Correspondence with the Colonial Secretary's Office

making his living by so doing in this district since I have been stationed here. I distinctly deny this charge as untrue and unfounded.

Fourthly that I am a licensed butcher and trade in meat and produce.

The only foundation for this charge is that a man named Boyle who lives on the opposite side of the River from the Police Camp, and about three hundred yards distant had often come over and asked for beef when the Butcher had not supplied him and on several occasions where his wife and children were ill they have asked me for mutton, which I supplied them with as a neighbour and when circumstances compelled me to kill my own beef, and knowing from the butcher that he had refused to supply Boyle with beef, Boyle agreed with me to kill alternately and that we should have fresh meat oftener, I killed the first beast and Boyle got a quarter and the river coming down Boyle was unable to get a beast to kill the second one. So I again killed and Boyle took another quarter and when beef was required the third time I sent word to Boyle who then informed me that he had tried to get a beast from MacAusland Mess^rs Scotts stockman at the Stone Hut who had refused to supply him, consequently consequently [sic., repeated] he

he could not return me the beef. I had a settlement with him a short time afterwards and got some timber and, some tools sharpened and put in order by him he being a tradesman, and some furniture made for the use of the Barracks as part payment, and the Balance he paid in cash or cheque, he then went away looking for work and Mrs Boyle used to come for beef and out of consideration for her family I allowed her to get beef and often sent them over joints both of beef and mutton for which they were never charged, and I did it out of charity and instructed the Camp Sergeant not to charge Boyle for it, and I also instructed the Camp Sergeant to discontinue supplying them as soon as Boyle returned to his home for which I had reasons which I am prepared to give if called upon. I may mention also at the time of the Hodgkinson rush in the floods that some of the Diggers came to the Barracks for meat and were supplied by the Camp Sergeant, William Billam and for which no charge was ever made, and with the exception of Boyle I never made a charge or received payment for meat and supplied him because he could not get it elsewhere and did it out of a neighbourly and charitable feeling, and not as a matter of trade.

When I was compelled to kill my own beef and owing to the arrangement I made with Boyle

Boyle to kill alternately, I thought it was necessary to have a license and I telegraphed to Senior Constable Gillanders to send me one, which he did. I afterwards learned it was unnecessary. and I now most distinctly deny this charge as untrue, and only I killed my own beef when I was compelled to do so, being unable to get supplied elsewhere.

The second portion of the charge dealing in produce I distinctly deny as untrue and have only purchased corn in small quantities as required for the consumption of my own horses and poultry, and only on one occasion when the man Boyle had his horse badly torn by an alligator and was unable to gather it's [its] own food. Boyle came over and asked me to let him have half a bag of corn, and being a neighbour I did so and charged him the price I had paid for it, and for obliging him on that occasion he reported me for selling the Government corn.

The charges treated of in other portions of Michael Bird Hall's letters I think require no refutation on my part but should the Commissioner of Police deem it necessary I am perfectly prepared to answer them

I have the honor to be Sir Your Most Obedt. [Obedient] Servt. [Servant] Robert Johnstone Sub Insp [Sub-Inspector]