92

H.—2

rank all third-class constables who had seven years' service in the Force with only one trivial entry in their defaulter's sheets, and these promotions no doubt caused some dissatisfact.on In a Police Force the fact of a constable having a clean defaulter's sheet should not be the only qualification for promotion, as there are so many different contingencies which should be taken into consideration For examp c, two constables join at the same time- one is posted to a city, the other goes to the country. The city man is open to all_ sorts of temptations, which are wanting in the country station, while he is constantly under the eyes of his superiors, and consequently more liable to have an entry recorded against him in his sheet which would at once debar him from promotion; wh le W more fortunate comrade in the suburban or country station, though perhaps by no means so efficient a constable, would be far less likely to sufficiently commit himself to cause an entry to be made against him and would thereby claim advancement before the one who had been less advantageously situated. Again, the public generally especially in small communities, are apt to think that their local constable is par excellence as near perfection aTposs ib i and ought at once to be promoted, quite forgetting that the police is a colonial and not a local Force The* Commissioner'! object should be to make the members of the Force smart, capable officers we 1 versed in al that pertains to the prevention and detection of crime, instead of as nearly automatic as it is possible to make them out unless these matters are left to the independent discretion of him who is appointed to administer the Act, injustice will be done, which can only tend to create dissatisfaction and discouragement generally, and destroy an esprit de corps which is so necessary to the well-being and efficiency of a Police Force. 89 Mr Taylor.] Does Colonel Hume still say that these promotions were not indiscriminate ? —I say they were not indiscriminate; they were discriminate promotions distinctly. There were certain conditions, and all the men who fulfilled these conditions were promoted. 90. I want to establish the right of a number of men to feel discontented, Colonel Hume !— 1 say here these promotions caused discontent. 91 They were not made on your advice ? —No ; and I wanted the men to clearly understand that Then I think there was another protest about the promotions of Clerks of Court. 92 Can you remember whether McGill's special promotion from third to first class was gazetted as is the usual custom ?—I do not think it would be gazetted in that way. 93 But being a special promotion, ought it not to have been gazetted'?—lt was not tor meritorious conduct. It was because he was employed in the Commissioner's office. lam quite sure it would not be gazetted in the way you mean, and I am sure his promotion was not lor meritorious conduct, else it would be in his record of merit. ~«.„. i i no t * 93a. Can you remember any public man approaching you on McCnll s behalf !— l cannot reme 94. e Youdo not remember who his friends at court were ?—No. [Evidence in reference to Constable McGill continued later in this day's proceedings. (See p. 94).] _ 95. Have you the papers in connection with Sergeant Paul Shirley ; what rank does he hold ! —Second-class sergeant. 96. Where is he stationed ?—At Dunedin. _ 97. When was he made second-class sergeant ?—On the Ist May, 1884 ; and he is still a secondclass sergeant. . . . „ 98 He was passed over when the promotions to first-class sergeants were being made I— Yes. 99' What was the reason for his being passed over?—l did not like the way he was performing his duty. I thought him very slack, and there was also a divorce case pending against 100 Was that case prosecuted ?—I do not know whether it is over. It was put off for some time I did put him in charge of Mount Cook Station as soon as I had opened it, and as it was an important station where young constables on joining were trained, I did not think he was training them as well as I cared about, so I transferred him down to Dunedin. 101. Was there not some special reason over and above that general one for his transfer I—l do not think so. ~ . , . . ... , ~ 102. Of your own knowledge, did you not know he was living a grossly immoral lite at Mount Cook Station ?—No. 103 Was it not reported to you ?—No ;I do not think it would be possible. 104 What difficulty in the training of young constables did you refer to ?—I wanted to make Mount Cook Station a depot, if possible, and I wanted one of the best sergeants I could get to take charge of it. 105 Could Shirley not attend to his clerical duties?— Yes. 106. Did he know his drill ?—He was not training the young constables properly ;he was not taking the trouble. He was simply slack, and was not the sort of man to take over the work. 107. What was his reputation so far as his sobriety was concerned?—l do not think there is any charge against him. _ . 108 Do you not regard him as a man of loose habits ?—Not so far as liquor is concerned. 109 So far as women are concerned?—l cannot prove anything against him. That is a question you should put to Mr. Pender, because the man was under him. 110 Under what circumstances was he retransferred from Dunedm to Wellington or Ohnstchurch, I am not sure which ?—I cannot say till I see the papers. lam referring to when he went from Wellington to Dunedm, and he is in Dunedin still. 111. He is in Dunedin now, but he was away from Dunedm for a year?—He came up to Mount Cook Station from Dunedin, and was then sent back to Dunedin. 112. The Chairman.] What date was that ?—Eoughly speaking, about a year ago. 113 Mr. Taylor.] Do you remember what were the circumstances connected with his transfer from Dunedin to Weliington to take charge of the Mount Cook Station ?—Because he was a bachelor sergeant when the station was opened. 114. I would like the correspondence that passed between the Dunedin Inspector and the department on the occasion of his transfer back to Dunedin ?—I will get it. 115. Have you Sergeant Henry McArdle's papers?— Yes. ~.,,, 116 What communication did the department receive in regard to Sergeant McArdle s connection with a fruit-stealing case ; how did the matter come before the department ?—There are a lot