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304 You suggest it should be paid for by the department, or that there should be a medical officer appointed ?—I think that would be better. No doubt we could work other things m with it and make it more economical to the department. For instance, there is a police surgeon here that does all our police-work, Dr. Cahill, and no doubt the department could come to some arrangement Wlth 3oT'Has he an annual salary ?—No, he just charges for what he does, but he does all the police-work here. Another suggestion I have to make is in regard to examinations. It would be a good idea to have examinations annually. , 306. What benefit do you say would be derived from them?— You would learn then what the mSn 2,ol™Colonel Pitt.] You mean compulsory examination for everybody ?—Well, if they wanted promotion they should be able to pass the examination. I think it is almost universal m every Force. I cannot speak of my own knowledge, but from what I have heard. ..,.,» „ T 308 The Chairman.] Would you have a separate examination for each step in the xJorce .— 1 do not think so. They would want an examination, at any rate, before they were promoted to the " ran 3 0 09 Se Do a you not think there should be an examination before they were put on duty?— They would not know much then. _ _ _ ~, , -, 310. Do you not think they should be put in a depot and trained ?-It would be a very good idea to have some slight examination if there was a training depot. 311. It has been suggested that it would give an enormous advantage to men holding positions in country stations, where they have little police-work to do, and could sit m their offices all day reading u P ?-That was not proved by the result of former examinations. It was proved the town men were quite able to take care of themselves in that respect. The town men in every case headed the list. I would not suggest that the examinations should be on the lines of the last examinations. I would suggest that one paper should be provided by a solicitor on —aw and another provided by a police officer as to actual practical.police-work so that the men could be able to show what they would do under certain circumstances, and how they would handle a case 312 And you would make these examinations a condition of promotion to the rank ot sergeant. —Yes • I think it would be fair. A sergeant has to give instructions to others, and unless he has a knowledge of law he cannot do it properly. Not only that, but it would be an incentive to he men to read up and acquaint themselves with the law. Then, with regard to presentations to the police, either by the public or by their comrades: It used to be allowed up to a few years ago • Then it was absolutely stopped by circular, and no presentations were allowed. I would suggest it is not fair, and that they should be allowed the same as m every other department. 313 Presentations for what ?-Well, on a man leaving the district, for instance. Perhaps his comrades wish to give him some small present on leaving, and the regulations preventi them from doing so. It is a privilege that is allowed, I think, to every other department m the State. Ihe way it is now is only a temptation to members of the Force to get round the difficulty by then wives or daughters receiving the presents, so that they get them just the same m nine cases out of ten. They have to do it in an underhand manner, whereas if the presentation were allowed to be made openly the men would have more respect for themselves. _.__._ 314 Mr Tunbridge.] Do I understand you to mean all kinds of presentations, whether from the public or'the police?— All presentations-just treat the police the same as any one else. 315. Do yon wish your suggestion to apply to both the cases-the public and the police ?- Yes; but Ido not mean a presentation to an officer. . . ~ , Tll . ro 316. Have you any experience of presentations made by private persons to the police ?—1 have seen 3 a 17 eW H °ave not the publicans responded very liberally ?—lt is suggested that they do. 318 As regards police officers making other police officers presentations, would you suggest that when a man is leaving a district on promotion he should receive a testimonial ?-I do not see any reason why he should not. . . . T , 319 From men who were likely afterwards to be serving under him?—l think so. 1 do not think it would have any bad.effect that way. It is not so much that that I wanted to bring out but that these presentations are made, although they are not made to the officer himself. The wife or the daughter or some member of the family gets the present, and so the regulations are evaded. I have heard that in the Irish Constabulary, which is considered to be a very strict body, a presentation is actually entered on a man's merit-sheet as a record of merit It is considered to be a meritorious occurrence. There is one other matter, that is about house-allowance A sergeant is granted 10s. a week, irrespective of where he is stationed. I would suggest that some fairer me S ans be adopted of ascertaining what the men are out of pocket. For instance, m Christchurch yon could get a good house for 10s. a week, while for a similar house m Wellington you would have to pay 16s or 175., consequently the men in Christchurch are so much better off than the men m Wellington It is impossible to get any sort of a decent house in Wellington under 17s. or 18s. a week, and the allowance is only 10s. . , 320. Colonel Pitt.] Speaking generally, can you say how a proposal to do away with the iignt of members of the Police Force to vote at political elections would be received by the Force ?-I couTd not say about any one else, but Ido not think they would feel the loss very much. Speaking personally, I would just as soon be without the vote as with it. P 321 You have had considerable experience as a district clerk. I want you to inform me, if yon can,' how alleged offences against members of the Police Force are dealt with Have they been promptly dealt with by the Inspector, or by the Commissioner ?-Yes; they have always been promptly dealt with. I have never seen any complaint made against any member of the Force that has not been promptly dealt with.