H.—l6b

48

J. FOX

1. The Commissioner] Something of the sort may yet be evolved, of course. Have you tested them at all?— No. With regard to holidays, at present we are only allowed twelve days' leave annually, and generally we have to take those days when it suits the Department. At Christmas and Easter time the constables are most required in the towns, and often we cannot get away when we want. Taking this into consideration, and the fact that the gaol warders are allowed more holidays, we think we are reasonably entitled to five or six days extra. The gaol w r arders, I believe, are allowed fifteen days annually, as well as eight or ten public holidays. We get a Sunday off every five or six weeks, and we think, if a different arrangement were made, we might get a Sunday off more frequently—that is, if the district clerks took their turn at Sunday duty. They are paid more wages than the constables, and they work only seven hours a day. They are off every Saturday afternoon and Sunday, and their work is much easier than that of the constable. Constable Butler, who is Court orderly, and Constable Edwards, the police photographer, do not have regular teat duty, but still they take their turn on Sunday, and we do not see why the cerks should not do the same. That would give the constables extra Sundays off. Beat-duty constables have a good deal of overtime to do. They have their ordinary eight hours on the street, and if there is an arrest made, or anything arises during the night which requires reporting, though they are not off until 5 o'clock in the morning, they have to get up at 9.30 and be at the Court at 10, and probably te at the Court for an hour, and, of course, their sleep is broken. They have to be on duty, again at 9 o'clock at night all the same. 2. How- do you propose to remedy that? —I can see it would be difficult to remedy. 3. Do you think that practice interferes with the discharge of his duties by the constable— that he may overlook things which he otherwise would not?—l am quite sure of it. He would prefer not to have his sleep broken. There is another grievance existing here. On the last day of each month there is pay and parade at 2.15 p.m., and there is drill from 3 to 4 o'clock, which has (o be done in the constables' own time. They have to go on duty again from sto 9, and have to get up at 4.30 the following morning. The drill is ordinary squad drill, and most of the men think the drill unnecessary, as most of the movements that are necessary we repeat every time we go on duty. Then, the officers who are intrusted with this drill have been themselves drilled under the old system, and they get mixed up between that system and the new, and the result is confusion. 4. Who conducts the drill?— Sometimes the Sub-Inspector and sometimes the station sergeant. I do not want to cast any reflection upon those officers. 5. You think it would be better to have a special drill-instructor?— Yes, otherwise it is a waste of time. There is a certain constable here who has passed the age of promotion, and he and some others have asked me to suggest that the rank of senior constable should be again introduced. This would afford some recompense for long service. 6. Is it asked that there should te any increase in pay?—No, it is just a question of status. 7. Do you mean that every man over fifty years of age in the Force should rank as senior constable?—No, only those men whose conduct would entitle them to it. 8. In this case you are not speaking on behalf of the Force?—No, although I should not object to it myself. The matter has not been considered by the Force as a whole. Then, with regard to promotion, there is a feeling that the district clerks have brighter prospects than have the constables on the street ; and, again, some of the constables consider they are looked down upon by these men when they are put into office. 9. They are comrades, are they not?—No, they seem to have been removed into a different sphere when they leave the ranks of the police. Personally, I have not experienced any different treat ment from them, but the general impression is that they are considered above the men in the street. Many of the constables consider they are just as capable of carrying out the duties of clerks as are the men in the office. 10. Have you any ambition to be placed in the office? —I should like it, of course, but have never applied. There are constables senior to me who have applied, but there does not seem to te much chance to get in. 11. You seem to be well qualified. Your handwriting is good, and you are able to put your words together very well, and I wonder you have not applied?—T have never given the matter serious consideration. Perhaps it is want of ambition on my part. 12. Is it considered that there is any favouritism shown in the selection of men for district clerks?—l can give no personal grounds for thinking so, but it seems to me that generally there is favouritism shown. Concerning promotions generally, there is a very unpleasant feeling amongst the Force and some of the outside public that if a constable happens to be a member of a Masonic lodge or an Orange lodge his chances of promotion are brighter than they otherwise would be. I do not like to mention this, but, in accordance with the oath I have taken, I think 1 should. Ido not know how this feeling originated. I think myself it may have originated in the columns of a newspaper widely circulating throughout the Dominion, and if the Commission will give an assurance publicly that there are uo grounds for such a feeling it will ease the minds of a good many of the men in the Force. The newspaper T refer to is the New Zealand Truth. 13. In what particular direction is it considered this favouritism is shown?—ln the appointment of men to what are known as soft jobs—office jobs, and so forth. I am not even prepared to say that there are any grounds for such an impression. 14. Mr. Dinnie] Do you not think 11 o'clock is quite late enough for the men to te in their quarters and have their lights out?— Generally I think it is; and personally I am in bed. as a rule, before that tijne. 15. Is it not necessary, do you think, that the men should be in by that hour—lo.3o—and have the lights out at 11, and that the officers should know they are there, if discipline is to be maintained ?—Yes.