H.—2

101

226. Was he promoted? —No. I minuted the papers, " Please report this paper to the Town Clerk, with a view to Constable Douthett's conduct being brought before the Royal Humane Society of Australasia. Constable Douthett is granted a reward of £5." 227. I want to contrast Constable Poland's promotion. When was he transferred to Waitotara?—On the 23rd October, 1897. 228. So that he took charge of the station ; is not that rapid promotion?— Yes. 229. He joined in 1894, and got charge of a station in 1897 ; is not that very rapid promotion ? —Yes, but he was promoted for saving life. 230. Are there not any second-class constables doing street duty ?—No ; second-class constables who are qualified to have charge of a station are not on street duty. Single men, however, do street duty. Poland went over any number of constables on account of saving life, but I think I can swear he did not go over one in getting charge of a station. 231. As a matter of fact, was he not fined £50 for a wrongful arrest? —He was fined, but I do not remember the amount. 232. Have you Sergeant O'Grady's papers?— Yes. 233. Can you tell the Commission how long he has been at Oamaru ?—Since the 9th February, 1887. 234. Has he been reported for drunkenness whilst there?— No. 235. What is the nature of his defaulter's sheet ?—He came into the service in 1891, and the entries are: 1897, "Gross neglect of duty in allowing offender, Edgar Bastings, charged with forgery, to leave for Wellington per s.s. " Wakatipu " without arresting him. Cautioned to be more careful in future." On various dates between the Ist and 21st April, 1887, " Neglect of duty in not parading the 9 a.m. day-duty reliefs, and fasely certifying that he had paraded the foregoing reliefs. Severely reprimanded." About April, 1884, " Circulating false reports regarding the Greymouth Irish National Land League, and general mendacity as officer in charge of police at Greymouth, and making certain false statements regarding one Samuel Gilmer and one Felix Campbell in his explanation of the above." " (Remarks : Major Keddell, R.M., at Greymouth, was appointed Royal Commissioner to investigate these charges, and a large number of witnesses were examined. The report was duly forwarded to the Government, but the decision is not made known yet. —Jno. Emebson, Inspector A.C., 21/9/85.)" 6th September, 1886, " Being untruthful, unreliable, negligent, and careless of his duties. Reduced to the rank of second-class sergeant." I may say that the Inspector who reported him on the latter charge was a very extraordinary man, and afterwards died in an lunatic asylum. Then we get to Oamaru: Between 20th March and 20th April, 1890, "Neglect of duty in withholding a knowledge of crime reports from the constables under his charge. Reprimanded." 13th January, 1891, " Absenting himself from the night-duty relief parade without permission. Cautioned, and warned against a repetition of the offence. (Sergeant O'Grady appealed against this decision, but his appeal was dismissed.)" 28th February, 1891, " Not reporting Constable Bell for being under the influence of liquor. Severely reprimanded." The merit-sheet of the sergeant shows : "sth December, 1888 : In recognition of his services in connection with the prosecution of Daniel Brown, fined £2 for selling trout without a license, and of Edward Pickett, fined £1 for offering trout for sale; reward £2. 1890: In recognition of his services in connection with the prosecution of W. D. Esther, fined £2 and costs for the illegal sale of liquor; reward, £1. Conviction of Mary Cunningham for sly-grog selling ; reward, £1. Convictions under the Beer Duty Act; reward, 10s. Conviction of Florence Garvie for sly-grog selling; reward, £2. Conviction of Margaret Andrews for sly-grog selling; reward, £2. Conviction of J. Newland, poaching trout; reward, £5. Conviction, Mary Gallagher, for sly-grog selling; reward, 10s." 236. When was Constable Donovan transferred from Coromandel to Tolaga Bay?—On the 15th February, 1897. 237. When was the general election, do you remember?—ln December, 1896. If I remember aright I had been up there, and he asked me to shift him out of that as his house was very bad indeed. In fact, I think they have since built a new one. He also said the work was too hard for him, and that the Warden's Court was giving him a great amount of work. 238. You removed him for that reason?—l think so. It was a verbal arrangement. 239. Was it an ordinary visit.of inspection that took you to Coromandel?—Yes.

Feiday, 4th Mabch, 1898. Aethue Hume, examination on oath continued. 240. Mr. Taylor.] Have you Sergeant O'Grady's papers in connection with certain reports from his Inspector?— There are no distinct reports from the Inspector, but there are the Inspector's minutes on Jackson's report. 241. I would like that report read? —It is as follows : — Polioe Station, Ashburton, 23rd November, 1895. Eepobt of Constable David Jackson, relative to going to Oamaru re sly-grog selling at the Oamaru Cattle Show. I beg to report that I proceeded to Oamaru on the 20th, and saw Sergeant O'Grady that night. He informed me that the booth at the Cattle Show had been bought by a man named Richard Orr, and that an attempt would most likely be made to sell liquor, and instructed me to go out to the grounds and try to purchase some liquor next day, the 21st, which I did, arriving about 11 a.m. After a time I visited the booth, which is a long building with part of the shutters up, so that any person could go in and be supplied without being seen by the outside public. I asked for a drink of whiskey. The man behind the counter said that all he had was ginger-ale, ginger-pop, and lemonade, so I had a glass of ginger-ale. At the same time, I could see a large number of bottles on the shelves, but was unable to say what they contained. Soon afterwards, from what I could hear on the ground, there was liquor in the booth. Orr used to stand outside the booth, and when two or three of what I took to be his friends would come along he would take them into the booth. I watohed him for some time, then got another man, and we went and had a drink