I.—IB

II

9. The J.P.s were not sent for until within half an hour of my departure. One turned up a little after 5 p.m., the other at 5.15. I was sent away at 5.30. When I asked the J.P.s to give me a trial on the trumped-up charges, they refused and hurriedly signed the papers, blindly following the prearranged plan of the police without holding converse with me. 10. I consider I did not get a fair deal on the day of my committal on account of (a) the former clauses, (b) that Dr. Craig was an unsuitable person to have been called in to diagnose my case on account of him being the only doctor and the only J.P. who was conspicuously in and out the new union's office prior to and after the riot; the only doctor and Justice of Peace who advocated strife. He was and is still an honorary member of our union, accident doctor for the Waihi Company, and accepted accident doctor for the union, Government doctor in this district, and so was thereby able to play into the hands of each of these forces (or a small section of them) who wished me out of the way. He also made the post-mortem examination of Evans. 11. I was adjudged an attempted murderer without a trial, which was refused me, a thing which any Roman citizen could demand two thousand years ago, and a thing which any British subject can demand. Also, I took fits, which was not correct, as I have never had a fit nor a semblance of one, nor have I had any fainting turn in my life. 12. When my wife wrote to the Superintendent of the Mental Hospital, a few days after my admittance, demanding my immediate release, the Superintendent wrote on the 21st December stating that they could not find any trace of insanity in her husband whatsoever. I was mentally examined after being thrown amongst the worst lunatics from Sunday, 7.30 a.m., until Wednesday, 10 a.m., the 18th, and examined on Friday at 11.15 a.m., the 20th instant. 13. Finding that I had no chance of being let out I cleared out, and tested my sanity against the attendants and police by evading them successfully. When I had an opportunity offered me of being granted probation so as to secure outside medical certificates if I came forward, I immediately took the opportunity and met Dr. Beattie in Lundon's (barrister's) office. Dr. Beattie handed my wife, whom he made my gaoler, a letter to Dr. Gray at Avondale Mental Hospital, a copy of which is appended herewith, together with copies of the Auckland medical certificates which were published in the Auckland papers the day after they were obtained. 14. I can describe clearly if given a chance the whole of the events occurring on the day of 14th December, 1912, when I was certified a fit subject for Avondale, and can also describe the rooms I was in and the positions of each doctor and J.P. and the police. 15. When I escaped I hid in gorse until 11 p.m., then I walked from Avondale to Waihi in seventy-two hours, starting at 11 p.m. Saturday night, having nothing to eat since breakfast that morning, one meal on Sunday, and a bit of bread on Monday, and plenty of food on Tuesday. Arrived home that night 11.30; hid between the roof and the ceiling of the house at home in Waihi for seven weeks. During that time I wrote over sixty thousand words of one manuscript and twenty thousand of another. Surely this, following on top of all other trying experiences, was enough to test the strongest-brained man living. Dr. Beattie and the other doctors considered I never was mad, nor never would go mad. Further, also, I was a stone and a half lighter when I secured the three medical outside certificates than I was when the police arranged and obtained my committal to the asylum by securing with outside appearance just sufficient order to make it appear in conformity with the Act. Now, gentlemen, I herewith pray and beseech that you will see your way clear to grant my petition, and I herewith ask for a grant of £5,000 (five thousand pounds) compensation for the misery, degradation, pain, suffering, loss of prestige caused to my wife, family, and myself, together also with the stain of lunacy unjustly and illegally placed upon me, and the stain of inheritance placed upon my offsprings, and being adjudged an attempted murderer without a complaint being lodged against me nor a written statement from any one, and being refused a just trial, which every Britisher can demand if any person has aught against them. This was the treatment meted out to me by the Government public servants after the stand I had taken in this town. I further demand that my name shall be expunged from the records of the asylum files. # Honourable gentlemen, I am your humble servant, T. H. Johnston.

[Copy.] I'o Dr. Gray. Auckland. I have examined T. H. Johnston this afternoon. I have decided to release him on probation. He and Mrs. Johnston will attend at the Mental Hospital this afternoon. Please see that Mrs. Johnston signs the probation papers, then tell Johnston he is at liberty. I do not propose that he should be longer detained, as in my opinion he is of sound mind. The probation will be for twenty-eight days. 13th February, f913. R. W. Beattie.

No. 201. To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of the Dominion of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. The petition of Elizabeth Johnston, wife of Thomas Henry Johnston, of Moresby Avenue, Waihi, humbly showeth, — 1. That I, your petitioner, pray for compensation for herself and children for the police circulating around Waihi, Auckland, and elsewhere that my husband was too dangerous for me to live with, and that I put him in Avondale Asylum, which was very wicked and entirely false.