65

I.—4a,

Inspector Atchison.

11th Oct., 1878.

had left the Otago force, and said they would not take him on in Canterbury, and he asked me if I would put him on as a common constable on the beach. I said I did not want to degrade him so far as that— that I should put him on as constable, but that he need not wear uniform ; and that, as soon as possible, I should get the Provincial Government to put him on a better footing. I spoke to Mr. Bunny on the subject the first opportunity I had, and he said, " Oh, yes; put your application in writing." I did so ; and Farrell was put on in bis present position. ISO 4. The Chairman] Has he done his duty since he has been in the force?—l have had no reason to complain, except once or twice —once when he entrapped a man, very unfairly, to sign a paper. It was this way: A man named Hillsden, who was custodian of the Theatre Royal, had been accused of peculation and robbery, and one of the employes of the theatre wrote an anonymous letter to Dr. Johnston, chairman of the Theatre Royal Company, on the subject. Hillsden filed a criminal information for libel against the person, and Farrell, to try 7 and get his signature, went to him with his right hand bound up, saying he had injured it, and asked him to write a letter for him. I told Farrell that it was not right, and that, as he had got into trouble dow m South by going crooked, I hoped he would run straight here. Most of the people are anxious to assist the police; but tbey would not assist a man unless he ran straight. One day in Court—it was on a licensing day—Mr. Barton said his evidence would not be taken in Dunedin unless it was supported by other evidence; and therefore I said to him, " For goodness' sake, whatever you do here, run straight;" but in two or three things he did not run so straight as I could wish: otherwise I have no fault to find with him. As to the serving of summonses, there was no intention to degrade him at all. The police had never served these summonses before, except in the out-districts, generally having been done by the Sheriff's officer ; but, owing to the change—the amalgamation of tbe Sheriff's office with that of the Registrar's— these summonses were sent in to us to be served. There they were, sent without instructions from any one. When I saw them I said we ought to have had authority to do this work, but still they must be served immediately by some one. Farrell came in directly after, and I said, " Farrell, I should be obliged if you would serve these summonses for me." He said, " All right;" and I never heard a word of complaint till Farrell complained to the Committeo. I have served summonses myself. Very often one man knows persons whom other men do not know 7, and there is nothing degrading in the w 7ork. 1805. Mr. Tole] I think it is not so much a question of degrading the man as of bringing a detective into notoriety ?—The detectives ought really to be a kind of secret police ?—That cannot be done in a small community like this. 1806. Tou have no other complaint to make against Farrell?—No; but I remember there was a case in which he acted the part of a sort of" go-between." A man named Tyler was suspected of stealing some articles from another man named Cohen, a pawnbroker, and was arrested. It came out before the Court, and the Judge made some remarks about it, that Farrell had been to Cohen and asked him to compromise the matter if he got his goods back. I think Cohen stated that, and then Farrell went to Cohen afterwards and wanted him to put a letter in the paper contradicting what he had said in Court. Cohen showed me the letter, and I advised Cohen not to do anything of the sort ; but, if Farrell wanted a letter to go in the paper, let him put his ow7n name to it. 1807. Major Atkinson] Farrell is not allowed to take money for any transaction ? —He has never asked me ; but I know he has taken money. 1808. The Chairman] In detective duties ?—I think so. 1809. Can you name any instance ?—lf you would like me to do so, I can; but Ido not wish to do it. 1810. Oh, yes. Certain statements have been made, and we must get the evidence ? —Well, I know he took a pound from a prostitute for the recovery of a dog. He admitted to me that he took it, and I told him I did not like such transactions. Now, there is another thing. I have heard it stated that I have been in the habit of receiving money for getting people publichouse licenses. I have never done so, and I have a witness out here, Mr. James Brown, a man of independent means, who, some eighteen months ago, did offer me £50, and he will tell you the whole of the conversation that passed between us. On another occasion I had a suite of furniture sent up to my house. I was away from home at the time, and my daughter took it in from the express-man. When I got home I was greatly surprised to see the furniture, and immediately I sent it back, as I knew pretty well where it came from. It came from a cabinetmaker on the beach, named Duff, who was applying for a license, and whom I was opposing. 1811. The Chairman] There is a constable stationed at Foxton named Purcell ? —Tes; he has been there some time. 1812. AYe gather he has been there rather too long ? He is a man of means ?—He has been a saving man ; I know he has a little property. 1813. Do you change the police about from one place to another?—l have not done so. 1814. Is it not advisable for that to be done ? —I think not. When a man has been in a place for some time he gets acquainted with everybody, and knows the ins and outs of things ; and therefore is always able to get the earliest information. 1815. But does it not also lead to tyrannical conduct on the part of the police?—No; I hear from the Magistrate, Mr. Ward, that Purcell bears an extraordinarily good character. I must say this : A more persevering, efficient officer I never have had. 1816. I am not speaking so much of the character of this particular man as of the advisability or inadvisability of keeping the men in one place ?—Well, I see no objection. When a district is free from crime I think it is a good criterion that the man iv charge is doing his duty; and there are very few crimes allowed to go undetected there. Donnelly has been with me eleven years, and McAnulty ten or twelve years. That is the man who showed such great pluck in the arrest of a Native in the presence of Messrs. Fox and Buller. He went into the pa, and, after a great struggle, secured the man, and took him away to Wanganui. He was also one of the men who went up to the Awahuri station, and arrested McDonald over the horse-shooting case. The Rangitikei people were so afraid that the