.1. FOX.]

H.—l6b

16. With regard to a constable wanting to go to the theatre, as you know, he can do so by applying for late leave; and I understand you have no special grievance in that connection? —No. 1 have explained the little difficulty from the men's point of view. 17. You suggest the men should enter their names in a book before retiring, in order to obviate the necessity of a sergeant coming round and flashing his bull's-ey< the men when they are asleep : do you think that would be a safe method of ascertaining whether the men are there? It was only a suggestion. Ido not know whether it could be carried out or not. 18. With regard to the district clerks, they, of course, wear plain clothes : perhaps that has something to do with the feeling of jealousy on the part of the uniform men ?—I could not say. I have no feeling of jealousy towards them myself. 19. And the extra shilling a day to the clerks is practically plain-clothes allowance?— Yes; but I would point out that while our uniform costs only about £2 a year, the plain-clothes allowance to the clerks amounts to £18 ss. a year. 20. With regard to the constables having to appear at Court in the morning in the event of an arrest after they have been up all night, I suppose your suggestion is that they should sometimes be allowed off at night—say, the following night?— Yes; I would my that the officers here are very reasonable, and that sometimes a man is allowed off under such circumstances. 21. The Commissioner] I suppose it is one of the drawbacks of the service. You cannot keep the business of the Court waiting until a man has finished his sleep? —Yes. I have no practical suggestion to make in regard to it. _ 22. With regard to Inspector O'Brien's evidence yesterday, do you know anything about what he called the "useful man"?—l had not heard of it before that. Since then some of the constables have expressed surprise that I had not heard of it. They evidently had done so. 23. Do you think the carrying-out of some of the suggestions made by you would tend to make the Force more attractive to recruits? —Y r es; that was the object of my suggestions. 24. Have you heard the question of political influence discussed? —Yes, I know there is a feeling that political influence has a great deal to do with promotion, but lam not able point to any instance myself. I have never heard any man say he had political influence. It is just an impression that exists ; I cannot say why. _ 25. Are you satisfied with the local conditions—administration, and so on: are you fairly treated?—l am perfectly satisfied. 26. Are you married? —No. 27. Are You satisfied with your quarters at the barracks?— They are all right. 28 What kind of bed do you sleep in ?—We have to supply our own beds now. We use some of the old bedsteads that are still there, and we supply the rest ourselves, including the spring 29. What does it cost you, on an average, for messing in the barracks?— About £2 12s. 6d. a month, or about 13s. a week. 30. Do you live well for that? —Oh, yes, fairly well. George Bennet Edwards, Constable, examined on oath. (No. 25.) Witness: lam a constable stationed at the Central Dunedin station. I joined the Force on the Ist May, 1905. lam not here as a delegate, nor do I come with any grievance of my own. 1 am simply' taking advantage of your invitation to come here and show that there is dissatisfaction in the Force in general. Ido not think there is any use in my going over the questions which have been already threshed out. The dissatisfaction is most profound as regards promotion, and in the instances I am going to give I do not wish to mention names, but will hand you in the list. " V " joined on the Ist December, 1906, and was sent to Auckland a month or two later, and was appointed to the district office. When that man was in the depot in Wellington he was recognised by the men as the dunce of the batch. 1 The Commissioner] Educationally or intellectually?— Both. I have this from his depot mates "B " joined on the same day. Commenced duty in Wellington, and was then transferred to Greymouth Ido not know what services he had at either place. He was then transferred to Dunedin and on the Ist July, 1908, he was sent as mounted constable to an out station where there is 'only a sergeant and another constable. " C," who joined on the Ist September, 190(, after five or six months' service was transferred as second man to a country station. In the case of " D " who joined on the 18th June, 1907, at Auckland, he did not, 1 understand, go through the depot at all Ido not know when he was mounted, but he was nine months later to my knowledge He was called upon to resign on the 28th February, 1909. The last two are constables, and this is connected with dissatisfaction in the Force generally, and has nothing to do with promot ion They came from another country, and when they had teen a few weeks in New Zealand they were sworn in and transferred to some station. One joined on the 31st March, 1908, and left" on the 30th November the same year; and the other left on the 22nd December the same year. It is a cause of dissatisfaction amongst the men, more especially the colonials, that ox-constables from oversea should come to New Zealand and get sworn in at a moment's notice, even when they have no credentials as to education and so on, while colonials who have had their applications in for two or three years fail to get taken on. , . 2 Can you'give any instances?—ln my own case, my application was in for only eight or nine months'before I was appointed; but I consider myself fortunate. There are, however, three constables in my batch who had their applications in for something like two or three years; while another man who applied at the same time, and who had been only three months in New Zealand, was sworn in, and he is now second man at a country station. I would suggest that no man should

7—H. 16b.

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