consider that would relieve me of responsibilty in the matter; but, then, I would consider the whole of the circumstances at the time. 168. The Chairman.] What are we to understand by that with reference to this special case? —In this special case, or in any other special case, there would be special circumstances connected with it, because the telegram was of an official character. I had no hesitation in acting on it, being on the business of the department. 169. You were not cognisant of any special circumstances in this case ?—No. 170. What do you mean by circumstances ? Was it the fact that you did know the nature of this request ?—I knew that this was an official request to detain the letter. 171. Was that what you meant by circumstances?—l believed it was for the purpose of expediting the delivery of the letter to the proper person that it was to be sent to Mr. Eose. 172. "Under ordinary circumstances you would have acted differently?—l do not know exactly what you mean by " ordinary." 173. Suppose you were not aware of these special circumstances, or that Mrs. Eose was interesting herself in these matters, would you have taken the same step ?—lf it was an official matter. 174. But in regard to special circumstances ?—lf it proved to be on the business of the department I would, I think. .175. Did you think this was on the business of the department ?—As far as I knew, the telegram indicated that on the envelope. 176. Understanding " the circumstances " ? —I did not say " under the circumstances." Ido not think 1 said " under the circumstances." 177. Mr. Ward.] If the official telegram asked you to recover it without asking you to go to the Inspector of the department, would you consider yourself justified then ?—No. 178. Mr. Joyce.] You knew that Mr. Livingston was dead?— Yes. 179. And you knew that he was during his lifetime acting as a friend of Miss Ida Prince ?— Yes; I knew that. 180. Did you know she was here in Wellington?—l believed she was in Wellington at the time. 181. Did you know that he had been sending her money from time to time?—No; I knew nothing about their circumstances. 182. You knew that Mrs. Eose went to Blenheim ?—I saw Mrs. Eose go ; but I did not know anything of her business. 183. When you say you knew that savings-bank book was in the envelope, it was part of the business of the department that you should be anxious to recover the packet, so that it might be delivered to the proper person?— Yes. 184. You knew enough of the particulars of the case to be desirous that the papers and the book should find their way into the hands of Miss Ida Prince ? —Yes; that was the only object I had in view ; I had no other object whatever. 185. Mr. Hutchison.] Had you any reason for thinking, apart from the telegram, that it would expedite delivery to the proper person to give them to Mr. Eose ?—I knew that Mrs. Eose was the friend of Miss Ida Prince. -s 186. You thought the delivery of the letter to Mrs. Eose would expedite the delivery to Miss Ida Prince ? —Yes; acting on the telegram, because the telegram would not suggest it unless there had been good cause for it. 187. There is nothing in this telegram to suggest that it would not be delivered at the proper quarter ?—No. 2—l. 2a.