T. O'BBIEN.

53

H.—l6b.

28. In taking an untried man you are liable to get a blabber?— That is so; but 1 say an Inspector should not be compelled to take any constable into his office to assist the district clerk until he has known him for a period of at least two years. 29. Is the selection of the men absolutely in your discretion?— No. 30. You recommend?—l do not recommend. If a constable makes application for appointment in a district clerk's office, I submit the application to the Commissioner, with my own remarks. 31. Why wait for the men to apply? —I do not if 1 have the selection of the men myself; but as soon as a vacancy occurs in my office the Commissioner sends me a man from some other part of the Dominion. The last two vacancies in my office, the Commissioner sent me two men from other places—strangely enough, they were two brothers: the first was an absolute failure, the second one I have not had long enough to say anything about. 32. You advocate having the right of selection amongst your own men?—lt seems to me in every district the Inspector, if he keeps his eyes about him, can find suitable men for his own office amongst his own staff. 33. There is no difficulty whatever in adequately filling the position?— Not the slightest. 34. You know that this state of things has led to a considerable amount of dissatisfaction? —I know it does, aud also causes embarrassment to the service. 35. It could te virtually overcome by giving the Inspector a free hand?— Yes, and a man should te known to the Inspector for at least two years before being allowed to go into the district office. 36. Let me quite understand : say a vacancy occurs in your office, and you are aware it is about to.occur before it actually occurs; if simultaneously with your knowledge of the vacancy being about to occur you forward a couple of names, of men you strongly recommend for appointment, what is done with them, or do you do it?—No; in my own case the Commissioner has filled the vacancy as soon as it became vacant. 37. But have you ever forwarded the names of any of your men to fill such a vacancy?—l think I have. 38. Have they been appointed?—l have one man in my own office now whom I recommended myself, and am pleased to say he gives entire, satisfaction. 39. Mr. Dinnie] That is Chalmers, is it not?— Yes. 40. The Commissioner] How many are there in the office? —Two besides the district clerk, a sergeant, whom I regard as being thoroughly efficient and reliable. 41. Is there any reason why the junior men should not be occasionally shifted?—l think it very necessary. 42. Is it work that the men cannot easily pick up?—A man with any ability at all could soon pick it up. 43. The men could be shifted back into uniform again, and give other men a chance?— That would be regarded as a grievance. 44. Is there not as much grievance the other way?— Possibly. 45. The only point that would influence my judgment against the view I am taking would be the efficiency of the staff: if it would render it less efficient that would te the strongest objection : do you think the shifting of the junior men would prejudice the work of the office? How long would it take a man to get into the running?— Any man of any capacity could get into it in a week or a fortnight. 46. Does a man who gets into the office stop an indefinite time? —I think the longer he stays the more efficient he becomes : he knows where to place his hand on files, and returns, and records. 47. But I am speaking of the clerks in the office —not the district clerk? —They might be occasionally shifted. 48. It is a very valuable training for the constables, is it not?—No doubt; but when once they get employment in the office, if you were to put them into uniform again and make them go on street duty, they would dislike it, and regard it as a grievance. 49. If you put them into the office, and told them they would simply take their turn, with a view of qualifying for other work, they should not have any grievance in the matter ?—I may mention that when the last man was sent to fill a vacancy in my office I had recommended a few very good men indeed. 50. Mr. Dinnie] Senior or junior to him?— One had been appointed, I think, the same day; he was on the spot, and was a man I could be thoroughly satisfied about. But no option was left me, and I had to take the man who was probably a pet somewhere else. 51. The Commissioner] Have you any views with regard to the employment of young constables or probationers for inquiring into sly-grog selling, or that class of offence? —As we are situated at present, we have no option in the matter; as a rule, constables dislike it, and it is not in every case an agreeable duty. 52. Does it affect the subsequent efficiency of a constable?—l do not know that it does; the offence must be dealt with. 53. It is not desirable to employ local men : it is not desirable that a man should remain in the locality after doing this work —he becomes a marked man ?—To a certain extent, he does; ft depends upon how he comes out of it. 1 may say the man I recommended for a position in the district office was a man who had passed the police examination ; the man who was sent to fill the position had not. 54. In regard to small breaches of discipline, what do you do when they are reported by the sergeant?—A great deal depends on the nature of the offence. 55. In regard to minor offences, say, on the part of a young constable?—lt, is sent to the constable for his explanation, if it is some trivial matter; if of a more serious nature, the con-