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In the matter of " The Justioes of the Peace Act, 1882," and its amendments. I, James Jones, of the City of Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, master mariner, do solemnly and sincerely declare as follows :— 1. That I know Captain Allman, who was Nautical Adviser to the Government and principal Examiner of Masters and Mates. 2. That I was present in the office of the Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones early in the month of July, 1897, having gone to his office to obtain from him an order authorising me to be examined for a master's certificate. 3. I stated to Mr. Hall-Jones that I understood that I could not go up for a master's certificate until I got a mate's certificate, and that I had not a mate's certificate, and Mr. Hall-Jones replied, " I will fix that all right, and you will come back again in a week's time and get your ticket." I said " For the practical part I can do anything, but I'll be hanged if I can do the writing." I then said to Mr. Hall-Jones, "It will be no use for me to go to Captain Allman and tell him I have permission to sit unless you give me an order telling Captain Allman that he was to allow me to sit for the master's certificate." Mr. Hall-Jones then rang his bell, and the messenger came in. He told his messenger to go for Captain Allman and tell him he wanted to see him. The messenger did so, and Captain Allman came upstairs in a few minutes. I waited in the room. When Captain Allman came in Mr. Hall-Jones told him that he was to allow me to go up for my certificate, and that he (Mr. Hall-Jones) was going to dispense with my having a mate's certificate. He said to Captain Allman that he would give him an order, and Captaia Allman said it must be an order to the department. Mr. Hall-Jones then said he would give an order to the department. I saw nothing handed by Mr. Hall-Jones to Captain Allman, but Mr. Hall-Jones wrote something on a piece of paper there. I left the room, leaving Captain Allman with Mr. Hall-Jones. i. The first time I saw the Hon. the Premier after I got my home-trade master's certificate on the 19th July, 1897, was after he had returned from England. He and some other gentlemen were on board the " Duchess " one day. I did not know the other gentlemen, but I knew Mr. Seddon. I asked them to come and have a whiskey. Mr. Seddon and the other gentlemen came into the stern-cabin. I put down the glasses, and Mr. Seddon remarked about ' the size of the tumblers. Mr. Seddon said, " I fixed that all right for you, old man. I put my foot down, as I was determined I would accomplish what you asked me to do in spite of the lot of them." I told him I was very much obliged to him, but it was no use talking about that now. This was all that was said about the matter then. I then left them with the whiskey, saying they could enjoy themselves. 5. As regards my relations with Captain Allman, I declare that, except what was done through the agency of the Premier and Mr. Hall-Jones, there was no arrangement of any kind between Captain Allman and myself that he should pass me for my master's examination. I never suggested to him before the examination for my master's certificate that he should pass me, nor did I attempt, except through the Ministers, to bring any influence to bear upon him. I had, in fact, no conversation with Captain Allman at any time with regard to my "master's examination. I have to admit that I told Captain Allman in the examination-room when I produced the papers to him and he began to tear them up that I had done them a 1 myself, and Captain Allman took me at my word. When Captain Allman refused at first to accept the papers I made an appeal to him, and I also told him that he knew very well that he had got his orders to pass me. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand intituled " The Justices of the Peace Act, 1882." James Jones. Declared at Wellington aforesaid, this 6th day of March, 1899, before me, H. Cooper, a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. 115. Will you kindly give the Court your version of what took place on that occasion ?—I have no hesitation in saying that Captain Jones's declaration is untrue, and I should think, myself, that he was very much "at sea," or very jolly, at the time he said that. The only time I was at Day's Bay was on the occasion of the New Zealand Times picnic. I think that was about the 19th February, 1898 —at the beginning of the year, at any rate. I will test Captain Jones's memory, first of all, about the stimulant referred to. My recollection is that one of the gentlemen of the company referred to here thought that as, I believe, prohibition obtains at Day's Bay, he would fortify himself with a little stimulant, and it was he who invited me to have one. 116. Judge Ward.] What was the gentleman's name ?—Mr. Johnson. There were four or five gentlemen present; I think Mr. John Plimmer was present. I am not sure whether Mr. Bannister, of the Times, was there with Mr. Hislop, of the Marine Engineers. We were in the cabin, and my recollection is that some one said, " Send for Captain Jones, and ask him to join us." They were all present; and as to my saying to Captain Jones that I had " fixed that all right for you, old man ; I put my foot down, because I was determined to accomplish what you wanted me to do in spite of the lot of them " —I say that statement is untrue. As I stated, I did not know anything at that time of the examination. 117. What date was this?— About the 19th February, 1898. It was months after that when Mr. Hutcheson made his speech in the House. 118. Mr. Hanlon.] Do you say you did not make that statement ?—I certainly did not. I did not know that he had a certificate at the time. If he had put a question to me about it I would have said that I had asked Mr. Hall-Jones to deal with the matter. If I had known anything about that I should not have required to make the investigation, or to say what I did to Mr. Huteheson in the House. 119. Dr. Giles.] When you returned you did not make any inquiry ?—No, I never bothered myself; I simply made some common-place remark to the old chap. Ido not think he came inside or sat down. He simply came and had his refreshment and went away. I say that what he says in this respect is untrue. 120. Mr. Hanlon.] Is there any further light you think you can throw on this question of Captain Jones's certificate, or the circumstances leading up to it ? —Nothing further than that I know the statement was made that the Government were responsible for this statement of Captain Jones's in the case for the cancellation of the certificate. 121. That is, in the Supreme Court ?—Yes. I say that matter was left to Dr. Fitchett and the Crown Solicitor. It had been represented that they could not cross-examine upon it. When I wished to give some evidence to the Court, which would have been gentle, the Court held, on the objection of Mr. Gray, that I could not say anything, and my lips were closed; and in respect of this I was told I could not give evidence upon it. However, the matter was left entirely to Dr. Pitchett and the Crown Solicitor.