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376. You think it a good scheme ?—Yes. 377. Are you a friendly society man ?—I used to be. 378. You have a pretty good knowledge of friendly society finance that would enable you to judge of the scheme pretty well ?—I think the scheme is a pretty good one. We worked it out all right, and at the end of the tenth year, after paying a hundred pensions, we had over £80,000 to our credit. I worked it out in this way :in 1892, there were six men in the force aged fifty-four. Well, their pension would become due in 1898. These six pensions would be paid out of the fund the first year it opened. In 1899 there would be thirteen pensions, and so on. 379. Mr. Poynton.] Do you allow for mortality ? —We allowed that at the end of ten years out of 103 there would be twelve deaths, so that at the end of ten years we would be paying ninetyone pensions, and we would have a balance of £81,000. 380. The Chairman.] What was to become of this £80,000 ? —That would have been sufficient then. The interest on the £80,000 and the contributions from the men would have been sufficient to pay ninety-one pensions without touching the capital at all. 381. You did not propose to refund the £20,000 ? —No. Of course, it is no use talking about a pension fund without a lump sum to start with. 382. Mr. Taylor.] You want a lump sum to make up for those men who have only paid into the fund for a short time and would have to retire on account of age ?—That is so. Men that have only paid in for five years would get a pension. 383. Colonel Pitt.] The £20,000 was to be invested ?—Yes ; the whole fund would be invested to the best advantage. 384. The Chairman.] You have said nothing about rewards. Have you any remarks to make about the existing system of rewards for merit?—l think the reward system is all right. Men get rewards when they do anything out of the way. 385. You think it works satisfactorily?—l think so. 385 a. Mr. Taylor.] Do you not think if a superannuation scheme were established it would be a good thing to abolish rewards and put the whole of the money into the fund ? —I do not think it would make much difference. It was suggested that the reward fund should form part of the pension fund; but Ido not think it would matter much one way or the other. 386. The distribution of rewards creates a great deal of dissatisfaction amongst the men ?—I do not know; I have not heard any growling about it. 387. The Chairman.] Would you suggest the abolition of rewards for special services?—>No; I think they are very necessary. 388. You think the rewards have been liberal enough to encourage special efforts—l mean rewards for criminal discovery ?—I do not think they have erred on the side of liberality, but they have been fairly distributed. 389. Mr. Poynton.] You think they have a good effect ? —Yes. John Timothy Foley, examined on oath. 390. The Chairman.] What is your position in the Force?— Third-class constable, stationed at Manners Street, Wellington. I joined the Permanent Militia on the 29th July, 1890, on the understanding that I would get transferred to the police in my turn when a vacancy occurred in the police. 391. And when were you transferred?—l did not get my turn, and was not transferred until the 27th December, 1892, although men who had joined about eighteen months after me were transferred before me. I was transferred to the police, and started in this city. 392. Colonel Pitt.] Have you got your discharge from the Permanent Militia?— Yes; here it is. 393. It shows conduct "very good" ?—Yes. I started in this city, and was placed in charge of Manners Street Station in July, 1894, having done street duty in Wellington up to that time. The station at the time was unfit for occupation, and I had to pay my own house-rent. I did the duties at the station alone until June, 1896, when another constable was sent to assist me. We did the duties between us, relieving one another until the station was rebuilt at the end of 1897. Neither of us was in charge of the other. We both directed our own correspondence to the Central Station. Neither of us was subordinate to"the other. When the station was rebuilt my comrade got it. 394. The Chairman.] When was he put in charge ? —At the end of 1897. 394 a. What is your comrade's name? —Constable Cairns. He was then placed in charge, and I was to act under him. I then applied to be relieved of my duties in the following communication :" I beg to state that, as Constable Cairns has taken charge of the Manners Street Station, I am anxious to be relieved of my duties there, as I am anxious to be attached to the Central or any other station." I was told verbally that the application could not be entertained. 395. You remained there ? —I am still there. I have reason to think that it is through the animosity of the present Inspector of Police and the late Commissioner that I am treated in this manner. 396. Mr. Poynton.] Have you any evidence in support of that ?—I have evidence. I made a complaint to my Inspector some time previously, and himself and the Commissioner combined against me, and made all sorts of charges against me. 397. The Chairman.] You were there first ?—Yes. 398. And Cairns was placed on equal terms with you ?—Yes. 399. And when it became necessary to select one, Cairns was selected ?—Yes. 400. And it was due, you say, to the animosity of the present Inspector and the late Commissioner ?—Yes. 401. Will you proceed to state what reason you have to feel aggrieved at this ?—Here is a copy of the complaint I made on the 28th January, 1896. There were convictions recorded against me,