I.—lb.

26

[T. H. JOHNSTON.

will be with you in five minutes. You wait outside." So I went along and waited outside in the garden. He came along and we went inside. We passed right through the outer office into the rear office, and Constable Kelly was sitting down at the table writing. The matter that he was writing was about witnesses' expenses. 1 know that because the sergeant asked if he had added it up yet, and he said, " No, not yet." There was something mentioned about £100-odd. The sergeant turned and rang up the Court on the telephone and said he had got Johnston there, and said he would like to see Inspector Wright and Mr. Mays in the lunch-hour; that he would send a messenger or else he would go along himself. I asked the sergeant if I would have to wait very long for the money. He said, " No, you will get it in a few minutes." I said, "If I shall have to wait long I will go home to dinner." The sergeant went out and cashed the cheque and handed me 12s. I asked him, " What about the other moneys connected with the inquest and waiting about the Court? " He said he would get that money in a few minutes for me. 77. He handed you the 12s. which was due to you as expenses in the Barfoot case, and the other money that you asked for was what was due to you for attending at the inquest? —Yea. He said I would get it shortly. I looked from the inner office, and the two doors corresponded with the passage of the new building erected in front. As I happened to look from where I was sitting through the office in front of me I saw Mr. Mays, Inspector Wright, Sergeant Wohlmann, Sergeant Cooney, and Constable Kelly all go into the first room in the new building on the righthand side coming from the street. 78. What significance, if any, did you attach to those men all being in conclave in that way?— This: I thought they were clubbing together, as Sergeant Wohlmann had already mentioned he was going to do something for my good, to get the townspeople and the company and the union to put together the money to provide me with a holiday at their expense instead of my taking a holiday at my expense when I could not afford it very well. 79. What had led you to expect that?— Sergeant Wohlmann had already told me that he would see the union and the townspeople and see if I could not have a holiday at their expense. Sergeant Wohlmann knew all that I have been through in Waihi. 80. You believed that his statement in that respect was quite a probable thing, because you believed you had gone through a good deal in order to have the mines working again ?—Yes. 81. You had better go on with what happened after that? —Detective-Sergeant Cooney came in and picked up a paper and looked at me and said, "Good day, Johnston." That was all that was said. lhat meeting would not have lasted more than five minutes. Sergeant Wohlmann shortly after appeared again, and when I asked about my money he mentioned to me that he was going to do something for my good, and he mentioned about going round to see Dr. Craig, and repeated what he had previously said about seeing the union and the mines, and so on. 82. Was anything said at that time about a sanatorium?— No. 83. Was it mentioned later? —Yes. He brought Dr. Craig. Dr. Craig was held in very high estimation by the arbitrationists —in higher esteem than any man in Waihi. 84. On what account? —Rumour had it that Dr. Craig had handed a £50 cheque to a union official to pay all fines and expenses connected with the fights during the riot. Dr. Craig certainly was in favour with the arbitrationists, because he was in and out of the office during the time, and prior to this day Dr. Craig had also been in the union office and told us that the strikers were going to have a meeting on such-and-such a night, and that all those who were members of our union and members of the other union should attend that meeting and he would be outside, and if they whistled he and they would raid the hall. 85. Dr. Craig said that?— Yes. 86. Mr. Isitt.] In your hearing?— Yes. In our own hall, next to the Academy. 87. Mr. Robertson.] You, of course, w r ere a member of the arbitration union?— Yes,. 88. What was Dr. Craig's connection with that union?—He was an honorary member. 89. How do you know he was?—He was an honorary member before I went away. I waß elected one of the committeemen of that union. I was not on the preliminary committee. When I was elected it was the first meeting that our union held in the miners' union hall. I went down to a committee meeting—the last there. I was in Waihi, and Rudd at the meeting stated that he considered that all those men who were contributing to the support of the union should be made lifelong honorary members, especially Dr. Craig. 90. He was president of the union when he made that suggestion ?—Yes. 91. Was Dr. Craig then elected an honorary member of the union?—l would not swear that he was elected straight away an honorary member, but I am firmly of the belief that he was an honorary member of that union when I was committed. He was an honorary member of that union, say, at about the sth May. 92. What makes you believe that?—lt was on a Friday —the first Friday in May—when I went down to the miners' union—the first union meeting I attended since my committal; and wdien I was there I had two motions in my pocket. One was that this union demand the resignation of Dr. Craig as an honorary member on account of his having committed me to the Avondale Asylum while of sound mind. 93. What happened to that resolution of yours?—l was howled down. Many of the arbitrationist section howled me down. 94. Let us get back to that day, the 14th December, in the police-station. You said that the sergeant said something to you about seeing Dr. Craig. Just go on from there?—He returned with Dr. Craig. Prior to that I got up to leave that office—to go home—and was told to sit down and wait awhile, that Sergeant Wohlmann would not be long. When I mentioned