11.—13

46

31. Ever since the validity of my appointment has been so questioned I have been anxious that the same should be set at rest in the proper manner, as appears from the letters set out in pages 4 and 11 of the said Exhibit A. 32. I have received no other reply to my letter to the Hon. the Premier dated the 26th February, 1891, set out on page 4 of the said Exhibit A, than the letter from the Hon. the Premier to me dated the 27th February, 1891, set out on the eighth page of the said Exhibit A. 33. On the 10th day of April, 1891, one John Aldridge, a felon sentenced by me at the Blenheim circuit sittings of this honourable Court to five years' penal servitude, commenced an action against me in this honourable Court for the purpose of testing the validity of my Commission, which action is still pending, and the correspondence beginning with the letter of the 14th day of April, 1891, from myself to the Hon. the Premiei 1, on page 10 of the said Exhibit A, and ending with the letter of the 18th day of April, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to myself, on page 12 of the said Exhibit A, took place between myself and the Hon. the Premier with respect to such action. 34. The letter of the 21st April, 1891, appearing on page 12 of the said Exhibit A is a true copy of the letter referred to in paragraph 34 of my Statement of Defence in this action; and the letter of the 24th April, 1891, also appearing on page 12 of the said Exhibit A, is a true copy of a letter addressed by me to the Hon. the Premier in reply thereto. 35. I have received no reply to the said last-mentioned letter. 36. The letter of the 14th March, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to myself, and the letter of the 16th March, 1891, from myself to the Hon. the Premier, both of which appear on page 9 of the said Exhibit A, and the letter from the Hon. the Premier to myself, dated the 18th March, 189], which appears on the tenth page of the said Exhibit A, show the circumstances under which I was removed from the Commissionership, mentioned in the Plaintiff's Statement of Claim, and also in my Statement of Defence, in this action. The said letters, as so appearing in the said Exhibit A, are true copies of the letters whereof they purport to be copies. W. B. Edwards. Sworn at the City of Wellington, this Bth day of May, 1891, before me — A. Gray, A Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand.

This and the eleven following pages, signed by me, form the Exhibit A referred to in the annexed affidavit of Worley Bassett Edwards. Sworn before me, this Bth day of May, 1891— A. Gray, A Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand.

The under-mentioned telegrams and letters contained in Exhibit A will be found in the preceding correspondence as specified hereafter, viz.: — No. Page. Telegram of the 4th February, 1891, from the Hon. A. J. Cadman to Mr. Commissioner Edwards ... ... ... ... ... ... 42 13 Telegram of the sth February, 1891, from Mr. Commissioner Edwards to the Hon. the Native Minister ... ... ... ... ... ... 43 13 Letter of the 18th February, 1891, from the Hon. the Native Minister to Mr. Commissioner Edwards ... ... ... ... ... ... 53 19 Letter of the 23rd February, 1891, from Mr. Commissioner Edwards to the Hon. the Native Minister ... ... ... ... ... ... 54 19 Letter of the 23rd February, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to his Honour the Chief Justice ... ... ... ... ... ... 51 18 Letter of the 26th February, 1891, from Mr. Justice Edwards to the Hon. the Premier 55 20 Memorandum of the 26th February, 1891, by Mr. Justice Edwards (Enclosure No. 2) 55 23 Letter of the 6th November, 1889, from Mr. W. B. Edwards to the Hon. E. Mitchelson (Enclosure Ito memo, of 26th February, 1891, by Mr. Justice Edwards) ... 1 1 Letter of the 7th November, 1889, from the Hon. E. Mitchelson to Mr. W. B. Edwards (Enclosure 2to memo, of 26th February, 1891, by Mr. Justice Edwards) ... 2 Letter of the 27th February, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to Mr. Justice Edwards 56 24 Letter of the 27th February, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to his Honour the Chief Justice ... ... ... ... ... ... 57 24 Letter of the 12th March, 1891, from Mr. Justice Edwards to the Hon. the Premier ... 60 29 Letter of the 16th March, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to Mr. Justice Edwards... 61 29 Letter of .the 14th March, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to Mr. Justice Edwards .. 62 29 Letter of the 16th March, 1891, from Mr. Justice Edwards to the Hon. the Premier... 63 29 Letter of the 18th March, 1891, from the Hon. the Premier to Mr. Justice Edwards... 64 29 Letter of the 14th April, 1891, from Mr. Justice Edwards to the Hon. the Premier ... 70 34