15

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113. Do you recollect being in charge of the office ?—Not while Mr. Fox was here, or in Major Gudgeon's time. 114. Do you study that Year-book you were shown just now?— No. 115. Do you happen to know whether there has been an increase or decrease in crime within the last three or four years in the colony ?—No ; I have not studied the Year-book. 116. Were there many promotions during the whole of my time ?—I cannot say whether there were many or not. A return of promotions could be prepared. 117. Who made any promotions there were in my time ?—You issued the orders in the office. 118. Yes; but who made the promotions?— The Minister, I suppose. 119. Who made the appointments ? —The Minister, I think. 120. Who made the transfers?— They were done on Ministerial authority. 121. The Chairman.} Then, you say that generally appointments, transfers, and promotions were made by Ministers during Colonel Hume's time?— Yes. _ 122. Do you know how they were made by the Minister: were they made on the recommendation of anybody in the office, or did the recommendations pass from the Minister through your office ?—On the recommendation of the Commissioner in the case of transfers. 123. There is a distinction between appointments, and promotions, and transfers?— Transfers and promotions were made by the Minister on the recommendation of the Commissioner. 124. Colonel Hume.] Had I any power to make appointments, transfers, or promotions on my own responsibility?—l think not. 125. You stated just now that these promotions and transfers were made on the recommendation of the Commissioner to the Minister ; how do you know that ?—From the written memoranda. 126. Then, is there not some mistake in your statement that there are no documents to show anything about appointments, promotions, and transfers before Mr. Tunbridge took charge? The documents are there, but no reasons are given. 127. The Chairman.] You can produce these ministerial records of the promotions?— Yes. 128. Colonel Hume.} Do you recollect a batch of third-class constables who had seven years' service and over, with clean defaulters' sheets, being promoted to the second class ?—Yes. 129. Is there a record of that ?—Yes. 130. When was this ?—Three or four years ago. 131. Then, shortly after that there was a batch of third-class constables, with seven years' service and over, with only one trivial offence recorded against them, who were promoted? Yes. 132. There is a record of that ? —I think so. 133. Then, there was another batch of third-class constables, acting as Clerks of Court, who were made second-class constables? —I believe so. 134. You have records of this?— Yes. 135. Now, there was a constable at Southbridge, Canterbury, not very long ago, and the station was closed : Do you recollect that ?—Yes. 136. Consequently, the constable there was transferred somewhere else ?—Yes. 137. Was there a record of that, showing the reason for the transfer ?—Yes. 138. Then, have there not been men transferred on the recommendation of the Inspector, because he thought they might do better in other districts?—l cannot recollect one instance! There may have been cases. 139. Do you recollect the system I adopted in recommending these transfers generally. For instance, if a man was Clerk of Court, for which he got £10 a year extra, did I transfer him to a place where he would be Clerk of Court also ?—I believe you tried to do so. 140. And as regards giving men stations when they became vacant: Do you recollect the system I adopted then ?—I think according to seniority, and so far as they were competent, and where they were married men. 141. How was their competency determined?—By a return furnished by the district officers. 142. Are there any records of this?— There is only one, I think. 143. Colonel Pitt.} You have mentioned that some time ago appointments, promotions, and transfers were made by the Commissioner without reference to Ministerial authority : When did the practice commence of the appointments being made on Ministerial authority ?—I cannot give any date. 144. Was it before Colonel Hume took charge as Commissioner?—l dare say it was. 145. Was there any circular or minute on the subject from the Minister of Justice ?—Not to my knowledge. 146. Mr. T. E. Taylor.] Did I understand you to say that this system of making transfers from returns furnished by the district officers only commenced in 1897 ?—Yes. 147. That was the first return made to ascertain the ability of members of the Force. Previous to that there were no returns from the district officers ?—No. 148. Do you always prepare a written statement, under instructions from the Commissioner, of transfers and promotions and appointments, or transfers and promotions, for signature by the Minister, or approval by the Minister ?—No; Colonel Hume generally prepared them himself, and wrote his own memoranda. 149.. Did those lists go up for approval by the Minister ?—The Commissioner would present them, I believe, to the Minister. 150. Do you know whether there was any difference between the lists supplied by the Commissioner and the lists approved by the Minister: as a matter of fact, were not lists altered between the time of leaving the Commissioner and coming back from the Minister?—l believe so. 151. That is to say, the Commissioner's recommendations were overridden by the Minister, and altered by the Minister ?—I believe alterations were made. They would appear on the documents, 152. As a matter of fact, you know that such alterations were made ?—Yes,