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and sent Inspector McGovern, with very satisfactory results; he says: "and since Inspector McGovern assumed charge of the Bay of Islands there have been twenty-four convictions for sly-grog selling within its boundaries, and fines amounting to £412 have been inflicted." He goes on then to comment on the cancellation of section 10 of the police regulations, whereby it was provided that officers should retire at the age of sixty-five and men at the age of sixty "It will in the interest of the public be necessary to name some age at which both officers and men should retire from the service; I would suggest that both officers and men should do so at the age of sixty-five, at which period of their lives they would not be likely to be of much value to the public service." Then he goes on to say that he regrets he has been unable to decide on any system which would provide a general pension scheme for the Force, unless assisted by a yearly grant-m-aid from the Government. Then he goes on to comment on section 59 of the regulations, " by which it is compulsory that all recruits for the Police Force should be drawn from the Permanent Militia of the colony. This rule limits the choice for police, in a manner that cannot fail to be detrimental to the service now that the militia are reduced in number." 7. Armed Constabulary it was then?—No, it was the police then. They were separated under the Police Act of 1886. That Act separated the two Forces. " I would therefore suggest for your consideration that the rule should be altered to this extent: that, while the militia should have the first chance, yet, in the event of there being no suitable men available from that corps, I should be at liberty to take on men from outside." He says, in his report of 1889, that " the result of the late retrenchment and amalgamation of police districts has been that the department has gained in economy without having suffered appreciably in efficiency." Then he says he regrets to report our detective system is very unsatisfactory, and he goes on to show how he thinks detectives ought to be appointed. Ido not think that matters much. Then he says : "Arrangements have been made by which a system of examination for the New Zealand police will be instituted and held for the first time in January, 1890, at the headquarters of each police district." This, I may say, is important. The question may come up that some one passed this examination and did not get what he ought to have got. 8. That was not an examination for recruits, but an examination for classification ?—For promotion. He says : " The examination will be divided into two parts, junior and senior : a pass in the former will render a man eligible for promotion to first-class constable; in the latter to the rank of sergeant." Then, in the following year—that is, the sth April, 1890—he says, "I have much pleasure in informing you that the Police Force of this colony retains its popularity, and that a large number of recruits of good class can be obtained from the Permanent Artillery." lam not I may say, quoting fully from these reports, because I presume they will be before the Commission Then here is an important thing : " For the last three years there has been but little promotion in the police. This state of things has arisen from the fact that the higher ranks have been blocked by an excessive number of sergeants and first-class constables, a heritage from provincial institutions." 9. I would like to know the position of a first-class constable, as against second- and thirdclass ? —First-class constables get 6d. a day more than second-class. 10. A mere matter of pay? —Yes. 11. Nothing else?—Of course a first-class constable and a second-class constable get charge of stations before a third-class constable. 12. Mr. Poynton.] If the two are out together on duty and a difference arises how the work should be executed, the second-class constable would have to obey the first-class? Yes. 13. The Chairman.} Do the regulations fix a period in your service when they are entitled to the higher rank ?—By service ? 14. Yes?— No. I shall be better able to explain that later on. I missed out a point in the 1887 report, and that is the goldfields allowance. 15. Mr. Poynton.] There was a goldfields allowance before that date of Is. a day ?—A shilling a day in the Westland and Otago Lakes districts. He says : There is another item of police expenditure in which a saving may shortly be made—viz., the goldflelds allowance of Is. a day to the men stationed in the Westland and Lakes districts. The amount paid last year under this head was in Westland about £648, and in the Lakes about £338. This allowance was originally granted to remedy an apparent injustice by equalising the pay of meti who were by chance stationed in expensive and remote districts So far as Westland is concerned, the necessaries of life are not now much more expensive than in other places ■ and if any inequality does exist in the inland towns, such as Beefton, the progress of the East and West Coast Railway will soon remedy the evil. J 16. Colonel Pitt.] What is the object of referring to that—is that within our inquiry now ? I presume before you have done with the colony you will have some men coming up and saying that they have been deprived of this shilling a day. 17. There is no shilling a day now ?—lt is done away with, but they will probably brine it up as a grievance. 18. The Chairman.] When was it abolished ?—lt was abolished before I came into office Then, Major Gudgeon, in his last report, 1890, refers again to this examination business. He says:— The first sitting under these regulations was held last January. Forty-three competitors attended of whom twenty-four passed most creditably, for the papers were difficult but exceedingly well considered, and were'due to the kindness of H. A. Stratford, Esq., E.M., Oamaru, who volunteered his services as Police Examiner. I have promoted the four men who obtained the greatest number of marks in this examination, in order to encourage those who had the energy to read up the theory of their duty. It is not, however, intended that this promotion shall become a precedent. Then he refers to the long-service pay having been done away with. He says: I would again bring before your notice the advisability of instituting some system of pension which shall apply to at least a portion of the Police Force. We have now 400 men drawing long-service pay, of whom 295 receive Is perdiem after ten years' service, and 105 receive 6d. after five years' service. Concerning these men I have no recommendation to make at present, for it may be fairly assumed that the long-service pay was granted in lieu of Densinn

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