POLICE FAREWELL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1064, 1 March 1911, Page 6

POLICE FAREWELL.

EX-INSPECTOR GILLIES. SOME COKDEAL.SPEECHES. (By Te'.csrapli.—Press Association.!

Christchurch, February 28. ~ At a gathering of members oi' the : Cliristehureli Police Force at the Polios I Station yesterday, ox-Inspector t!illk»s ' was presented with n Chesterfield suifo of furniture, , and received (for Mrs. Gillies) a. handsome diamond brooch, and ; (for his niece, Miss Xewcombo) a l'.and- ■ some diamond bracelet. Sub-Inspector : M'Grath, who made the presentation, ' said that it was intended: to show the es--1 teem in which Mr. Gillies wits held bv ; the force. He (Mr. M'Grath) did not 5 intend to say anything regarding Mr. Gillies's long and honourable career in ' the force—the newspapers of the Dominion ! had generously done him justice in that , respect. It was twenty-five years ago since ho first met Mr. Gillies, who was then a sMßeant stationed at Auckland, and I hen, «s ever, he possessed the resner: and esteem of his comrades and the confidence of his superiors. He voice:! His feelings of the I'orce generally in wishing Mr. Gillies a long and happy life to; enjoy his.well-oarued pension. (Applause.) Chief Detective Bishop, on behalf of tlio detective branch, concurred with the. remarks made by ilr. M'Grath, and added ■ that he did not wish to serve under a better inspector. Sergeant Bird stated that ho had always found Mr. Gillies straight and honourable to tlio men, and a loyal man to work under. Inspector Kiely said that he could not let the opportunity pass without adding • his tribute to that" of those who had .spoken. Ho had known Mr. Gillies since ISS2, when both of them worn serving in the Auckland district, and had succeeded him in some of the stations where lie served. He bad bad a fine opportunity of gauging Mr. Gillies's morjt as an officer. During his official career Mr. Gillies had earned the respect of the public, and the confidence of-those who Unci served under him. They all regretted, his retirement from the- service at • such an early age. It seemed only a few years since ho himself joined Ihe service, and nearly all the inspectors of that time were gone. He supposed that Messrs. M'Govorn and Pender were Iho only ones remaining out of twentytwo. He (the speaker) found, on succeeding Mr. Gillies in Christchurch, that the latter was held in the highest respect by his men, and by the public generally. When it came to bis own turn to drop the reins of office lie hoped that lie would be held in the sumo respect by the public and the men serving under him officially. He would say to Mr. Gillies, '"God speed," and would hope that 'he would have -. many happy days to enjoy the rest to ; which he was entitled. (Annlau.-e.) Mr. Gillies, who was received with npplause, said that Mrs. Gillies, Miss Ncwcjhilk", find himself would always feel grateful for tlio magnificent presents, and for the affection that bad prompted (hose who had given tlioiii. It was close upon nine years since he took charge of tlio Canterbury district. He knew when ho camo that ho was succeeding exceedingly good men (Mr. Brolism and Jlr. Pender), ami ho knew that ho would have to show something fairly good lo go near their records. He had done his best, as he had always doiu;, whilst iii the service to satisfy the public and to bo jnst and fair to the men serving under him. Since 1875 ho had been in the Mow Zealand force, and the man who would not bs.satisfied with that service, and to retiro on a decent pension, was a glutton. (Laughter.) Ho was not sorry to leave the Department—ho had fully made up his mind, when the last commission was held, to leave the service after he had completed 36 years' service. He did not need to go into details, because he was not satisfied hoiv things were being done. He was not, however, going out of the force as a iin.'i with a grievance. He could assure them that they would never find him .vniu'ii with a grievance. During the nine years which he (Mr. Gillies) had been in charge at C'liristcliurch % per cent, of the crime reported had been detected, and the. -1 per cent, undetected was crime in respect to which the property could not be identified. This result, he said, wis duo to the energy, zeal, and loyalty of thoso who had served under him, and he thanked all ranks for the loyal support which they had given him. He thought that he was handing over to Inspect >r Kiely a Ixxly of men as efficient as, any in the Dominion, anii, from what he knew of them, they would be as loyal to Mr. Kiely as they had been to him. Mrs. Gillies'had desired him to thank the members of the force for tlislr kindly thoughtfu'.ness in inquiring for him when he was ill. and was unable to see them. (Applause.) Cheers wero then given for Mr. and Mrs. Gillies and the company sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."