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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 756, 27 January 1870, Page 4

MR. COMMISSIONER BRANIGAN AND THE CONSTABULARY. [Prom the Evening Post, January 5-1 ;Some time in the last century, when ij, very extensive migration of Scotchmen across the Tweed was affording anything rather than satisfaction in England, Macbeth was being played at Drury-lane Theatre, London When the actor who played “ Macduff” asked the messenger, “ Stands Scotland where it did V his question was promptly answered by a wag in the gallery, who roared out, “No! it has come to London and were anyone asking a similar question with reference to Otago now, it might be answered that Otago had come to Wellington. The Armed Constabulary, as “ demilitarized” by Mr Branigan, seems to be an institution expressly intended to find employment for all those in Otago favorably known to the Commissioner who are in want of it. Inspectors, sergeant 1 ?, clerks, &c., from that province, keep dropping in one by one, and receiving appointments. Mr Thompson, who arrived the other dav, and who is to fill the office of Detective Inspector,” whatever that may mean, receives, we are informed, £350 a-ycar, and others of Mr Branigan’s friends are paid at an equally high rate. It is possible that there are no men out of Otago fib for these billets, but people generally doubt the fact; as things go on it would appear that although this new force is small, it is destined to be peculiarly expensive. A considerable time has elapsed since it was set on foot, and, beyond drawingpay and consuming rations, it has done absolutely nothing. It may be tiiat it is worked up to such a pitch pf efficiency that in a short time a detective inspector and a file of men will be sent with a warrant from Mr Branigan to arrest Te K ooti; but in t|ie meantime there are plenty of roads want making through the Manawatu and other places, and it would just be as well if the demilitarized turned their energies in that direction.