MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

WELLINGTON. Monday, 14th Febkuary, 1898. Peter Pendeb, Inspector of Police, examined on oath. 1. The Chairman.'] We want you, Mr. Pender, to give us, as far as you can, a general sketch of the formation of the present Police Force of the colony. When did you join the Force?—l have been fifty-two years in the Police Force. 2. Colonel Pitt.] Do you remember the year you joined?—ln 1845, in Ireland—the Irish Constabulary. 3. But the New Zealand Force ?—I came over from Victoria to Christchureh in 1862. 4. The Chairman.] In what position?—l came over here to assist in-organizing the Police Force. I came as first-class sergeant, and was appointed sergeant-major almost immediately, and shortly afterwards I was appointed Inspector. 5. Colonel Pitt.] In 1862 ; was that the provincial police then, or the General Government ?— Provincial. 6. Canterbury ?—Yes; Canterbury. 7. The Chairman.] To what period was it a provincial Force ?—I think it was in 1869 we became merged into the Armed Constabulary. It was a local provincial Force up to that time. St. John Branigan took charge of the police, and we were taken in with the Armed Constabulary, which was then a colonial Force. 8. In 1869 it ceased to be a local Force and was merged into the Armed Constabulary, and you then held the position of Inspector ?—Yes; I have held the position of Inspector since May, 1864. Then I think it was in 1876 the General Government took charge, when the provinces were abolished. 9. Then, although merged into the Armed Constabulary, it was still a provincial Force ?— Yes ; I believe the provinces paid for the police, as far as I can remember. 10. Colonel Pitt.] And made the appointments?— And made the appointments. 11. The Chairman.] It was a colonial Force under local control? —Yes. 12. In 1876, when the provinces were abolished, what change took place?— The whole Force came under the General Government, and became a colonial Force. 13. And what was the organization ; under whose immediate control was the Force placed ?— Well, I think it was Colonel Moule, or Colonel Eeader —I forget which. It was Colonel Eeader, I believe. 14. Colonel Pitt.] There was a Commissioner of Police at Wellington ?—Yes ; I believe it was Colonel Moule previously. 15. Did you retain your position as Inspector?— Yes. I may say—l do not know whether it is material—as an Inspector, I was appointed to the third-class in Canterbury. The Commissioner there adopted a classification system. I rose to the first class, but I did not get the pay ; and other Inspectors, who were in Hokitika, for instance, and other places, who were only appointed Inspectors, under no classification, took precedence, when the General Government took over the Force, over those who had been working up under the classification system. 16. And who had the control of the police at Hokitika, the General Government ?—The Westland Province. 17. Westland was not a provincial district then, was it? —Oh yes, some time before that. 18. You say the Inspectors of Westland took precedence?— And other places as well. Men at other places who were simply appointed as Inspectors, without any regard to grade, took precedence over those who had been working up under the classification system. 19. In Westland and other places?— One or two other places —although those under the classification had been longer in the Force. 20. The Chairman.] Under this system, when the Force was taken over by the General Government and placed under the immediate control of a Commissioner at Wellington, what was the system of administration ?—Well, there was very little change. Things went on in much the same way. 21. How was enrolment carried out ?—Sworn men. 22. Selected by and from ?—I was appointed by the Governor. 23. Mr. Poynton.] But with regard to the Force itself, how were the constables enrolled—from any particular body of men, or were they simply taken from.the general population?— They were taken from the general population. After some time I think the men were sent down from Wellington. lam speaking from memory. Things went on in much the same way for some time. Then men were taken from the Permanent Artillery. I think some were taken from the permanent force at Lyttelton for Christchureh, the same with regard to Dunedin, and the same, I think, with regard to Wellington. 24. Colonel Pitt.] From the Permanent Force?— Yes. 25. When were they first established?—l am not certain at all about the date. 26. You mean by the Permanent Force the Armed Constabulary?—No, the Permanent Artillery. 27. Mr, Poynton.] You had nothing to do with the enrolment?—No, nothing at all.

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