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431. The Chairman.] Was it not your duty to find out how he was engaged?— No. 432. You sent in your monthly returns ?—I do not send them in. They would be sent in for the whole of the Commandant's office. 433. Who does it for the whole office ?—The Chief Staff Officer supervises the general work of the office. 434. Does not each officer of each particular branch send in a daily or weekly or monthly report? —No. I prepare a report of the work to the Commandant daily or twice a day. It is a daily report. 435. And you reported to the Commandant that Captain Clark was employed in your office for certain work ? —I report what work lam employed on. I cannot say definitely I spoke about Captain Clark. 436. You have others under you ? —Yes. 437. And you would not report an extra hand put on to the Commandant?—-Not in the ordinary course. I take it the instruction would emanate from the Commandant. 438. Do you know any one who keeps a check or record of the number of officers employed in and about the Commandant's office ?—There is a daily book to sign, and the work is practically checked by the Commandant by being seen from day to day, 439. Sometimes he is away ? —ln that case it is necessary to send the more important work to him. 440. Then there are no vouchers or records to show the number of hands employed or what they are doing ?—That I cannot say, sir. There is a daily book which the clerks sign, and they are detailed for various duties. If a clerk were absent I would report the matter. 441. Are those clerks temporary or permanent ?—That I cannot say. 442. Do you know any one there longer than five months ? —Yes ; in fact all have been longer than I have with one exception. 443. Would you place Captain Clark in the same category as a permanent clerk ?—No. 444. Then you conclude he was employed for his special knowledge in some special work ?— Yes. The regulations require that the medal rolls must be certified by some one who knows the claims and service. A large number of records had to be looked up. We had to look up the dates of the men's service, and it was not possible to prepare, all the rolls at once. The King's Medal is granted for eighteen months' service, but men can claim a clasp for 1901 and 1902 without getting the King's Medal. 445. Then you would have, in the ordinary course, reported that Captain Clark had been sent into your office ? —I suppose so. 446. It is not part of your duty to find out upon what terms he was engaged P —No, sir. I have no power to engage. 447. As a matter of fact you do not know any arrangement, special or otherwise, made with Captain Clark?—No, sir, I do not. 448. Mr. E. G. Allen.] You gave it in evidence that'you have to trace the men from the records in the office ?—Experience in the field would greatly assist, and private notes often assist. Many of the names were mixed up, and it was hard to trace these men. 449. Captain Clark.] I worked in the office five months ?—-You were working in the office before I went in. 450. During the course of my work in the office did you think the work was done expeditiously ? —Yes. 451. No rate was mentioned as to any future pay. You did not mention any pay matters to me at all? —So far as I know, I never mentioned pay until you left the office. 452. And the nature of the work in compiling the King's Medal roll would require a great deal of research ?—Yes. 453. Do you think the work was done as expeditiously as possible ?—Yes. 454. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon.] Do you remember his coming to you with the vouchers ? — When he came to make his claim he brought vouchers the same as those in front of you. 455. Did he show you the vouchers ?—Not to my memory. 456. How do you know they were vouchers ?—He told me. 457. Did he tell you he had not drawn anything for five months ?—Yes. 458. Were you surprised?— Yes. 459. What took place about these vouchers?—l cannot remember what transpired. He was only in about three minutes. 460. That was the first you knew that he had not put in a claim ?—Yes. 461. Is it a fact that the Seventh medal rolls were made coming out on board ship ?— That I could not say anything about. Each officer commanding a regiment was ordered to send in medal rolls. The Eighth and Ninth medal rolls were compiled in the office. The Eighth were prepared on board ship, excepting certain information which I could not get. 462. They were practically done on board ship ?—Yes ; the Eighth. 463. Mr. Barber.] There were six or seven thousand men on the roll ?—There were about seven thousand names to go through.

Friday, 30th October, 1903. Mr. Thomas Francis Grey, Acting Under-Secretary for Defence, examined. (No. 10.) 1. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon.] In continuation of your examination yesterday, you stated, in giving evidence, that you had received no notification of the employment of Captain Clark ?—That is,9o, .. -