H.—l6b

and states that he wants the money to start a poultry-farm with. Meantime, in case of accident, Constable A addresses an ex-M.P. and solicits his interest with the Minister of Justice to secure the application being granted, and he ends his appeal with the following pregnant sentence: "/ may state J have been a staunch supporter of present Government party all my days." This from a constable who is supposed to have no politics is distinctly funny. However, Constable A is not fated to do without his poultry-farm, for the Commissioner minutes his last application, " The Hon. the Minister of Justice.—Taking into consideration this constable's conduct whilst in the service, and his previous history, I think his services can well be dispensed with, and recommend approval of his application.—W. Dinnie, Com'r. 10/4/08." The logic of this is not quite apparent, looking to the fact that the man ought to have been dismissed long since, but still the Minister approved it, and the next step was the payment to Constable A of £55 Bs. sd. as a refund of contributions from the Police Provident Fund. And now everybody ought to have been quite happy, but, unfortunately, Constable Bisto be made a scapegoat. Although his only fault has been the showing-up of Constable A as a disgrace to the Force, and perhaps the exhibition of a little personal feeling against him, and although a petition in his favour and testifying to his worth as a constable, signed by every resident in his district, is sent to" the Minister, and although telegrams in his favour are sent by Sir Robert Stout, Hon. A. T. Ngata, and others, the inexorable fiat of the Commissioner has gone forth, and the man is transferred. As would be natural, the man vigorously protests against what he terms an injustice in being sent to a much inferior station, and asks for a public inquiry. He is severely reprimanded, and is fined £1, and has to transfer. I have dealt with this case at length for two reasons—(l) to show that Mr. Arnold's statement was substantially true, and the Commissioner's reply not a fair statement of the real facts; and (2) because it is one of the most glaring instances that I have come across of inept administration. This sort of thing does a lot of harm. Its effect is not confined to one locality—the immediate locality of the surroundings : the facts are known and spoken of throughout the Force The evidence has disclosed the fact that the relations between the Commissioner and at least two of his senior Inspectors are, and have been for some time, of such a nature as to raise the presumption that, if allowed to continue, the efficiency and discipline of a certain section of the Force will inevitably suffer. These unsatisfactory relations found their echo, if I may so express it, amongst other members of different grades in the same centres. At Dunedin Inspector O'Brien spoke with a considerable degree of bitterness of the Commissioner and all his works, and his attitude was reflected in that of several other members of the Force there of all ranks. In his evidence in Auckland Inspector Cullen clearly showed that he does not see eye to eye with the Commissioner in matters of administration, and he spoke very freely on points that he thought affected the efficiency of the Force. Amongst other things he expressed very strong disapproval of the Headquarters Staff as at present constituted. But in this he said no more than others have said elsewhere. . The Commissioner, in giving his evidence in Wellington, specially referred to this in the following terms : " I am afraid that the Inspector at Auckland, in disparagingly referring to the Headquarters Staff, allowed his personal animus to overcome his better judgment. "His relations with the Chief Magistrate and Police Surgeon of his district tend to confirm this." I at once took exception to this manner of referring to Inspector Cullen's evidence, given on oath as it was, and I pointed out what I considered to be the absence of connection between Inspector Cullen's opinion of the Headquarters Staff and his lack of friendly relations with Mr. Kettle, S.M., and Dr. Sharman. The reference seemed to me to be made for an improper purpose. Mr. Dinnie then said that

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