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I.—2b

(" Paul-up-a-Tree"), which the letter published apparently did. That is what I meant by "Certainly not." As I said in my letter to Captain Breece, he never mentioned it. " Paul-up-a-Tree " was a coward. He was afraid, and, as I said in my lettur, he was the only Maori who had the courage to show he was afraid. 407. This is the letter from Captain Bower to Captain Preece, dated the 20th April, 1898. [Letter put in—Exhibit No. 23.] That is the letter you wrote to Captain Preece in answer to a letter he wrote to you ?—Yes. 408. In that letter you said you were to blame for Mr. Wrigg getting the Cross ?—Yes. 409. What do you mea.n by that ?—I had received letters from old brother officers, who said, " How on earth did you come to do it," and Captain Preece , s letter was inquiring how I did it. And I wrote and told him how I did it. 410. How did you use the word " blame " ; that was an unfortunate word?—Ye3, it is. 411. And the word " blame " does not adequately express what you meant to convey?—l do not know that I thought about the word when I used it. 412. The letter was written on the spur of the moment ?—Yes ; I sat down and wrote it as soon as I received it. When I replied to Captain Preece's letter I understood he was as ignorant as anybody as to how Mr. Wrigg had been awarded the Cross. 413. You notice that in that letter read just now were these words : " I remember the circumstance." The date of that letter is the 20th April, 1898 On that date you wrote to Captain Preece and told him you recollected the circumstance ?—Yes. 414. On June, 1897, you wrote to the department and told them you recommended the Cross, and to-day you do not remember it ?—That is so. 415. Is it not, as a matter of fact, that you would not give the recommendation now simply for the reason that it had caused dissension amongst your own comrades ?—No, not quite that. That would weigh with me. 416. Is not that the chief consideration ?— T No. I should hardly call it the chief consideration. 417. Is this your telegram of the 28th June, 1898 ?—Yes. 418. Another private letter to Captain Preece was, " Eegret my action has caused such dissension among my old comrades, and had I thought it would have been so, would not have sent recommendation." The reason you would not have sent the recommendation is because you know it would have caused dissension amongst your old comrades now ?—lt has been proved to me most satisfactorily that I was not there at the time. After an interval of thirty years, when things were brought to my recollection, I was perfectly sure that I remembered it. Now lam not so sure. 419. You have been convinced you are not sure since the 20th April, 1898?— Yes. In fact, it is only since the Cross was awarded that I have had any doubts about the matter. 420. You, probably, if you had thought it would have raised dissension amongst your old comrades, would never have done it?— That is not the principle of it. 421. You admit, Captain Bower, you wrote and said you considered Mr. Wrigg should have the Cross, as he had done a brave action when the Natives were hostile ?—I did so. I was justified in my belief by the testimonials and certificates which accompanied the application which Mr. Wrigg sent me. 422. You did not get the testimonials till after you had written the first letter. It was with Mr. Wrigg's third-letter that you got the testimonials ?—I got copies of them. 423. Referring to Mr. W T rigg's first letter, dated 26th June, 1897, in which he eucloses copy of the camp orders and indorsement, can you show me any reference to the camp orders?— Yes; in this letter lam only asked for a certificate. The certificate was justified by the copy of the camp order. The original would subsequently follow with all testimonials, 424. He got the certificate from you solely on the camp order, apd so you were wrong when, you said you received various recommendations from these authorised individuals when you did so? —On this letter of the 26th June I sent him, a certificate. 425. You sent him a certificate solely upon the copy of the camp order?— Yes. 426. You made the application on the recommendations that he forwarded to you?— Yes. 427. You qnly made the application?— The certificate that I forwarded to Mr. Wrigg—l made that on the camp order. 428. We therefore take the course of events to be: in 1897 you were satisfied you knew all about it, and characteristically described the country he went over; in 1898 you were of the same opinion, but now you are not, and so, as a matter of fact, you believed you were there ?—I cannot state on the actual day. 429. You believed that you were there?— Yes. 430. The only reason you have been shaken in that belief is because they got at you ?—I do not know that they have got at me. I have seen documents which led me to suppose that I was not there. If you had asked me six months ago I should have told you I was there. 431. You also believe that you saw Mr. Wrigg volunteer to go on the parade ?—Yes. 432. You have that as if it were photographed on your memory ?—Yee. 433. Was he on foot or horse ?—He rode to Tauranga. 434. He volunteered to go, on parade ?—Yes, I think so. That is my belief. 435. You believe that he out of the whole lot volunteered to go?— Yes. 436. And the only man that did volunteer to go ?—Yes. 437. In a letter that you wrote, you stated to Mr. Wrigg that you did not remember the name of the man who went with Mr. Wrigg?—No, I did not. 438. You know a man went with him ? —I learned that from him. 439. You do not remember if Mr. Wrigg was accompanied ?—No. 440. When you spoke of the brave act you believed he was alone ?—Yes. On the other haud, .1 have since had almost ocular demonstration that I did not see it. I cannot explain. When the