H.—l6b

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Snodgrass, salesman; H. Milner, salesman ;W. D. Chisholm, salesman; S. F. Sherwood, salesman; 0. T. Burford, salesman; E. J. Pratt, salesman ;E. D. Low, commercial traveller; P. L. Gully, merchant's clerk; H. W. Eoberts, Customs clerk; A. E. Sclanders, clerk; E. J. Ensor, storeman; E. A. Sherwood, storeman ; E. W. Tibbie, storeman ; H. Bird, salesman ; E. S. Cresswell, sale-manager; J. P. Black, Customs clerk; A. H. Barltrop, storeman; Eobert Crisp, general carrier; J. T. Cathy, retired C.S. ; H. Brusewitz, photographer; C. Johns, baker; W. S. Milner, clerk ; Eobert Louisson, clerk ; J. G. Bartel, accountant; J. Joyce, clerk ; Jas. Houlker. 8.A., law student, Nelson ; Ernest Oakey, engineer ; F. W. Fairey, City Councillor ; John Corder, blacksmith ; Lucy A. Fabian, insurance agent; C. H. Jefferies, sign-painter; William J. Whiting, carpenter; J. B. Saxon, surveyor; G. C. Sharland, picture-framer; Thos. Hoyle Smith, furniture-dealer; James D. Eobb, labourer; H. V. Eodley, salesman; James Gribble, labourer; William Eogers, Manager S. and F. Company (Limited); B. K. Vinnes, librarian ; Edwin H. Lukins, limeburner; E. Gilmer, sheep-farmer; B. Mangen and Co., shipchandler and sailmaker; J. J. Cook, sailmaker; S. Brown, engineer ; J. H. Dayman, blacksmith ; A. Hawley, wharfinger ; W. E. Smith, clerk; C. Keeble, manager, Union Steamship Company ; T. Arthur, wharfinger; Alexander Grant, carrier ; J. W. Harris, tally-clerk; E. C. Shea, Eailway Wharf; W. Z. Johnson, waterman; G. Eennett, carter; F. H. Hounsell, clerk ; William A. Kenlin, C.E.; Samuel Hooker, foreman, City Council; W. Besley, sail and tent maker ; Donald McGregor, settler; Balme and Co., coachbuilders, Nelson; Walter D. Ken, clerk, Nelson; John Fiven, coachsmith ; Wm. W. Clifford, late District Superintendent Police, N.W.P., India; J. P. Kempthorne, Vicar of Christchurch, Nelson ; J. Harling, cabproprietor, Nelson; Thos. Pettit, storekeeper, Nelson ;M. Lightband, merchant, Nelson ; W. Hounsell, surveyor, Nelson ; Thos. W. Baigent, J.P., Nelson. The Hon. the Minister of Justice, Wellington.

Police Office, Greymouth, 26th February, 1902. Re complaint by youths named Cox, Neaves, Burns, and Simpson against Constable Burrell (correspondence sent to Commissioner's office on the Bth November last, file 01/1810): I beg to report that when this complaint was made, and Constable Burrell's explanation reached me, supported as it was by Sergeant Mackay, I certainly believed the constable's version of the matter. I regret to say Ido not believe it now. I believe the boys had good cause for complaint, and not only did the constable give an untruthful account of the affair, but that he endeavoured to get the only witness (besides the boys) to do the same, and thus he was assisted in doing so by Constable Kemp. When I recently heard of this I doubted it at first, until told that the present Mayor of Nelson was a witness to something of the kind. I then interviewed the man who complained of larrikinism to the police, which led to Constable Burrell being sent to inquire, or watch what was going on. His name is Marmaduke Wilson, whose statement is as follows : — " I got married the second time some months ago." [He is an old man.] " I was then living in Waimea Road. I was a good deal annoyed by lads and boys tinkettling us, shouting out, throwing stones, &c. I complained to the police. Constable Burrell was sent up to see about it. He came up between 6 and 7 p.m., I think this would be about four or five months ago. The constable came to the house. He told me four young fellows were sitting on a fence or end of a culvert, and requested me to walk past them to see if they would say anything ; he would follow me. I did so, but all I heard was something like, ' Father coming.' I thought they referred to me, and I asked them what they meant by it. They declared they said nothing to me, that they were speaking of a dog. I could not contradict them. Constable Burrell then came up and commenced talking to them. He asked what they were all doing sitting there. They said they did not think they were doing any harm by sitting there—and neither they were. At that time a young fellow rode up on a horse, and he came over to see what was the matter. I believe his name is Cox, son of old Mr. Cox living up the Waimea Road. Young Cox's horse was on the kind of a footpath formed there. The constable ordered him off or away. He refused, saying he was doing no harm, and he could not see why he should go away. The constable said he would make him go, and he hauled off and struck him two or three times in the ribs or somewhere. Cox did not attempt to strike him back. One of the other young fellows named Neaves said he thought the constable had no right to strike Cox. The constable asked what had he to do with it. Neave got up and made a step or two as if to pass the constable to get away, when the constable hauled off and struck him on the face. He struck him twice, anyway. I could not see whether his fist was clenched or not. Neave did not attempt to strike him back; he staggered back when struck, but did not fall. He told the constable he would likely hear more about it. I was really sorry to see him (the constable) striking the lad in the face. I told the constable I thought he did wrong in striking the lads as he did. He replied that it was far better than hauling them off to Court in the morning, as it would fall on their parents. I told him he took