I.—lb.

16

[W. G. WOHLMANN.

119. I am putting that to you in the meantime as a hypothetical case. In that case you would say that the police were open to a grave charge? —So much depends on circumstances. 1 could not say. 120. Might it not supply a motive for getting the man out of the way —the man who was guilty of attempted murder ?—What would we want to get him out of the way for ? 121. If this man is still free and the police know that he is guilty of attempted murder and yet bring no charge against him, does it not supply a motive for wishing to get him out of the way?— The police have always a motive to put criminals where they ought to be, but if a man is more a lunatic, instead of putting him in gaol we put him in an asytum. 122. Quite so, if he is proved to be a lunatic, but at this date he was not proved to be a lunatic; he was not proved to be a lunatic till his examination on the 14th December by the medical men —indeed, it has not been proved yet? —The evidence of two medical men is always regarded as conclusive. 123. 1 want you to be very careful on the question of getting Johnston to the police-station. Will you swear that it was on Saturday, just at the conclusion of a case, that Johnston asked for his expenses, and you took him into the police-station?—lt was just at the conclusion of a case. I would not swear that it was Saturday or Friday. 124. That was the day he was committed?— Yes. 125. The 14th was a Saturday? —That would be so, because we did not want to keep him over Sunday and we wished to get him away by the evening train. 126. You say that the case concluded that Saturday—the same day?—He had completed his evidence. 127. On the Saturday?—On the day he was committed to the asylum. 128. If Johnston were to say that he had completed his evidence a day or two previously, and that he went to the police-station two days after to get his expenses, would you say he was wrong?—l should say that it is contrary to my belief of the incident. Ido not pretend to speak absolutely, but I know I met him outside the Court. I had come out from the Court. He asked me for his expenses, and to the best of my belief he had some business at the Court and had finished it. 129. I suggest that the day you refer to was Thursday, the 12th. and that Johnston did not get his expenses that day; that you told him to come in any time he liked afterwards and get them, and that he came back on the Saturday and was committed that day. Would you say that that is wrong?—To the best of my belief it is wrong. I met him coming from the Courthouse, near the Courthouse, on the footpath. He then wanted his expenses because he had finished giving evidence. 130. How long after the committal would it be when you furnished this report which you were showing this morning?— Some tune afterwards —two or three weeks, I think. 131. It would be some time, perhaps, in the beginning of January : he was committed on the 14th December, you say? —Yes. 132. In fact, it would be after Johnston's escape from Avondale? —I could not say distinctly. I suppose my report will have a date on it. 133. If I suggest to you that he escaped on the 4th January it would probably be after his escape that you furnished this report? —It is possible. I could not say. My report is dated. 134. It would be after the statement had appeared in the Press that Johnston had been wrongfully committed? —I did not take much notice of what the Press said. It did not influence me at all. 135. Were you asked to furnish this report?—No, I did so voluntarily, to the best of my belief. 136. Will you swear that you were not asked to furnish it?—lt was my duty to furnish it. I have no distinct recollection of getting a definite instruction. The man was committed from Waihi, and he escaped, and he was afterwards taken back to Auckland, and it was my duty to put all the facts before my Department. 137. But in case of committing mental patients to mental hospitals do you only make reports when they escape?— Whenever circumstances arise which tender it desirable that the officer in charge should know what is going on it is the duty of the officer in charge of the case to make a report. 138. Would it not be your duty to furnish a report immediately alter the committal?- The Inspector was sufficiently cognizant of the case, and it was looked on rs simply an ordinary committal. There was nothing extraordinary about Johnston's committal. He was an ordinary man committed in the ordinary way. 139. I suggest to you that this report was furnished after Johnston escaped and after statements were made public to the effect that he was wrongfully committed : I suggest that this report was furnished after that, as the result of these statements?—l am not sure. If the accuracy of the statements is challenged there are any number of witnesses to his statements. There are half a dozen men to whom he stated those things. 140. I am not speaking as to that in the meantime. You will not swear that the report was not furnished after the matter had become public property?—No, I will not swear. I have not seen the files. Ido not recollect the date of my report. I have not seen it since I made it. 141. //on. Mr. Fisher.] Did you make a report and antedate it?—No, certainly not. 142. Mr. Robertson.] We can get the date. I presume, from the Department. To whom did you furnish the report?—To Inspector Wright. Hon. Mr. Fisher: It is on the file here. The report is dated Waihi, 4th March, 1913. 143. Mr. Robertson.] That was after Johnston had procured his final discharge. I want to know whether you were asked to furnish that report?—l know that I made more than one report.