20

I.—7a,

58. During the time these alterations were going on did you speak to Mr. Bridson about them ? —I have no recollection. 59. During the time you were making these notes did you speak to him about them ? —I have no recollection. ; ' 60. You have no recollection of any conversation with Mr. Bridson in respect to these altera-tions?-—No. 61. Have you any recollection of a conversation or remarks addressed by Mr. Bridson to you ?— I have not. 62. None at all ?—Except in a general way to " doctor " the weights. 63. Tell us what took place ?—Do you want specific dates? 64. I want you to tell us about these conversations in a general way, giving you directions ?— When the sash-cord was mentioned, Bridson informed me to charge as before. I referred to the previous charge, and found that it was at 7Jlb. to the hank. I found out, subsequently, that it did not weigh that. ' 65. How long subsequently ?—That I cannot say. 66. What did you do ? —I made the entry as directed. 58. Was that the only conversation with Bridson about that ?—I do not speak about that definitely. 68. "You say you never addressed to Bridson, nor Bridson to you, any conversation on the subject of these false weights ? —What I say is this : I did not approach Bridson on that day, or at any particular dates, or on various dates; he gave me instructions what to do —that these weights were to be altered. 69. How? —By altering, say, the scwt. to 6wct. 70. When he was calling over the order-book, he gave you the weight, which did not agree with the order-book ? —At times. 71. At other times what happened?—My instructions were to submit to him the weight, which I very often-did, then I would be furnished with a weight. 72. Did you have any conversation about that discrepancy ; did you say what is the meaning of that ? —No; I did not. Mr. Bridson was not a man you could approach. 73. Then you had no conversation whatever with him about it ?—Not that I recollect. 74. Then, what do you mean by saying that you got instructions to " doctor " the weights: they were " doctored," you say ?—That is sufficiently clear. 75. Did you never ask Bridson his reason for increasing the weight ?—I have no recollection. 76. Nor had any talk with him on the subject of alterations in the weight?—l have no recollection ; I take it that you are referring to my asking him why this should be. 77. I am not referring to that ? —Will you repeat your question. 77a. Did you ever have any talk with him on the subject of the alterations? —I have no recellection. 78. Except in the way you describe how these alterations were made, did you have any conversation about them?—l have no recollection. 79. Or with any other person in the store? —I have no recollection. 80. Then this little secret was lodged in your own breast? —It was, so far as I know. 81. You have told us in your examination in chief that there were no irregularities, or overcharge, or fraudulent charge of any kind in dealing with the Eailway Workshops ? —Not that I am aware of. 82. Prudent man ; you are not aware. You saw Mr. Gellatly ?—I saw him daily. 83. You had some conversation with him about the vouchers returned from the Eailway Workshops ? —Not that I recollect, in connection with vouchers. 84. I asked you first, whether you knew of any irregularities ? when you went on to another subject. I again ask you whether you had any conversations with Mr. Gellatly about these returned vouchers ?—I had no conversation with him about returned vouchers or receipts ; when they were first returned I asked him how I should deal with them ; he said, " If they have returned them, we had better charge them over again ;" that was the substance of the conversation. 85. Did you do any thing upon that?—l did not; I saw Mr. Da.wes. 86. Now, it is plain there was no irregularity in regard to the railway supplies ? —Not so far as I know. 87. You could not charge them over again without a fresh delivery under the system; then Mr. Gellatly must have been talking nonsense ?—I do not know. 88. You would never surely, on your oath, venture, on strength of that entry, to swear that Mr. Gellatly was aware of it; or, on the strength of the entry in his writing. Do you swear that, on the strength of that entry in his handwriting, as you say, he was aware of all this going on ? — These were not the only reasons ; my other reasons were, that these things were put before Mr. Gellatly once a week, and it might be even more frequently. Mr. Gellatly went over them in the same way that he went over the ordinary day-books. 89. Any other reason ?—Another reason was that he, being an ironmonger and an expert, must undoubtedly have detected these alterations, and he would therefore inquire into the reason of them. 90. Is that the whole of your reasons ? —No, I have a further reason. 90a. I shall give you rope enough : Give it to us ? —Another reason is that, in page 21, where the lead-pipe was altered to " sanitary pipe," that was done by Mr. Gellatly's instructions. As all these things were before him, with the other books, he was bound to know of these alterations, for he went through these books with more particularity than others. 91. Then, there are no others which your conscience or your invention can suggest?—l do not know what you mean by my " invention " ?