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1040. The cases I referred to were where men were sick in their own homes ? —Legitimate sickness ? 1041. Yes, ordinary sickness. Of course, cases in hospital are very few?— Yes. 1042. I think you will admit cases of ordinary sickness are rather heavy?— Yes, that is so. Influenza especially, in Wellington, and a good deal of typhoid fever. 1043. In the populous centres as many as five and six men have been on sick-leave at one time ?—Yes, certainly, as many as six have been on the sick-list at one time. 1044. That is, of course, only on occasions ? —Yes. 1045. Colonel Pitt.'] Not an average ?—Oh, no. 1046. Mr. Tunbridge.] There are many men who belong to benefit societies ?—Yes, I do not know whether there are so many since this insurance business has been introduced. There were a good many before that. 1047. For all you know they still keep up their payments ?—Yes. 1048. A man who is a member of a friendly society, when he is sick and doing no work, is somewhere about 15s. a week better off than when he is at work ?—Quite so. 1049. In other words, if he is an unscrupulous man, there is a premium on malingering ? —Yes, but that would be stopped by having a police surgeon. I might add that I will say this for the men : I do not think there is much malingering. 1050. Colonel Pitt.] Are these police regulations satisfactory, in your opinion, or do they require amendment ?—They require amendment. They are very old. They came out in 1886. There are several amendments required. 1051. Mr. Poynton.] Coming back to the outside officers, Colonel, do not the police look to the country stations with the increased emolument for these offices as a promotion and reward for good conduct ? —Yes. 1052. And for superior education ?—Yes. 1053. And for old men who, I suppose, are unfit for street duty after a certain time ?—■ Quite so. 1054. And would not that incentive be taken away if you abolished the pay ?—Yes. 1055. They are all married men in charge of stations ? —Yes, they must be married men. 1056. The Chairman.] Do you say if this system were altered the incentive to good conduct would be taken away ?—Yes, and also it would be an injustice to the older men. 1057. You wish these country stations to be regarded as rewards for length of service, or special service, which is it ? —Length of service, I should say. 1058. That is, something in addition to the proposal to increase their pay for length of service ? —Yes. I am speaking now as the Force is constituted at the present moment. Captain John Coleman, examined on oath. 1. The Chairman.] What is your office ?—I am captain in the Permanent Artillery, stationed at Wellington. 2. How long have you been in the service?— Twenty-three years and six months. 3. In the New Zealand Government service ? —Yes; I joined October, 1874. 4. For some years it has been the rule to recruit the Police Force of the colony from the Permanent Force ?—Yes. 4a. Can you tell us the mode by which the recruiting for the police is carried out ?—As far as we knew, they were taken from the list of members of the Permanent Artillery who are candidates for employment in the civil branch of the Force. 5. And by whom selected ? —lt would be impossible for me to say. The order would come from the Under-Secretary of Defence, at the request, I presume, of the Commissioner of Police. 6. Did any recommendation as to the suitability of the men go from you, or from the officers of your corps?— Only as regards height and physique. Their character would be shown on their defaulter's sheet. 7. Colonel Hume.] With reference to your last answer, do you see all the documents sent in to the Defence Office by the officer commanding the battery ? —No ; I may happen to be absent at the time, but there is nothing to prevent me seeing them if I am present. 8. The Chairman.] Who is in command of the battery ? —Major Messenger. He has been in command for the last twelve years. 9. Colonel Hume.] Supposing a third-class gunner—say John Brown—sent in a respectful request to the officer commanding the battery that he would recommend him to be transferred to the police, what would happen then ?—The officer commanding the battery might recommend him if he thought him. really suitable, or he might simply forward his application for the consideration of the Commissioner —this is the usual course. 10. But just now you said there were no recommendations?—He might forward and recommend it, or simply forward it—this is the usual course adopted. 11. The Chairman.] You have known of such cases in which the men have applied to the officer to recommend them ?—They always do. That is the invariable rule, and if the man is an exceptionally good man the officer will say " Eecommended," or he might say " Strongly recommended." He might, but very seldom. 12. Colonel Pitt.] He must give some recommendation?— Only "Forwarded for the consideration of the Commissioner." 13. Colonel Hume.] Can you tell the Commissioners whether the fact of taking gunners from the Permanent Artillery for the police has been found detrimental to the Permanent Artillery force? —The Permanent Artillery officer looks at it from two points of view : as regards the advantage of having police constables sufficiently up in their drill to be able to be moved in case of necessity; but continually taking them from the Permanent Artillery he looks upon as a worry—it