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184. Do you expect ever to put down gambling?—l am afraid not. It seems to be getting worse. 185. Mr. Tunbridge.] As regards incompetent men: You were asked whether incompetent men were not kept in the Force. Is it a fact that in cases where men commit a neglect of duty, and such offences as that, that they are overlooked ?—Certainly not by me. 186. You report those men whose cases have to be reported ?—I watch them sometimes. 187. If you think men are neglecting their duty you take special precautions to see that they do not neglect them ?—lf I find they are doing so I have them taken into the office, and there deal with them. 188. Do you find it the rule that where men were neglecting their duty they are simply transferred, and not in any other way punished ?—No. Those in the country are generally brought into Wellington for neglect of duty. 189. Where they are under more supervision?— Yes ; I have had several brought in for better supervision. 190. For punishment a fine is inflicted?-—Sometimes. 191. You spoke about the Metropolitan Hotel having an electric bell ?—Yes. 192. Was not the late licensee before the Court ?—He was. 193. And fined?—He was fined £7 or £10; I am not sure which. 194. Within six weeks ?—Within two months. 195. And has now left the hotel?—He has left the hotel; but he was not the man who had the bell. 196. I am only speaking of the late licensee ?—Oh, yes. 197. With regard to mounted constables : when the Governor is here they are engaged considerably on escort duty?— Yes; they escort the Governor to different places. 198. With reference to young men being appointed to plain-clothes duty: when you appointed Constables Nixon and Cox to plain-clothes duty had you any other object in view than for the benefit of the service ? —No, Sir, I had no other earthly object. 199. And you had no previous knowledge of these men ?—Not a bit. 200. They came to you as other recruits come—entire strangers ? —I did not know anything about them. 201. You appointed them to plain-clothes duty because they were new men—unknown men? —Yes. 202. And then you discovered they possessed what you considered detective ability? Yes. 203. And you kept them as plain-clothes constables ?—Yes. 204. And you had no other reason ?—No other reason. 205. Have these men received one penny extra remuneration for the work they have been doing during that period ? —Only ordinary travelling-expenses. 206. The same as any other constable in uniform. They have been in no way benefited in the way of pay by being appointed to plain-clothes duty ?—Not as regards pay. I think they got some slight rewards. 207. But, I mean, have the men been benefited in the way of receiving additional pay? No. 208. The Chairman.] How do they rank, then, these men, Cox and Nixon ?—They are both third-class constables yet. 209. Mr. Tunbridge.] Do you not know, as a matter of fact, these men are very considerably out of pocket through being on plain-clothes duty ?—Very often. 210. Money they have spent, and cannot get back ?—Oh, frequently. 211. The Chairman.] As to this plain-clothes branch :it is considered the best branch of the service—a sort of probationary rank for the Detective Force ?—Yes; it is a stepping-stone to the detective branch. 211 a. Mr. Poynton.] There seems to be a lot of jealousy about it ?—I do not think so. lam not aware of it. 212. Do you not think that betting should be made illegal if it is desired to stop this streetbetting that you speak of?— Well,' 213. If it is becoming such-an evil as you say it is?—l dare say it would be better in the end for the community. The worst of it is, the young people, lam afraid, are taking to it. Abthub Hobbins Weight examined on oath. 214. The Chairman.] What is your position in the Force ?—Sergeant, and district clerk at Wellington. I was appointed district clerk at Invercargill in November, 1882. In 1888 I applied for the usual allowances—los. a week house-allowance and Is. a day clerical allowance. I had heard that these allowances were granted at the four centres, and I applied for them at Invercargill, and was refused. I was told then it was only granted at the four centres. I may mention, then, that at the four centres the district clerks were first-class sergeants, in addition to these allowances. In January, 1889, the Commissioner, who at that time was Major Gudgeon, granted me the Is. a day clerical allowance. In 1890 I was promoted to second-class constable at Invercargill, for passing the examination at the head of the list. I drew this Is. a day allowance at Invercargill till 1891, when I was transferred to Dunedin as second clerk, the Invercargill district being merged into the Dunedin district. I drew the allowance, Is. a day, all the time I was in Dunedin, and in 1893 I was transferred to Wellington, to replace Sergeant Bulford. On arriving at Wellington I went on drawing my Is. a day clerical allowance, and I also drew 10s! a week house-allowance on the original authority. 215. The Chairman.] Did you get that 10s. a week whilst you were at Dunedin ?—No, Sir. That 10s. was only granted at each of the four centres to the chief clerk. In Dunedin I was'only second. I came here as chief clerk. In May, 1893, it was accidentally brought under Colonel