H.—l6b.

46

H. H. BUTLEB.

gaol warders get fifteen days, in addition to ten days Government holidays. They also get every other Saturday afternoon and every other Sunday all day. Married men should, we think, get a higher house-allowance. At present they are allowed Is. a day, or £18 ss. a year, while gaol warders get £30, and they can live where they like, whereas we have to live within a certain distance of the police-station. We are liable to be called on at any time. In regard to passes on the railway, we get annual leave, but we can let it run on for three years. We are not allowed to take our holidays when it suits ourselves, but must take them when it suits the Inspector or the Commissioner. When we are on leave we are always on duty, and have to deal with drunks on trains, and so on; and if we see a row in the street, we have to take our part. Constable Mason forgot to say that if we cannot get free passes we would be satisfied with some concession. Every other member of the community can take a holiday at Christmas time or Easter when there are concessions on the railways, but we are not allowed to do so. We would be satisfied to be conceded excursion rates if we cannot get free passes. I wish to allude to a grievance on behalf of married men. There is a rule that all married men must go to and from their homes in uniform instead of being allowed as they used to be to keep a plain coat at the station to go home in. Some live at a considerable distance from the station, and may want to carry parcels home, or do some shopping, aud it does not look well for a constable to do his shopping in uniform. Previous to the last Commission men were allowed to wear plain clothes going home. The married men feel this very keenly, as they consider they are put down as being as bad as the men who caused the recent trouble, and cannot lie trusted to go home in plain clothes. Then, there are concessions in this respect made to certain constables who are allowed to go home in plain clothes. Not only that, but sergeants are allowed to go home in plain clothes. The married men feel very keenly about this matter, as it is very unpleasant for a married man to have to be seen speaking to his wife in the street in uniform, causing every one to take notice of a woman speaking to a policeman. 1. Station Sergeant King] Are you aware of any instructions having been issued to the constables you mention authorising them to go home in plain clothes?—No, but I understand the Inspector has given them permission to do so. 2. Are you aware that the duties of one of them are partly plain-clothes duty? —My duties are very much the same as his. 3. Are you aware that instructions have been received from the head of the Department to the effect that men making old-age pensions inquiries must do so in plain clothes?— Yes. I am Court Orderly, and very often have to interview girls in reference to maintenance cases. The Inspector gave me permission to keep a plain-clothes hat and coat at the station for such purposes, but would not allow me to come to the station in plain clothes. 4. The Commissioner] Are you aware of any dissatisfaction in the Force apart from what you mention?— There is a general feeling of dissatisfaction, but I am satisfied. The last promotions in the district office caused some dissatisfaction: Constable Lennon was junior to myself. 5. Is there any reason why the clerks in district offices should not get a show?—No; but every third or fourth constable is capable of going into the office to-morrow. 6. You think the clerks should be given a turn at uniform duty?— Yes. 7. You have a lot of clerical work to do? —Yes; I was recommended by the Inspector for the last position, but I was passid over. 8. Do you know anything about political influence?— No. 9. The men in Dunedin are fairly sober? —They are very steady. 10. And bring no discredit on the Force?— No. William Thomas Bandy, Constable, examined on oath. (No. 23.) Witness: I am a constable at the Central Dunedin Station. I entered the Force on the Ist March, 1908. 1. The Commissioner] You desire to make a statement?— Yes. It is to the effect that when a sergeant reports a constable for any breach of the regulations, the evidence of the sergeant is given greater weight than that of the constable when neither have witnesses to substantiate their evidence. 2. Are you speaking as a delegate for others, or do you simply volunteer this evidence yourself?—l am speaking for myself only. 3. Have you suffered under this yourself ?—Yes, on one occasion I was reported for alleged kicking up a row in the police billiard-room in Auckland. Sergeant Simpson reported me, and I knew nothing about the disturbance, as I was not in the room at the time. I had to produce five or six witnesses in order to save myself, while the sergeant had nothing to do but write out his report. 4. Did the Inspector hold that it was proved?—He said he would dismiss the case this time, but that he did not give much weight to the evidence of my witnesses. The sergeant said he saw me in the billiard-room himself. 5. Who were your witnesses?— Police officers. 6. We will call for the papers, and see what were the facts?— There was also another case, where a constable was fined for a breach of the regulations which he had not committed at all. It was the case of Constable Power, .who was reported by Sergeant Anson for being off his beat; it was when I was stationed at Auckland. He was not off his beat, as I was speaking to him at the time. 7. Did you give evidence?— No. 8. Why did he not call you?—l suppose he had not the heart, or something.