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I.—2a

90. How many letters did you send the County Council?—l sent the Chairman of the County Council, I think, three letters. 91. And they have not replied to one? —I had a reply ; the Chairman wrote and said he had referred the matter to the County Treasurer. 92. You said that you were thought so well of in the district that; you led the Committee to suppose there was no public feeling against you as Eeturning Officer ?—I said that there are a certain few that will have a public feeling against me, but I asked Mr. Buchanan to name twelve men that expressed surprise at my appointment, and he did not do it. 93. Why did the County Council refuse to reply to your letters?— Because the County Council is ruled by a paid servant. 94. You said the Stipendiary Magistrate believed that you had wilfully gone out of your way to refuse the nomination ? —I do not think I said so. 95. You also said that you held the Stipendiary Magistrate's judgment was wrong ? —I did not say that I held the Stipendiary Magistrate's judgment was wrong. 96. Here is the extract. There was ho defence ? —The Stipendiary Magistrate believed Mr. Bell that I had wilfully gone out of my way. I say that I have not gone out of my way. 97. You deliberately now go against the verdict of the Stipendiary Magistrate on that particular case ?—I simply say I did not go out of my way. 98. That is to say, you take exception to his Worship's judgment ?—I have got an opinion. 99. Have the expenses of your officers been paid yet for this licensing election ?—-No ; who would pay them ? 100. That is to say, these men are all waiting for their money still?— Certainly. 101. You said, instead of being paid, these accounts were tabulated and published all over the colony ?—Yes. 102. You then proceeded to sue for these expenses, and was not the effect of the judgment that you had brought a wrong action ? —The effect of the judgment was that I was not the proper party to sue. 103. Mr. O'Meara. — Will you kindly tell me who are the members of the Wairarapa South County Council, Mr. Armstrong ?—W. C. Buchanan, Henry E. Bunny, William Booth, Henry Braithwaite, James Donald, Charles Elgar, Coleman Phillips, and John Martin. 104. Mr. Phillips.] Do you admit now that my nomination was within two days of the proper time ?—No ; I admit that my conduct was right. 105. Do you know what the average cost of a general election is to the colony? —I have no idea. 106. Do you think that if I was to summon Mr. Eagle and Mr. Kelly they would substantiate their letters ?—There was nothing in their letters. 107. With respect to this private matter in 1882, you are aware that I have had no communication with you between 1882 and the time of the election ; you know we have kept apart ?—You have spoken to me several times, although I have taken no notice of you. 108. Where was that: on the road ? —I have met you several times on the road. 109. In 1882 you apparently alleged that you were an injured innocent, and that the people had wronged you as.to the removal of the railway-siding?— Yes; that was an injury. 110. This is the first time that I have heard it. Have you not treated others the same way as you have treated me in obtaining money in that way? —I do not think so. 111. Did you not drive down to the Dry Biver two or three times and ask me to lend you £60? —Yes ; the transaction took place at the Dry Eiver. 112. Did I refuse or not ?—You had not got the money. Then I asked you to accept a bill for £60, and you did it. 113. I declined to lend you the money ; did I not say to you I cannot afford to lend you the £60? —You said you had not the money. Then I asked you to accept a bill of mine for £60, and you did it. 114. I said I could not lend you the money. Did you not drive down again and, with tears in your eyes, say to me that you would be ruined, and that your wife would be ruined, unless I backed this bill for you?— No. 115. Did you not say that the bill should be met within three months ? —I expected it would have been met but for the Government taking up the siding. 116. Have you not treated other persons the same way, with tears in your eyes?— No. 117. I had to take up that bill. Were you not bankrupt at the time you asked me for that £60?— No. 118. How soon were you bankrupt after ?—Some time. It was in the beginning of 1883. 119. Was it within nine months after my lending you that money ?—I cannot say ;it was done for the purpose of stopping my bringing an action against the Government for using a siding after I had paid for it. I had to find £150 and the material, and to clear the land on the other side to put down this siding. Why the thing was taken out of my hands was, I was suing the Government for £150 I had paid. In order to stop me doing that, a creditor of mine in Wellington, to whom I owed £80, lodged a petition, and I was adjudicated upon that petition. However, there was never a proof of debt put in. 120. Did you not say your bankruptcy was my fault for not renewing the bill ?—No. 121. The words I have down are these :" It was Mr. Phillips's fault. He was asked to renew the bill, but would not. He was going to sue me, but I became bankrupt " ?—I said the cause of my handing over the mill to the others was because of your not renewing. 122. Will you answer whether that was in six or nine months?—l cannot say. 123. Are you aware that under the present bankruptcy law if any person did what you did to me he would be liable to two years' imprisonment. That is to say, if you got £60 from me, with an £80 bill out in Wellington, and that you were practically bankrupt, that you would now be