Note 3 — PART III. ⸻ ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE.

Ivy Matthews, in June, 1922, reported that a box of clothing, containing some money which she had ready packed to take to Sydney, had been stolen. It had been called for by a cabman in her absence, and taken away. Some weeks afterwards the box was discovered at the railway station; but about £20 worth of the clothes were missing. That was the last ever heard—publicly—of the matter. In September, 1922, Harding was arrested on a charge of indecent language. When his case was called on next morning at the police court, the prosecuting sergeant said, “The accused has apologised to the constable; the constable is satisfied, and wishes to withdraw the charge.” It was withdrawn accordingly. All offenders do not get so easily out of their troubles, and plain constables are not, as a rule, allowed to withdraw charges for public offences. But no doubt Harding was able to say, “I have done the State some service, and they know it”—with the accent on the “they.”