SIR GEORGE LEWISSir, on a former day I made reference to the case of Mr. King Harman, who was convicted by Mr. Arnold, the Police Magistrate, and whose sentence received some mitigation. I stated that a second information issued by the Police had been laid against Mr. Harman at the suggestion of the Police Magistrate, and that it would not have been laid by the Police if they had been left to the exercise of their own discretion. Mr. Arnold has, subsequently, made a communication to me on the subject, and he states that no intimation of the alleged reluctance of the Police to lay that information had been made to him. I think it right that the House should be made aware of that fact. A Report which has been made to Sir Richard Mayne by the Police Inspector is to this effect. It is dated on the 11th June—
With reference to the case of assault previously reported, I beg to state that on Tuesday, the 5th instant, a Report of Inspector Humphries was handed to me, stating that it was the opinion of the Magistrate that a Warrant should be taken out for the assault upon the Police. Accordingly, I gave instructions to go to the Police Magistrate to get a Warrant, which was done. At that time no steps had been taken beyond the execu- 1485 tion of the Warrant for the assault upon Mr. Adams.This Report shows that the Police did not initiate the second information, but that fact was not made known to the magistrate himself.