I.—2b

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matters were brought to my recollection a year ago, I thought, and still thought it, but a few months ago—when I am shown diaries and things of that sore of events which occurred at that time —I begin to doubt the evidence of my own senses. 441. Do you remember Mr. Wrigg being there at ail'?—Oh, yes. 442. Was he doing any work except assisting Captain Gwynneth? Was he in active service ? —He was in the Bay of Plenty Volunteer Cavalry. They went out on service. 443. Mr. Wrigg did also ?—Yes. 444. Do you know any conspicuous acts of cowardship? —Certainly not. The mention of " Paul-up-a-Tree " had no connection with Mr. Wrigg, It was in answer to a quotation of Captain Preece's to me. 445. You never made any comparison at all ?—Certainly not. 446. Your life has been badgered out since the granting of this Cross?— Yes. 447. All your old comrades have quarrelled with you practically ?—They have disagreed. 448. You felt you were standing practically alone ?— Yes, and badgered from both sides. 449. You of course handed the correspondence that you have to these gentlemen who have been working up the petition ?—No. 450. Who underlined the letters ?—A personal friend of my own in Napier. 451. Had he anything to do with advising you ?—As a personal friend. 452. Is he a lawyer ?—Yes. 453. He advised you how to make points against Wrigg?—Yes. 454. You went to your lawyer consulting him as a friend, not professionally ?—No, it was not on account of his fee. 455. You consulted him not professionally to advise which were the points of the letter standing out against Mr. Wrigg? —ln my own justification. 456. As a matter of fact, then, you had decided to take up the side of your old comrades and throw Mr. Wrigg over. Does that express what you mean ?—Things have been brought to my recollection. For instance, the camp .order, it has' been brought to my recollection; but I, as a district adjutant-—had the order emanated from me it would have been signed by me, and it should have emanated from me. There is no evidence to prove that it did. 457. There is nothing out of order in the look of the camp order?—lf it were an abstract from our district order. 458. As a man up in these matters, you would not have been deceived by it ?—No. 459. Your diffidence has practically cropped up since you took up your own old comrades?— That is so. I thought I had stated what was correct. 460. When you went to your lawyer to ask that question you went for the purpose of seeing what evidence you could get for the purpose of working for your old comrades against Mr. Wrigg ? —I wanted to get myself out of a difficulty. 461. You thought that was the very best way to do it?— Yes. 462. You had more on your side than against you?—l had everybody against me. 463. It was judicious, no doubt, to do that. In working up the matter with the opposition to Mr. Wrigg you were, at any rate, putting yourself in a better position, because you got more for you than against you?—l had no antagonism to Mr. Wrigg. 464. You wanted to please both parties, and you could not? —I would like to have pleased both parties, and the result has been I have offended both. 465. Do you know Captain Peacock ?—I used to. 466. May I take it from you that the Committee can take' notice that Mr. Wrigg had your heartiest co-operation and support until your old comrades worked you round the other way? —He had my heartiest co-operation and support up till the time when I was shown that the certificate I had given was not correct, because I was not there. 467. I am right in saying that Mr. Wrigg had your heartiest co-operation and support until your comrades, who objected to Mr. Wrigg having the Cross, interviewed you ?—Yes, I have no reason otherwise. 468. Mr. Hutchison.] Captain Bower, carry your mind back to the 24th July last year—that is when you wrote to Mr. Wrigg from Napier, the date of your certificate—just before you sent the certificate and before you got the copy of the camp order and indorsement. Could you from your own recollection have said anything about Mr. Wrigg's exploits on the East Coast ?—I do not know that I could. 469. You had the copy of the camp orders, with their indorsement, and a letter from Mr. Wrigg refreshing your memory ?—Yes. 470. Were these documents the bases of your certificate ?—The certificate I sent to Mr. Wrigg was in consequence of his enclosure of the camp order. 471. And the refreshing of your memory?— Yes. 472. Before the receipt of that letter, could you have given a certificate as to courageous conduct of Mr. Wrigg, or otherwise, in June, 1867?—N0. 473. The next stage was, he found he could not apply himself, and got you bo apply for him?— Yes. 474. Then you sent an application, which had been sent down to you in pencil manuscript ?— Yes. 475. And you sent that on with the testimonials which accompanied the letter from Mr. Wrigg ?—Yes. 476. Is that the document you got on the second occasion—that is, before you sent in the application [document produced] ? —lt is not the original. It is the one I got. 477. In the first instance you got a copy of the camp orders and indorsement in June, and you sent to Mi , . Wrigg a certificate. Afterwards you were asked to make an application in your own name, and send if on along with the documents to the Defence Department?— Yes.