H.—l6b.

14

[A. J. MITCHELL.

6. Do you not think it is essential that an Inspector should have a knowledge of clerical work, and that he ought to go through a district office? —Undoubtedly; but that without practical knowledge would be useless to him. 7. Do you not find that men going through the clerical department have turned out better officers than those who have not passed through? —1 know one Sub-Inspector who has, but he combines practical with theoretical knowledge. 8. Is not a certain amount of training in a district office, together with training outside in uniform, essential? —Yes; but I am not sure that it follows that the man with clerical knowledge is going to prove the best policeman. 9. The Commissioner.] How are you going to get the office training if you form your office staff under a different grade? —If the solution is not to be found in making members of the clerical staff entirely free and independent of the grades and ranks of the service, I would suggest that a distinct grade be formed which would avoid their coming into competition with the uniformed police. 10. Would you shut them out from the means of ordinary promotion?—lf they choose to take that grade 1 would, but I would give increased remuneration to that service. 11. How are you going to get the training that you both agree to be essential to the best qualities of an Inspector? —In saying "essential" 1 did not desire to convey that is was indispensable, but that it would be useful for a man to have clerical knowledge. He may- obtain thai, however, without being a district clerk. 12. Mr. Dinnie.] In what way?— The education he receives before joining the service should enable him to prepare a report. 13. The Commissioner.] Some Inspectors 1 have known would make mighty poor clerks? — Of course, there are many men with the clerical experience of a lifetime who cannot write a decent hand. A great deal of the necessary knowledge is to be obtained without passing through the grade of clerk in the office. This matter of clerks in the office and the position they often take up has been a sore point with me for a long time. The position is a false one, and before a former Commission my evidence was strongly directed to the matter of district clerks dominating over station sergeants. 14. I suppose some of them run the office? —They do. 15. Mr. Dinnie.] What is your opinion as to the qualifications of the Sub-Inspector at Headquarters? —He is a most capable man, of whom I could not speak too highly. 16. The Commissioner.] 1 want you to make it quite clear if a distinction is to be drawn between these qualities as applying to the ordinary Sub-Inspector and as applying to the Chief Clerk of the Commissioner? —As to the Chief Clerk in the Commissioner's office, it would be a difficult matter to improve upon the man at present in the position; but 1 do believe it is unfair to the other Sub-Inspectors outside doing general police duty that they should have to compete with a Sub-Inspector from the office, who would claim an Inspectorship by seniority before those who have been engaged for a lifetime on general police work, all of which is taken for naught. 17. Mr. Dinnie.] They have special qualifications, otherwise they would not be able to take the position ?—Yes, for performing their duty as clerks; but they have never been outside as SuuInspectors in charge of a district. Take Sub-Inspector Donovan, it would be very difficult to say another is better than he; I should be sorry to say Inspector Wilson is better. 18. Do you not think Donovan stands as good a chance of promotion as Wilson? —I cannot say whether he is junior to Wilson or not, from memory, but supposing he is, I say it is unfair that Wilson should be promoted to the grade of Inspector before him, seeing that he has done nothing but clerical work all the time he has been in the service, while O'Donnell has been doing general duty. Wilson can have no claim to enter into competition with other Sub-Inspectors, and it is a mistake for him to hold that rank. 19. As regards the qualification of the Chief Detective at Headquarters?—He is a man who was most thorough in his work here; it is impossible to speak too highly of the way he performed his duties here. 20. The Commissioner.] You speak generally as to his abilities whilst here? —Yes. 21. Who ever called his ability into question?—lt has been questioned outside. 22. Mr. Dinnie.] Your opinion is that the office staff should be transferred to the Civil Service?—l think that would be a very good solution of the difficulty. 23. You would, then, have no objection to the clerk's minutes on papers?—lt would overcome the difficulty in regard to a junior dictating to a superior officer. I wish to emphasize the point that the competition at present existing between members of the Force engaged wholly in clerical work with men out in uniform doing general police duty is wrong. 24. It exists in other Forces?—lt may, but to argue that does not excuse the system. 25. Would you believe in a system by which men having experience in the office should go out on probation before getting higher positions?—l do not see why they should-enter into competition with policemen doing outside duty holding the rank of sergeant: if he is so treated he would be taking some other man's place. 26. But I suggested he should go out as a constable till transferred to a higher rank. I urged that district clerks should be sergeants for the reason that three-fourths of them are sergeants at present, and if five out of seven hold that rank the others are entitled to it. It is really a means to the end of getting higher remuneration. 27. The Commissioner.] You gave the impression that you do not consider it necessary for the duties that a clerk should be a sergeant, but you think if some are sergeants then all should be; and your ground was that they should receive extra remuneration on account of the duties, and if the only way to do that was by his being raised to the rank of sergeant you say it should be done?— That is exactly what I wish to convey. If a man is qualified to hold the position