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consider that letter of the 16th March, giving reasons for resignation, opens up to the world the state of the defences of New Zealand, and tells the world that we have no defences practically. 35. Do you, as Defence Minister, consider the publication without authority of those important documents to be a violation of the Official and Colonial Defences Secrets Act of 1891 ? —I think any document such as the letter of the 16th March, in which Colonel Fox gives his reasons, and stating the condition of the defences of the colony, would come under the scope of that Act. I consider the publication of the letter was a breach of the Act, because it practically exposes the state of the defences from Colonel Fox's point of view. The other letters Ido not think would come under the Act. There is no doubt in my mind that the information was put in the paper to injure the Government. Colonel Fox : Well, I take it that the information was published to injure me. 36. The Commissioner.] Is there any other evidence you could suggest that might throw any light upon the matter ?—No ; I can think of nothing. Hon. R. J. Seddon re-examined. On my return to Wellington after the 4th April I received from Charles Burgess a large envelope enclosing two other envelopes containing papers. On the face of the large envelope it was stated "From Sir Patrick Buckley, to be delivered to Mr. Seddon personally," or words to that effect. In handing the letters to me, Burgess stated that he had been instructed by Sir Patrick Buckley to give them to me personally, and that was why he was so careful about them. He took them out of a locked drawer. I believe the envelope was dated the sth April. These letters contained the Fox correspondence and a note from Sir Patrick Buckley, and some newspaper clippings. The note from Sir Patrick Buckley was an explanation regarding this correspondence, and also notes of an interview, I believe, with Mr. Hoben, on a telegraph form, as to what had taken place in reference to the Fox correspondence. The notes I was afterwards asked by Sir Patrick Buckley to return; and I put them in an an envelope addressed to Sir Patrick Buckley, and gave them to Mr. Hugh Pollen, and asked him to deliver them personally to Sir Patrick Buckley. I subsequently received a telegram from Sir Patrick, from Eotorua, asking for those notes, as he would require them when giving evidence. To this I replied that I had left them with Mr. Pollen for him. The Fox letters I retained, and they were identical with the ones I produced to the Commissioner. The clippings were the paragraphs that appeared in the Post both before and after the publication of the letters, and the Post's own account of the contents of the letters. Hon. Alfred Jerome Cadman sworn and examined. 37. The Commissioner.] Will you kindly give me briefly the whole of the circumstances in connection with the receipt of Colonel Fox's letters by you, and anything you know about them?— I know little or nothing. The first I saw of the letter in question was after it had been published in the Evening Post. I certainly knew that Colonel Fox had written to the Premier ; I knew also that the letter had been sent by the Premier to Sir Patrick Buckley : but I did not see the letter itself until after its publication in the Post. On the morning of the day on which it appeared in the Post Sir Patrick Buckley was in my office, and mentioned the fact of his having received the letter from the Premier, and he told me he would send it along for me to read. On that afternoon, I think, we were engaged most of the time at a Cabinet meeting, and while in Cabinet a letter went to my room. It was addressed to me, and, if I remember rightly, it was marked " Confidential "on the envelope. We remained in Cabinet until some time after 5 o'clock, I think, so that I simply went into my room after the meeting, got my hat, and went to dinner. At home, of course, I got a newspaper, and saw what appeared. I then immediately rang up Sir Patrick Buckley on the telephone, and asked him if I had not understood in the morning that Colonel Fox's letter was confidential. He replied, " Yes. It was so." I asked him if he had seen the contents of it in the paper, and if what appeared in the Post was correct. As nearly as I can remember now, he said the letter certainly was confidential, and that what appeared in the Post was virtually correct. I am in the habit of going back to my office at least five nights out of the week, and on returning to my office that evening I saw the letter on my table, and I decided not to open it at all. In fact, I took the letter with me into Cabinet meeting next morning. It was there opened, and that is the first I saw of the letter. That is virtually all I know about it. 38. In whose writing was the envelope addressed ?—I think it was in Sir Patrick's own handwriting, but I cannot be positive. 39. You cannot say positively?—l feel almost sure it was, because we get a good many letters marked " Confidential " on the top, and addressed in Ministers' own handwriting. 40. What became of the envelope when the letter was taken out in the Cabinet-room?—I presume it was put in the waste-paper basket, but I do not know. 41. Did you examine the document carefully, to see that the letter had not been tampered with before ?—Yes, I did. Having seen what was in the paper, I felt a sort of misgiving about the thing coming out, and I felt there was no necessity for me to open it then, so that nothing could reflect on me in the way of giving it out. I may say there has lately been that feeling amongst Ministers when information has got about, and I did not open it for that reason. 42. Did it appear there was anything unusual about the envelope which would lead you to think it might have been opened previously ?—I could not think, from what I saw, that it ever had been tampered with; but I merely looked at it, as any one would, seeing that there was a little mystery about the way the information had got out. 43. Do you know who brought the letter to your room ?—No. It came into my room while I was at the Cabinet meeting. Sir Patrick Buckley's messenger would probably have brought it ? 44. Who is your Private Secretary?—Mr. Wilson. 45. And who is your messenger? —Sampson. He might remember, though he has so many letters brought to him that it might be difficult for him to remember this one. 46. Sandbrook is Sir Patrick's messenger, is he not?—l think so.