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g IR • Nelson, 27th October, 1901. We, the undersigned, beg to lodge a complaint against Constable Burrell, of the Nelson Police Force—(l) for using obscene language in the public street, (2) for insulting Edgar Neve and Alfred Cox by striking them with his closed fist, (3) for wanting to break the peace by offering to fight five youths in the public street on the night of Friday, the 25th October. C. Neve. A. Cox. E. Burns. A. Simpson.

Police Department. From Inspector Macdonell, Grey. Eeceived 26/2/02. Subject: Alleged Immorality of Constable Durbridge (Nelson). Memoranda. Inspector Macdonell, —Please see attached report from Chief Detective McGrath. The action of the girl is scarcely consistent with abortion, and on the evidence as ip now stands Constable Durbridge cannot be accused of the offences (immorality and conspiring to procure abortion) which your report suggests, by innuendo at least.—J. B. Tunbridge, Com. 6/3/02. Noted.—E. A. Macdonell, Inspector. 23/3/02.

Detective Office, Wellington, sth March, 1902. Report of Chief Detective McGrath relative to 's Abortion (vide attached Memorandum). I beg to report that I have seen Mrs. , who states that came to hsr place as housemaid about June, 1901, from the , where she has been employed for three or four weeks. She told Mrs. that she was enceinte, and asked her if she knew of any person who would adopt her child from its birth. Shortly afterwards Mrs. says she arranged with a Mrs. , wife of a farmer at , to adopt the baby. was about a month at Mrs. when she complained of being ill one evening, and early the following morning Mrs. was called to her room, and, finding her in labour, sent for Dr. , who came at once, and a few minutes after his arrival the young woman gave birth to a stillborn child. Mrs. shortly afterwards, at Miss 's request, sent a telegram to Mrs. to the effect that was over her trouble. Mrs. says she has no reason to suspect that the young woman wilfully brought about her own miscarriage" She worked for Mrs. until the hotel was burned down. Dr. states that at the request of Mrs. he called at the Hotel at 6.30 a.m. on the 12th August, 1901, and saw , who had a miscarriage shortly after his arrival. The doctor cannot remember the probable stage of gestation, but he saw nothing to indicate that the abortion had been wilfully caused. I saw , who is now housemaid at Hotel, and her statement substantially agrees with the above. She says she was five months pregnant, and had no idea what caused the abortion. (She declined to say who was the father of the child, but stated that he was not a member of the Police Force.) , the woman referred to by the Commissioner, is a reputed abortionist, and was committed for trial here for procuring abortion, but the bill was ignored on the 7th February, 1898 (vide Gazette, 1898, page 67). J. A. McGrath, The Inspector of Police, Wellington. Chief Detective, 429.

No. 158. Police Department (Commissioner's Office), Wellington, 26th February, 1902. Memorandum for Inspector Pender, Wellington. Please see attached extract from a statement made by a of the Hotel, Nelson, and be good enough to cause , of the Hotel, Street, to be cautiously approached, with a view of getting corroboration or otherwise of the allegations contained in the statement. It is suggested that the trouble was got rid of at a near the Brunswick Hotel. Please let me know what is known re this J. B. Tunbridge, Commissioner. For the Chief Detective.—l334/02.— P. Pender. 26/2/02.

Extract from Statement of , of the Hotel, Nelson. It is quite true got into trouble in this house ; she was a servant here. She did not like to tell me of her trouble ; she told the woman next door, and requested her to tell me. She did so. When I saw the girl afterwards she at first could do nothing but scb and cry. She afterwards told me all about it, and told me Constable Durbridge got her into trouble. I knew he used to be after her since I took charge of the house, but I understand she got into trouble before I did so, and while the woman next door had charge of it. Shortly after her admission she left for Wellington ; I understand it was to try to get quit or rid of her trouble. Shortly afterwards I received a telegram saying she got quit or rid of it. Mrs. , of the Hotel, Wellington, sent me the telegram for her. I burned the telegram.