E. MACKAY.I

99

I.—lα.

90. Did the Commissioner find you guilty of the charge of not having reported the occurrence ? —I saw a copy of the decision, but I could not say from memory. 91. Were you reprimanded ?—I may have been. 92. Are you reprimanded so often that you do not remember the number of times?—To the best of my belief I was on that occasion. 93. Another charge inquired into was with reference to one of the constables being found asleep on the floor of the police-station at Nelson at 4 o'clock in the morning?— Yes. I said before that that was a very untruthful statement to make, because such did not occur. 94. Since you went there have you known of any policeman being asleep in the station when he ought to have been on duty ?—No. Had such been the case I certainly should have reported it. 95. Do you known the Bush Tavern ? —Yes. 96. Do you know a man named Woodward who used to be in charge of it—l do not know whether he is there now ? —I remember a licensee of the name of Woodward being there. 97. What reputation had he ?—I do not know anything against his character. 98. Would you have any reason to doubt statements made by him ?—Well, I would not. I have had no business transactions with him to judge from. 99. You have never heard of anything against his character ?—No. 100. Was it the practice during your time for constables to leave their beat at night and go to the station to make themselves coffee ?—The constables used to go in to make it, I believe. 1 cannot speak of my own knowledge, but I was informed that it was done prior to my going to Nelson, and I made no objection. I did not, however, stop up late to see whether it was done or not. 101. Then, if this was going on you were not aware of it?—No, I cannot say that I was aware of it; but had I known Ido not say that I would have objected to their going to the station to get some coffee. 102. You cannot say whether they stopped there for a longer time than was necessary for them to get their coffee ?—No, I cannot say that. I know that I have got out of my bed at different times during the night, such as 1, 2, and 3 o'clock, and gone round the beat and found them there on the beat. I used to make periodical visits round the streets at different times— waking myself up by means of an alarm-clock —and I would find them there. 103. Did you know a girl named • ? —No. 104. Mr. Hardy. ] You admit having been reprimanded for not entering up a charge ?—• Yes. 105. Would it be the duty of the officer in charge to record any statement made by a man under the influence of liquor ?—I should not think so. 106. Notwithstanding your punishment, did you not think it wiser to wait till the man got sober, and then if he returned enter up the charge in the regular way ?—That is really what I intended to do. Had he returned with his written complaint, as he said he would, I should have entered it up. 107. You, as an intelligent police officer, read between the lines and considered that was the better position to take up ?—I did. 108. You were perfectly satisfied that the man was under the influence of liquor?—l am quite certain he was. 109. Men under the influence of liquor sometimes make rambling statements ?—-Yes. 110. And you thought, for the sake of your office, it was better to give him an opportunity of coming to his senses and then making the charge?—l thought so. 111. Mr. Hall.] I think you said that you knew this man Eemnant ? —Yes; through seeing him about the town. 112. Did you hear anything of his character?— Yes. I have said that I myself have seen him under the influence of drink, and I have heard that he assaulted his wife, but this latter is only hearsay. 113. If a man made a complaint that he had been insulted by a constable, would you consider that charge definite enough to enter up in your minutes ? —lf he was sober and came to me in what I should term a proper way I should immediately inquire into the matter. 114. You asked him whether he had been insulted?—l asked him how, and he said, " Never mind; I have been insulted," and with that he sat down in the chair in my office. 115. As he did not make a definite charge as to what the insult was you considered that a sufficient reason for not entering it up ? —I did not consider that a sufficient reason for not entering it up; but my idea was to let the man go and come back again in the morning, and if he had a complaint, to make it, and then I would have entered the complaint. 116. To definitely state what the charge was ?—-Yes; and then I should have made an entry. 117. You have had every opportunity of judging of the character of those police who were under your charge —I refer to Burrell and Durbridge?—-Yes. 118. You positively say that Burrell was a good average policeman?— Yes, I should say he was. He was attentive. 119. He attended to his duties as well as the average policeman ?—Yes; in fact, he did his duty well. 120. And his moral character was ?—-It was good. In my opinion, he did his duty well. 121. Can you say the same of Durbridge ?—I would. 122. That he was in every way equal to Burrell? —Yes. Both of them gave every satisfaction while I was there. 123. Do you state here that yoμ were not influenced in any way in refraining from reporting against these men by auy special favoritism that you felt towards them ?—None whatever. I