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183. How long did it take you to get all your ballot-boxes back ?—Some did not come back till Wednesday. 184. Did they come back by post ?—Yes. Some of them were carried as far as Martinborough. They caught the post coming from there then, and that is why I could not start the scrutiny earlier, because we did not get the rolls back. I got some on Tuesday and some on Wednesday. 185. Do you consider this the customary method of sending back ballot-boxes. Do you not think more expedition in the returns should have been exercised ?—As far as the returns were concerned, I reckoned there was expedition used. 186. That is to say, it took from Friday night to the following Wednesday to get them back ? —I got the voting-papers the next morning. The man just simply wired the numbers, then brought the voting-papers along on Saturday morning. 187. With reference to the licensing election, you said you refused the nominations of Messrs. Grace and some one else because they owned shares in a Farmers' Co-operative Association?— Yes. 188. You also said Mr. Grace was the Prohibitionist candidate ?—I asked if he was not going to be run as a Prohibitionist. He admitted that he was. The prohibition people were running him. 189. Mr. Grace says he was not a Prohibitionist, and that he was not a Prohibitionist candidate ? —He would have been run by the Prohibitionists. 190. You are aware that there was an election petition as the result of this general election? Y eg 191. Had you anything whatever to do with forwarding or promoting that petition ?—No. 192. Had you anything to do with instituting that petition?—No; if anybody asked me with regard to information I might have given them it. 193. You did nothing beyond giving information ? —No. 194. Mr. Phillips put in a letter purported to be written by you, Mr. Armstrong, to himself —namely, " Carterton, Ist December, 1896. —Mr. C. Phillips, The Knoll, Featherston. —Dear Sir, — Your papers are herewith returned by registered letter. I presume you are aware that there is a subject or two in the Wairarapa fit for the lunatic asylum.—Yours, &c, Adam Armstrong." Did you write that letter, Mr. Armstrong ?—Yes. 195. Do you think a letter of that kind is consistent with a man holding the position of a Eeturning Officer?— That letter was written on receipt of a letter from Mr. Phillips sending his nomination for the third time, with pains and penalties for my refusing his nomination-paper. If I refused his nomination-paper once, was not that sufficient without his further worrying me? 196. You think you were justified in writing in that strain?— Under the circumstances, I think I was. 197. Was it not inconsistent with your position as Eeturning Officer. You let you feelings get the better of you on that occasion ?—Probably. 198. You said the election expenses had not been paid—that is to say, the licensing election expenses had not been paid by the County Council ? —Yes. 199. Have you any remedy against the County Council ?—The Chief Justice says that I am not the proper person to sue. It appears that the Licensing Act is not explicit enough on that point. 200. Do you mean, if you carried out the Act properly that that is so ? —The Chief Justice's verdict is put in, and says so. 201. If the conduct of the election was carried out all right, you would have had no remedy? —No. 202. Mr. Lewis.] You closed the nominations on Wednesday because you said you must have the ballot-papers printed on Friday, in time to send away by post?— Yes. 203. What time did the post close?—l had to post some before 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon. 204. Was it necessary to close the nominations on Wednesday in order to have these papers right by 5 r'jlock on Friday ?—Yes. 205. For what reason does it take two days in the Wairarapa to print the papers ?—There were five thousand to be printed. I gave the printer the ballot-papers for each booth, and he was to send them along. 206. He was not required to print five thousand in time to send away by Friday's mail?— No. 207. By closing the nominations on Friday you would have had ample time ?—My opinion at the time I closed the nominations was that it would take me that time to fix up my arrangements and have the election conducted properly. 208. The election took place on the Friday ?—Yes. 209. You told Mr. Field the latest of the boxes came back on the Wednesday, so that it took two days longer to go to the booth than when it came back ?—You have to arrange when the mail goes. 210. How far away was the furthest booth ?—The furthest booth was at Flat Point, but the most difficult was at Pahaua. A mail leaves for there at 9 o'clock on Saturday mornings. 211. In order to have the papers ready, you would have to have them printed on Friday night? —Yes. The Act did not compel me to wait for the seven days. 212. I gather you only had a few papers to get away on Friday afternoon, and, if you closed on Thursday, it appears to me that you could have done that. 213. Mr. Fraser.] With reference to sending boxes out, you could have sent the boxes out a fortnight before the date of the nominations ?—You have ballot-papers, and electoral rolls, and all that to send out. 214. They are not so cumbersome as a box ? —I did not do that. 215. Were there any ballot-papers printed at all by your instructions with Mr. Phillips's name on them ? —No.