H,—34

2

You are also charged with a further breach of duty in sending, conjointly with Messrs. William John Larcombe, Thomas Walter West, and David Hobson Lundon, in or about the month of August, 1905, the following telegram to Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.H.R. : "We are confident unrestricted public inquiry will establish charge. Hope you will press your motion." You are required to state in writing whether you deny the truth of the foregoing charges, and to deliver to the Chief Postmaster at Christchurch any written defence you desire to make on or before the 13th September instant. Dated at Wellington, this Bth day of September, 1905. W. Gray, Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department. To Joseph Willis, Post Officer, Christchurch. Sic, —In addition to the charges made against you in my memorandum of the Bth instant, you are hereby further charged with breach of your duty in that, in or about the month of December, 1904, whilst discussing with Mr. F. M. B. Fisher at Christchurch a case then pending in the Supreme Court, you informed him that to your knowledge as Post officer, Captain Seddon had received a payment to which he was not entitled, meaning thereby the alleged payment of over £70 for reorganizing Defence Stores, to which the voucher referred to in the firstmentioned charges is alleged to relate. This further charge is made under section 26 of " The Civil Service Act, 1866." You are required to state in writing whether you deny its truth, and to deliver to the Chief Postmaster at Christchurch, on or before the 18th instant, any written defence you desire to make. Dated at Wellington, this 15th day of September, 1905. W. Gbay, Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department. Chaeges against William John Larcombe. To William John Larcombe, Post Officer, Christchurch. Pursuant to the provisions of section 26 of " The Civil Service Act, 1866," you are hereby charged with breach of duty in that, contrary to the regulations in that behalf and your Post Officer's Declaration, you, on or about the 31st July, 1905, at Christchurch, informed Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.H.R., and some time prior thereto informed another person that a voucher for an amount exceeding £70 had passed through the Post-office at Christchurch payable to R. J. S. Seddon for reorganizing the Defence Stores; and also that on or about the 4th day of August, 1905, at Christchurch, you made and delivered to the said F. M. B. Fisher an affidavit that some time during the year 19()4 you, as a clerk employed in the office of the Chief Postmaster at Christchurch, saw the voucher above referred to; and also that on or about the same date you made a duplicate original of the said affidavit and gave it to Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.H.R. You are also charged with a further breach of duty in sending, conjointly with Messrs. Thomas Walter West, Joseph Willis, and David Hobson Lundon, in or about the month of August, i 9 1 ,5, the following telegram to Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.H.R. : " We are confident unrestricted public inquiry will establish charge. Hope you will press your motion." You are required to state in writing whether you deny the truth of the foregoing changes, and to deliver to the Chief Postmaster at Christchurch any written defence you desire to make on or before the 13th instant. Dated at Wellington, this Bth day of September, 1905. W. Gray, Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department, Charges against Thomas Walter West. To Thomas Walter West, Post Officer, Christchurch. Pursuant to the provisions of section 26 of " The Civil Service Act, 1866," you are charged with breach of duty in that, contrary to the regulations in