55

I.—4a,

Sergeant Smith,

4th Oct., 1878,

Constable T. Carroll.

4th Oct., 1878,

1545. Are you connected with any hotel in town ?—I am. I married the daughter of an hotelkeeper. 1546. The hotel is just opposite the Police Station ?—Tes. 1547. Do you consider constables are in a position to do their duty in regard to that hotel, when they are intimidated for speaking to me ? —That is an irregular question, I think. 1548. The Chairman] Does your relationship with the proprietor of that hotel in any way interfere with your duty?—No; not in any way. 1549. AVould it interfere with the men ?—Certainly not. 1550. Detective Farrell] If constables are liable to be reprimanded by you for speaking to me, how 7 much more likely are they to be reprimanded if they interfere with that hotel ? —They are not reprimanded by me. It is not my duty to reprimand them. 1551. Do you know Mr. Frank, Clerk to the Police Court ? —Tes. 1552. Have you ever played yankee-grab with him in the sergeant's office ?—Tes ; many a time. 1553. Is gambling carried on in those rooms continually ?—No ; I will explain. Frequently during lunch time, which occupies three-quarters of an hour, Mr. Frank has come up stairs, and, in the absence of the Inspector, we have played 6d. or Is. points. That has been done, but we have always avoided the presence of this man Farrell, because I have been afraid of trouble arising out of it. 1554. The Chairman] Tou knew these things were wrong ?—I did. 1555. Detective Farrell] Do you know Mr. Downie, the reporter ? —Tes. 1556. Have you engaged in playing with him and Air. Frank ? —-Tes. 1557. Do you carl that part of police duty ? How long have you been in the police ? —About fourteen months. I have left the Armed Constabulary fifteen months, and I have been here ever since. 1558. Did you make an arrest in AViugfield Street the other day ? —Tes. 1559. Did you not swear that you searched two females ? —Tes. I know what you are driving at, and I will explain. 'By "searching," I meant passing my hands over the outside of their clothes. I did not put my hands inside of their linen, but I saw some bank notes sticking out of one woman's bosom, and I pulled them out. If I had searched the women it would not have been necessary for me to send for the female searcher, which I did. 15G0. Mr. Barton] Have you ever played cards and dice with Inspector Atchison himself?— Never. I never let Inspector Atchison see me playing dice. I do not play cards. 1561. The Chairman] Tou are a Sergeant ?—Tes ; a first-class sergeant. 1562. How does Farrell rank ? —He is a first-class detective, and ranks as a first-class sergeant. 1563. AVho is the senior?—l am. 1504. From whom do orders go in the absence of the Inspector ?—From me. I open all official letters, and if anything requires attention I hand it over to Farrell. I have ahvays done this courteously. I have paid him every attention. 1565. Mr. Swanson] These (produced) are your rules and regulations?—Tes. 1566. Ton are aware that gambling is strictly prohibited ? —Tes. 1567. Ton have been in the habit of breaking the law ?—Tes ; that is so. 1568. Mr. Barton] Is not the room in which you have played these games next to the men's room ?—lt is not ; but 1 think I have gambled in the Inspector's office, also in a cell, with the door shut. Timothy Carroll, Constable in the AVellington Police Force, being duly sworn, was examined. 1569. The Chairman] Tou have been lately fined by the Inspector ? —Tes. 1570. AVhat for? —For disobedience of orders, and also for talking to Detective Farrell. 1571. AVas that what you were fined for ? —Tes. 1572. What was the disobedience of orders ?—lt was this: I went on duty one day at 1 o'clock, and came off at 5. I met Sergeant Smith, and he told me that I should have to attend the Club ball, which took place that night, and that I w 7as set down for duty at half-past S, and to remain there until all was over. I did so, and got aw7ay from the ball at half-past 3. I thought that, as I had gone on at 1 o'clock in the day (that was Thursday), and had remained on duty all those hours, I should be exempt from going on at 9 o'clock on the Friday morning. I did not turn out when the rest of the men went down for duty. Smith made inquiries as to where I was, and they told him I was in bed, and that it was half-past 3 o'clock in the morning when I went off my beat. He sent up for me about a quarter or twenty minutes past 9. I told the constable who came for me that I did not feel very well, and did not feel fit for duty, and that he was to tell Sergeant Smith that. No more passed until I was going down to my dinner between 12 and 1 on Friday. I met Smith coming up AVillis Street, and he asked me why I did not turn out for duty at 9 o'clock. I told him I was up all night, and he said, " Did I not send for you ?" I said, " Tes ; but I did not feel quite well, and was not fit for duty, and therefore it was no use my coming down." He said, " Well, consider yourself exempt from duty, and confined to barracks until I have brought you before the Inspector." I said, " All right;" and I went down to the station and had my dinner. I went back to the Te Aro Station, aud remained there until between 10 and 11 o'clock on Saturday morning, and Smith came up and asked me why I had not been down for duty. I told him he bad exempted me from duty, and confined mo to barracks. I then went down to the station, and was brought before the Inspector. Smith made a statement against me ; but tho charge was never even read to me. The Inspector said, " There is a charge here from Sergeant Smith," and asked me what I had to say ? I replied would he allow me to make a statement, and he said " Tes." I then told him what I had done : that I had gone on duty from 1 to 5, and then again from half past 8 until half-past 3, and was not fit to come down in the morning. Smith said, " Didn't Buchanan do the same duty?" I said, " Buchanan was not on duty from 1 to 5." I was also accused of having gossiped to Detective Farrell, and I answered that I did not gossip, but that I answered a necessary question on a matter of duty. Smith said he did not want me to gossip to any one. There was something else passed, but I forget the exact words.