592 



gation proceeded. But to-night we find that some credence is claimed 

 for his testimony because it is said that certain complaints were 

 made to which no attention was given. There is no evidence whatever 

 that any complaint that Daniel Lynch made which was sustained by any 

 statement of fact which was at all tangible ever escaped the notice 

 of the commission or ever failed to receive proper or appropriate 

 action. He, himself, declined to testify that he knew that any 

 complaints had been followed up or prosecuted and insisted that he 

 knew nothing of it. He stated that he did not intend to intimate that 

 there was any relation between Talbot and the forest commission, but 

 it was s >me what surprising that to-night we bear claim made that 

 because Talbot was found in the neighborhood of a public office that 

 there must have been some relation existing between Talbot and the 

 forest commission, when the very witness who brought forward the 

 accusation repudiated the idea that he intended to make - 'any such 

 statement. The Lemon Thomson cancellations rest entirely, so far as 

 the claim of fraud is made, upon Dan Lynch's testimony. It is con- 

 ceded upon all hands that the forest commission brought an action, that 

 pending that action there was a cancellation made by the Comptroller 

 without the knowledge of the forest commission, and that the cancel- 

 lation was made before the time when the forest - commission were not 

 in the habit of appearing before the Comptroller, and that put of the 

 fact of that cancellation grew the custom of the forest commission 

 being represented before the Comptroller, and that hence at that time 

 they had no relation with the Comptroller's office with reference to 

 cancellations. It is unnecessary to refer to the letters of Lynch, which 

 'certainly justify the action of the commission with regard to him, 

 with every right-minded man. 



At the outset of this investigation very much was said with regard 

 to the Everton Lumber Company matter, and it was insisted that that 

 exchange ought not to have been recommended by the forest com- 

 mission. That has been reiterated. The fact with regard to that 

 matter has not escaped the committee, that so far as the exchange 

 of lands was concerned it is a matter entirely within the discretion of 

 the commission, that they were not directed to take any steps what- 

 ever, but they were allowed to do so if they thought wise to take steps 

 to make an exchange of lands, then the matter would proceed through 

 the Attorney-General. That was the state of affairs when Hurd made 

 the application. Mr. Knevals states that he understood Hurd obtained 

 the passage of the bill; he didn't say it was a job or anything of that 

 character. His evidence is found upon that subject at page 535 and 

 does not bear *>ut the suggestion which was made with reference to it. 



