H.—34

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3. We continued the inquiry on the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th days of October, 19. »5. 4. During the inquiry the accused persons and Messrs. Fisher, Rose, and Morris were examined on oath. 5. The notes of evidence taken during the inquiry, and the regulations, declarations, papers, and documents therein referred to, and the written answers of the said officers to the charges set forth in the schedule to the said Warrant, are forwarded herewith. 6. Having heard and considered the evidence, we have the honour to report as follows :— Charges against Joseph Willis. We find as follows : — (a.) That the accused Willis committed a grave breach of Regulation Mo. 44 of the Post and Telegraph Regulations, which reads, — "No information may be given respecting letters, &c, which pass through a post-office, except to the persons to whom they are addressed. No officer may make public any official communication which he may receive, unless he shall be directed to do so, nor may he make known information which he may obtain by means of his office " — in that be, shortly before the 28th July, 1905, wrote to Mr. Fisher, M.H.R., at Wellington, as follows— " If you are right in the amount given you, I believe that voucher was No. 15819, of the 14th June, 1904, and was for £76 4s. 9d. It was charged against the Defence vote, and the particulars on the voucher stated that it was for ' reorganizing the Defence Stores, Wellington.' You might be able to obtain further particulars from somebody in the Paymaster-General's office, but I do not see that you need any " — giving him the number and amount of a voucher, to wit, Voucher No. 15819, for £76 4s. 9d., which had passed through the post-office at Christchurch. (b.) That the accused committed a further grave breach of the said regulation in that during the month of July, 1905, and prior to the last-mentioned breach of duty, in the course of a conversation with the said Mr. Fisher, who was then a member of the House of Representatives, he informed the said Mr. Fisher that an amount exceeding ,£7O had been paid through the post-office at Christchurch to Captain Seddon for reorganizing the Defence Stores at Wellington, and that a voucher in favour of the said Captain Seddon for the amount so paid had passed through the post-office at Christchurch during the year 19i.4. (c.) That the accused committed a further grave breach of the said regulation in that on the 4th August, 1905, he made and caused to be delivered to the said Mr. Fisher the following affidavit as to the existence of the said alleged voucher to Captain Seddon : — " I, Joseph Willis, of the City of Christchurch, in New Zealand, a clerk in the General Post Office, make oath and say as follows : — " 1. That I am a clerk employed in the Chief Clerk's office in the General Post Office, at Christchurch. " 2. That some time during the year 1904 I saw a voucher made out in favour of R. J. S. Seddon, for the reorganization of the Defence Stores at Wellington. " 3. That such voucher was for an amount exceeding £70. " 4. That the said voucher was shown to me by William John Larcombe, a clerk employed in the Chief Clerk's room in the post-office at Christchurch. " 5. I distinctly remember that the amount of such voucher was charged against the Defence vote, but which part of such vote I cannot remember. " 6. That at the time such voucher was shown to me by the said William John Larcombe we both remarked on the fact of such voucher being made payable at Christchurch. " J. Willis.