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181. Do you know what it costs the department ?—I do not know. 182. Colonel Pitt.] Does that include the number?— That is issued by the department. 183. Mr. Taylor.] Do you know if the department makes any profit on the clothing, or on the hats ? —I cannot say. 184. You referred to the instruction classes, and said about twenty on an average attend every Thursday ; when did you attend last ?—Either last Thursday or the Thursday before. 185. What was the subject of instruction?—On discipline and various other things. The men were asked different questions: assuming such and such a thing to have occurred, what would you do under the circumstances ? And, for instance, to give a definition of what a burglary was, and breaking and entering, and whether it was an offence for a man to break into a tent, and so on —general instruction. 186. How many classes have you attended altogether ?—I cannot say. 187. Have you been pretty regular?— Yes. 188. Do you go off duty for it ? —No, only men off duty. 189. Does the sergeant-major always spend some time every Thursday in lecturing on discipline? —Not every Thursday. He generally starts with discipline and goes right through, taking various subjects from that on. He might give a lecture on the bad effects of drinking while on duty. 190. Well, now, you have attended these lectures some years?— Well, since Sergeant-major Mason has been here. That is not long. 191. Were not the lectures given before?— They have only recently been started. 192. Do you know that an instruction was issued for them to be held ?—I cannot say the date. 193. Do you remember an order issuing about the 13th May, 1896, to this effect: —■ Drill and Instruction. (Circular No. 13/96.) Those recruits who may in future join the Force without having been previously drilled will be placed under some qualified constable or non-commissioned officer for the purpose of being drilled in marching, turning, saluting, use of revolvers, handcuffs, and batons, at some convenient hour daily, till passed as efficient by the Inspector. At headquarter stations all constables available will in future be assembled once a week for the purpose of being instructed and catechized by the non-commissioned officers in the various subjects appertaining to police duties ; and once in every month the Inspectors will themselves give a lecture to and catechize the whole of their subordinates that may be available in the various duties they have to carry out as constables. A. Hume, Wellington, 30th April, 1896. Commissioner of Police. (Published in N.Z. Police Gazette, 13th May, 1896.) Do you remember that order? —I cannot say I remember the order, but I remember recruits starting drilling, and, no doubt, that would be about the time that order was issued. 194. You say distinctly these weekly instruction classes started with the advent of Sergeantmajor Mason?—l do not remember any such classes being in existence before he came here. 195. But you would have attended them had they been held ?—Yes. 196. It was in June, 1897, that Sergeant-major Mason came here : is that about your recollection ?—Yes. 197. And you did not attend any of these weekly instruction classes before the arrival of Sergeant-major Mason ?—No. 198. Had you not your monthly instruction classes regularly before that ?—As the men came in the recruits were instructed, no doubt. 199. By the Inspector ? —Yes ; nearly every parade he gives a lecture —of course, as he finds out that the men want instruction. If he has confidence in the men, and knows they know their duty, he does not go into any details like that. 200. How can you suggest the Inspector knows they know their duty if he does not examine them ? —lf a man brings a case into Court, and shows they are efficient and know their duty, and make no mistakes, of course, the Inspector has evidence then that the men are up in their duty. 201. Do recruits bring cases up in Court ? —Every man brings up his own case. 202. Does he conduct the examination?—No; the Inspector or sergeant-major always conducts the cases. He works up his case and brings forward his witnesses, and by the way he manages his case the Inspector can see whether he is up in his duty. 203. How often will the average constable take a case into Court ?—He may have four or five in the one day, or he may only have one in the week. 204. Will the average constable take one case into Court in the week ?—Oh yes. 205. Will he take two cases into Court in the week ?—I cannot answer that question definitely because I do not know. 206. As a rule, the cases that the constable takes into Court are the general run of minor offences ? —They are the majority. 207. Well, now, will experience in that class of case give any constable, recruit or otherwise, the information he wants about his multitudinous duties ?—What I think a constable wants is a little common-sense, and that will carry him a long way. 208. Without any knowledge of his power to arrest ? —lt may go a long way to give him an idea of his duties. 209. Suppose he has no common-sense ?—He is not supposed to be in the service. 210. Have all the men in the service got it ?—I think they have. 211. You all have copies of Howard Vincent's Guide-book?— Yes. 212. Have you copies of the Police Eegulations ?—Yes. 213. I suppose you have a pretty good knowledge of them after twelve years' service ?—I have a general knowledge of my duties,