H.—2.

Undeb Genebal Goveenment. Undee Local Bodies. Clerk of Magistrate's Court. Clerk of Licensing Committee. Clerk of Warden's Court. Eegistrar of Dogs. Bailiff. Inspector of Nuisances. Receiver of Gold Eevenue. Poundkeeper. Mining Eegistrar. Eanger. Agent of Public Trustee. Inspector of Slaughterhouses. Eegistrar of Births, &c. Inspector of Kerosene-stores. Eegistrar of Electors. Inspector of Factories. Inspector of Weights and Measures. Labour Agent. Collector of Statistics.

It is objectionable, for many reasons, that constables should hold these offices, and is only excusable on the ground that, the constables being paid less for the work than any one else would be, it is economical. There are, however, localities, in which a constable is stationed for special reasons, where, but for these offices, he would have but little to do, and the objection to them being held does not so strongly apply. We are of opinion that the office of Clerk of Court should not be held by a constable where the civil plaints exceed, say, one hundred in number for a year, on the ground that it must interfere with his police duty.' . Connection between Police and Permanent Artillery. ■ , . A close connection exists between the Civil police and the Permanent Artillery from the fact that members of the latter body, on joining the police, have to answer in the affirmative the question, '■' Are you willing to undergo a course of ten days' drill annually ? " For two years an effort was made to keep up this drill, but it was found to interfere so seriously with police arrangements that it has been discontinued. The Commander of the Forces informs us that, although he has on two occasions called for the Permanent Artillerymen in the Police Force to appear for drill, they have not been able to do so as they could not be spared. In some instances, under the supposed authority of section 75 of "The Defence Act, 1876," members of the Permanent Artillery have been employed on ordinary police street duty—a duty for which they are quite untrained. We think it very important that the respective duties of the two bodies should be clearly denned. Discipline. We find a considerable want of that strictness of discipline which is essential in a Force such as the police. This is evidenced by the demeanour and behaviour of men more or less in all the districts, but we were more struck with it at Christchurch, Napier and Auckland. Throughout the colony we observed a bad habit which the constables have of gossiping while on beat duty. This want of discipline is probably attributable to a great extent to the want of efficient supervision by sergeants—a class until quite recently very much below, and still below, the number required—and to the large number of 'young untrained constables in the Force. In Auckland the senior constable of ten on night' duty tor a month was one of just two years' service. Young constables newly enrolled are placed upon street duty without preliminary training. For a time a constable of longer service accompanies the new man on his beat but tins training is insufficient. By circular of the 30th April, 1896, an order was given that all constables available should be instructed and catechized weekly by non-commissioned officers on subjects appertaining to police duties, and that Inspectors should themselves give a lecture monthly to all their subordinates available, and catechize them on the duties they have to perform, but this instruction has not been carried out in a systematic manner. The nearest approach to a proper execution of the order has been iv Wellington. The result is that important and responsible duties are intrusted to inexperienced men not trained to perform them. Political Influence. There undoubtedly existed until very recently a strong feeling in the Force, and it probably still lingers, that to secure promotions or appointments to a good station—that is, one at which the emoluments for extra duties are considerable,.the cost of living low, and the quarters good—it was necessary to have recourse to influence outside the Police Department

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