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Q-Was your attention ever called to the fact that Alves signed receipts?
A.-No.
Q-At one time all the receipts had been signed by Mr. Carvalho, but afterwards that system was altered by an order of Mr. Lister and Alves signed receipts. Was your attention ever called to that?
A.--No.
Q.--Was any complaint made to you by Mr. Nicolle that the Rent Roll had not been balanced?
A.--Yes, on two occasions.
Q.-Could you give us about the date?
A.-I think not long after I took charge, and again I should say about August, as far as I can remember.
Q. What did you do when Mr. Nicolle first complained?
A.-I spoke to Alves about it. He was very busy and had a great deal to do and he showed me his Rent Roll Book and he was going on with it. He appeared to be working at it every day and I regarded it as an arrear which would soon be wiped off.
Q.-You say he spoke to you again in August. What did you do then?
A.—I took similar action. I simply urged Alves to get on with it as quick as he could.
Q.-Was that the Rent Roll for 1890 or 1891?
A. It was for 1891.
Mr. Thurburn. Did Mr. Nicolle point out that it was one of the necessary checks having that book balanced?
A.-No, I remember his words were to the effect that "I wish you would hurry up Alves with his Rent Roll, he has not closed his book yet."
Q. He did not point out that it was one of the checks?
A.-Not that I am aware of.
The Chairman. Do you remember what he said on the second occasion that he complained?
A.--As far as I remember his remarks were to a similar effect.
Q.-And the book was not balanced when you left the Treasury?
A. No.
Mr. Thurburn. Did you ask whether it had been the habit to balance the book before you went to the Treasury?
A.--When I urged Alves on and spoke to him about it he said that he never could get it balanced until about the end of the year. That was his excuse to me. He said he had always so much work to do that he never got it balanced until the latter half of
the year.
Q.-Do you know that there are two years 1888 and 1889 missing; are you aware whether either of those years were balanced?
A.-No, I did not make enquiries into a year prior to 1891.
The Chairman. Did you ever hear any complaints of Alves?
A.--No, I always heard him spoken of both by the Treasurer and Mr. Nicolle as the best man in the Office and the hardest worker, and the most obliging.