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359. When were you made a first-class constable? —On my transfer from Dunedin to Wellington. 360. Then, you were first-class when you were appointed district clerk ?—Yes. 361. Then, you did get a rise on coming here ?—lt was an Irishman's rise, because you gave me 6d. per day and took away Is. per day. 362. I made you a first-class constable? —Yes. 363. And promotion is what most men seek after?—l like the cash best. 364. You have the pay now?—l have just got the pay now I had when I came from Dunedin. 365. Do you get any special allowance at all here?—l get the same allowance here as they all get—los. per week house-allowance. 366. Colonel Pitt.] What was the 17s. per week that you lost ? —When I came up here I drew the ordinary allowance of district clerks in the four centres— namely, 10s. per week houseallowance, and Is. per day clerical allowance. After a short time it was accidentally brought under the notice of Colonel Hume, and he said I was not entitled to any allowance at all, and struck off both allowances. 367. Mr. Taylor.] Is it customary, Mr. Wright, for citizens to send presents to members of the Force at Christmas time ? —I have never known of such a thing. 368. Have you never known of such a present as grog being sent to the Wellington barracks at Christmas time ? —I have never known of such a thing here or anywhere else. 369. Mr. Poynton.] What is the procedure of making a complaint against a constable ;is the custom uniform ?—I think so. 370. Suppose a constable is charged with being under the influence of liquor, or some other offence, is a record of the offence kept?— Yes, in all cases. Nothing is destroyed. 371. Is the evidence written by the Inspector, or the clerk?—By the Inspector as a rule. 372. Of course complaints that are dismissed do not appear on the defaulter's sheet ?—They have been put on in some districts. It is not the rule, and they should not be there. 373. The defaulters' sheets in many cases do not contain all charges which have been dismissed, and generally nothing goes on the defaulters' sheets unless there is a conviction, so that the defaulters' sheets will show all convictions ? —Yes. 374. Mr. Tunbridge.] Following up Mr. Poynton's questions, I should like to go a little deeper into the system of inquiry into complaints : Is it a rule that all witnesses who testify for or against a constable are examined in the presence of the constable ?—Certainly. The same procedure is carried out as in any Court, except that witnesses are not put on oath. 375. And the constable is given an opportunity to cross-examine each witness ?—Yes. 376. Are the questions and answers taken down ? —Yes. 377. Mr. Poynton.] Under what circumstances may a constable demand the right to have his case heard before a Magistrate ?—lt is a matter for the Inspector. 378. Do you know if there is any dissatisfaction amongst the Force as to the procedure about complaints ? —I do not know that I have ever heard of any. I have heard it said sometimes that the regulations seem to be rather one-sided. Jambs Abmishaw was examined on oath. 379. Mr. Taylor.] Are you working in Wellington as a labourer now ?—I am a brick-kiln man in Tonks's brickyard. 380. When were you working in Christchurch ?—I left last June, in 1897. 381. Whilst you were in Christchurch were you working at the Al Hotel?— Yes. 382. Who was landlord then?— Mr. George Collier. 383. What was your position then?—l was assistant barman, and I did anything else there was to do. 384. What was the custom at that house so far as Sunday trading was concerned ; were any of the employes on duty on Sunday, watching, so that the house should not be surprised ?—I used to get ss. every Sunday when on the watch. 385. The Chairman.] What wq,s your weekly wage?—£l. 386. Mr. Taylor.] Was that as a safeguard against the police ? —Yes; the police were getting too smart, so Mr. Collier thought of getting electric bells put on, and they were put on outside the door and on the gates. 387. Was the provision made by way of electric bells about the building to enable you to alarm the landlord ?—Yes; they had a bell under the window-ledge on the street, at the corner of Cashel Street and Colombo Street, connecting with the house, and if a sergeant or constable came along on Sunday, I touched the button to warn the people inside. 388. Did the instruction apply to all the policemen; did you take the same notice of any police officers, or did you know any of them?—l knew all of them. 389. Did you give the alarm for all policemen? —For any new policeman I gave the alarm, or if I had doubts about a policeman I gave the alarm ; but in the case of those we knew properly we knew it was all right. 390. What do you mean by those you " knew properly "? Did any of the men frequent the house ? —Oh, yes, a lot of them. 391. What for?— They used to come in at 6 o'clock, and have beer and whiskey, or whatever they liked. I was always told to give the constables what they wanted, but not in excess, and never to charge them for it. 392. Was this during the day-time ? —Yes ; I was not on in the night-time. 393. Was that at 6 o'clock in the evening?—No, in the morning, when they came on relief, after I opened the doors.