tt.— 2

88

September, 1873, " Absenting himself from barracks without leave from 11 p.m. to 2.40 a.m. Seduced two steps in the list in which his name stands, and if again guilty of such a wilful breach of discipline will be more severely dealt with." On the 4th July, 1874, " Absent from a fire on Mr. Hayes's premises, Princes Street". Constable Henderson's excuse is unsatisfactory." I suppose that means he was reprimanded. On the 24th April, 1875, "Contravening the regulations of the Force by allowing a stranger into barracks and drinking with stranger. Severely reprimanded." On the 30th April, 1875, " Contravening the regulations of the Force, by assembling in Constable Doran's room at midnight and having a bottle of brandy there at the time. Severely reprimanded." On the 22nd November, 1875, " Being under the influence of drink at 8.45 p.m. when required for duty. Severely reprimanded, and but for his previous good conduct would be reduced in rank." _ On the 17th to the 19th December, 1880, " Committing an error of judgment in carrying out his duties connected with Begina v. J. Connell, charged with larceny from the dwelling of Timothy Hayes, at Kensington. Severely reprimanded." On the 19th January, 1893, " Altering charge of larceny in a dwelling, against Catherine Clifford, to that of simple larceny. Severely reprimanded and cautioned." Then the other and last entry was the one for which he was dismissed. It was on the sth October, 1897, " Guilty of improper conduct in Provincial Hotel, Christchurch, on the sth October, 1897. Dismissed." Then there is an entry in his sheet, "Beinstated, second-class detective, with pay as such from the 10th December, 1897." Now, his merit-sheet reads as follows: " 30th July, 1870: For arrest of Daniel Mann, charged on warrant with two cases of larceny; reward, £2. 17th December, 1877 : Acknowledgment of promptitude and tact displayed by him in the arrest of William Hamilton and William Hayward, convicted of larceny, and recovery of stolen property; reward, £5. sth June, 1878 : Prompt and praiseworthy action shown by him in effecting the arrest of Charles Bilson, sentenced to two years' hard labour, for stealing clothes from Pier Hotel, Dunedin; reward, £2. 4th June, 1879 : Eecognition of zeal shown in connection with the arrest of William Wallace, sentenced at Supreme Court, Dunedin, to twelve months' hard labour for stealing £128 from the person, and for the recovery of £113 14s. lid. of the stolen money; reward, £7. sth November, 1879: For laudable zeal shown by him in connection with arrest and prosecution of William Burnard, sentenced at Supreme Court, Christchurch, to six years' penal servitude for sheep-stealing; reward, £5._ 14th July, 1880: For services in recovering Mrs. Louisa Deßeer's jewellery, value £66 10s., which was stolen from her dwellinghouse in Dunedin; reward, £2. 13th December, 1882 :In recognition of his services in connection with the prosecution of Bobert Provi, James Henry Walters, John Green, and Thomas Burnett, fined £25, £15, and £5 respectively for breach of the Gaming and Lotteries Act; reward, £3. 23rd April, 1884 : For arrest of John McDonnell for deserting from the barque "Boman"; reward, £5. 18th March, 1885: In recognition of his services in arrest and prosecution of two Chinese, fined £5 and costs for keeping a common gaming-house, and eighteen other Chinese, fined Is. each and costs for having been found without lawful excuse in said gaming-house ; reward, £5. Ist April, 1885 : In recognition of his services in connection with and recovery of gold watch and appendages stolen from Thomas Bobert Gardner, and arrest and prosecution of Charles Peterson, sentenced to six months for stealing same; reward, £2 10s. 28th October, 1885 :In recognition of his zealous and praiseworthy exertions in connection with the arrest and prosecution of Ah Lee, sentenced to death at the October, 1880, sitting of the Supreme Court, Dunedin, for the murder of Mary Young at Kyeburn ; reward, £5. 3rd February, 1886 :In recognition of his zeal and ability shown in connection with the arrest and prosecution of Charles Boland and William Wilson, sentenced at Supreme Court, Dunedin, to two years for conspiracy to cheat; reward, £2 10s. 28th April, 1886 : For having promptly and effectually arranged for a watch to be kept on property which was supposed would be fraudulently removed and disposed of, belonging to the Colonial Bank; reward, £2 2s. 16th February, 1887 : Long service of not less than fourteen years' continuous service, and who has not had any entry in his defaulter's sheet for three years prior to the completion of the above period ; long-service medal. 28th September, 1887 : In recognition of his services in connection with the prosecution of Margaret Mordin and Ellen Winthrop, fined 10s. and costs each for stealing post-and-rail fencing from Dunedin Town Belt; reward, £5 (from Dunedin Borough Council). 17th August, 1887 :In recognition of his very creditable conduct in connection with the detection, arrest, and prosecution of John Atkinson, Daniel Berry, and John Hunter, sentenced on the 7th July, 1887, at Supreme Court, Dunedin—the former to four years'_ and the latter to three years' penal servitude —for assault and robbery; reward, a record of merit. 29th August, 1888 : For arrest of John Davis, Albert Bussell, and John Sumpter Land, sentenced to one month's hard labour each for stealing cargo on board barque at Dunedin ; reward, £1 13s. 4d. 10th April, 1889: For arrest and prosecution of John Horan, John Cunningham, Andrew Dawson, and James Myall, convicted at Supreme Court, Dunedin, for stealing from person ; Horan and Cunningham sentenced to twelve months' hard labour, Dawson to two years', and Myall to three years' penal servitude; reward, £1. 1894: Eecovering a quantity of stolen platinum, and conviction of thieves; reward £12 10s. (Kempthorne, Prosser, and C 0.)." Those are all the entries. 50. The rewards were given very lavishly ?—I cannot say. They were not in my time. 51. You think they were given very lavishly years ago, compared with the way they are given now ?—Undoubtedly. 52. I will ask Colonel Hume now to tell the Commission the circumstances connected with an incident that occurred at a hotel in Dunedin, the papers of which are on the file ?—There was a sub-leader apparently in the Tuapeka Times of Saturday, the 9th May, 1891, as follows :— It was about the grey dawn of last Sabbath morning in one of our most sumptuous and high-toned hotels. Suddenly the stillness was broken by the sound of feet hurrying through the spacious corridors, and then the voice of mine host was heard in angry altercation demanding admittance into a certain chamber. " Open the door instantly or I'll smash it in." And then the tenants of the adjacent rooms were aroused from their slumbers, and wondering what the unusual tumult could be about, doors were cautiously opened and sleepy-looking heads thrust out. Then more servants came hurrying along the spacious passages to swell the little group that stood round the mysterious