THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9542, 14 July 1909, Page 5

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

FURTHER EVIDENCE. By Telegraph- Press Association. DUNEDIN, July 13. The Police Commission has resumed its sitting here this morning. Evidence was givec by ex-Constable William Walker, of Invercargill, who had been in the police in Britain and between 1878 and 1903 had seen service in Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Oamaru, Ngapara, Riverton and Invercargill. Prom what he had heard political and private influence was on the increase. He thought the Department should be controlled by one strong man, and suggested Mr J. Poynton, Public Trustee, or Inspector Mitchell, of Invercargill. He suggested that Mr Tunbridge should be recalled. Thus the Department, there would resemble that model of every police force —the Irish Constabulary. The police were insufficiently paid, and they had a wrong method for detecting sly grog selling. Candidates for the farce should be differently selected. Witness was severely cross-exam-ined by Mr Bishop and Commissioner Dinnie, but stuck to his statement alleging that there was too much influence in the matter of promotion.. Men wo lid nat come forward to give evidence because they were afraid it would prajudice their chances of promotion, and they mmt get evidence to make the rep-rt any use. Fred. Hallard ex-in3pector, said he himself retired owing to political influence. Under cross-3xamination witness adhered firmly t> the opinion that a chiif detective should not become a sub-inspect >r or inspector. Sergeant Higgins, stationed at Lawrence, said the force was well organised now. He thought the pay shoud be increased. There was nothing in the political influence cry. Men were promoted now without length of service, and he thought no man under 45 should be a sergeant.

Inspector O'Brien, in charge of the Dunedin District, said that there was a general impression amount'ng to a feeling of unrest prevailing amongst members of the force he might say from the extreme North to the extreme South that t e Commissioner of Police had stationed in each centre some member of the service known as the "useful man." That man's chief function was to convey to the Commissioner through some channel or another the names of members of the Force who spoke in praise or dispraise of him. Witness knew nothing of such appointments himself. Witness would not say there was one word of truth in it, but it was only fair to the Commissioner that he should have an opportunity to deny it on oath. The number of defaulters from other districts in the Dominion sent to this district in the last four or five years had occasioned witness great surprise, so much so that he had begun to look upon the Dunedin District as a common dumping ground for defaulters. On the other hand he had his defaulters, but his jdefaulter in about nine cases out of ten, were left with him. A heated debate then took place between Commissioner Dinnie and Inspector O'Brien with reference to evidence given by the former at Wellington before the previous Commission, the Inspector contending that Commissioner Dinnie had acted unfairly in making sweeping charges when neither Inspector or sub-Inspec-tor had an opportunity to reply. He contended such evidence should have been giver, he re, Mr Bishop said if the previous Commission had been aware Commis" sioner Dinnie was going to make statements 1 reflecting on the officers' evidence it would have been taken in districts where the officers were. Nothing of the kind would occur on this occasion. The Commission will sit again tomorrow.