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106

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the disapproval of the young men. I might mention that three young fellows named Coles practically had charge in Nelson. They had got away from these old men with the handcuffs on them, being away some time. When I went there it was with great difficulty that we managed them. I had to get them brought before the Court and bound over to keep the peace on several occasions— in fact, they were bound over to keep the peace on account of assaults on the police when I came away. These young men practically had charge of the place. 333. It has been suggested before this Committee that you showed favouritism towards the single constables, inasmuch as you did not send them on particular duties ?—I sent the men to the duties that I considered most fitted for them, and dealt the duties out, in my opinion, as evenly as it was possible to deal them out—to see that no man did more than his eight hours a day. 334. Constable Williams, for instance, complained that he was not put on plain-clothes duty ? —Yes. His remark, made to me in the passage when Constable Bird was appointed Gaoler, was, " I was sent over here to do plain-clothes duty." I told him that I had no such instructions, and that he would take his turn with the other men. 335. From your knowledge of Constable Williams do you consider him a man possessed of sufficient intelligence to properly conduct inquiries in plain clothes ?—I should not think so. 336. What do you say about Constable Bird ? —You can hardly read his writing. He writes so frightfully badly that it is almost impossible to prosecute in Court on his writing. 337. Then, if you did employ the single men on plain-clothes work, and so on, it was because you, in the exercise of your discretion, considered they were the most suitable for that work ?— That is so. 338. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones.] You said that you saved two lives : how long ago was it that you saved the last one ? —I have saved many, sir, but I have been rewarded for two. 339. Did you have any difficulty in getting the last certificate?— No. I never applied for any certificates. They were sent to me. 340. You made no application ?—No. 341. Nor spoke to any one in Auckland who had to do with the distribution of the certificates about getting you one ? —No ; I have no recollection of speaking to any one about a certificate. 342. With regard to the entry in the diary, do I understand that it was Constable Kemp's turn for duty that morning?— Yes. 343. He was taken with you either to catch eels or to catch poachers ?—I took him up the river, as it was reported that poaching was going on. We were away three-quarters of an hour. 344. What was entered in the diary?—l just entered in the margin of the column " Kemp and I up the river." 345. That was put in some time after the event ?—Yes. 346. After you knew there was a row about it ? —I had heard about it. I put that entry in to show that that was the date on which we went, but I will not be quite positive as to its being the day on which we did go. 347. You did go up the river, and you heard there was going to be some trouble about it, and then you put that entry in the diary?— Yes. I had to send the papers back again, and I made that entry in the diary for my own information, taking the date from the papers. There was no misleading about it. 348. Do you remember the anonymous letter about the girl ?—I remember the correspondence from the Inspector. 349. The file shows that you got a letter from the Inspector dated Greymouth, 24th December ?—Yes. 350. The anonymous letter being sent on to you at the same time ? —Yes. 351. This is the letter sent by the Inspector : "Police Office, Greymouth, 24th December, 1901.—Sergeant Mackay,—l find it will not be convenient for me to visit Nelson at present (1 intended doing so for some time), consequently I send you the attached anonymous letter for careful and cautious inquiry and report as soon as convenient. Please see that the fact we are inquiring does not leak out in any way. I may say I heard something of the matter from a different quarter a short time ago. I hope the woman mentioned will be discreet, and not disclose our inquiry to any one. I would be glad to know who the writer of the letter is ; still, do not risk anything in endeavouring to find out.—E. A. Macdonell, Inspector." And this is the anonymous letter: "Girl named' got in family way to Durbridge, policeman. Went to Wellington, got rid of child. Telegrams passed between them Mrs. , Hotel, can give account." That is the anonymous letter received by the Inspector and sent on to you with the memorandum dated 24th December ?—Yes. 352. Did you do anything in connection with that ? —I did not really like to interfere with it, because I had never heard anything about it, and if I had gone up to the woman, who knew Durbridge, making inquiries it might have leaked out in that way, and I would have been blamed. 353. You have been in the Police force for a number of years, occupying a responsible position, and yet when you get a strictly confidential letter asking you to make careful and cautious inquiry and to report as soon as possible you do nothing? —I had no grounds to go upon. 354. Did you attempt to seek for any information ?—I did not, because I did not like to meddle with the thing at all. I considered it a very delicate matter, and did not like to mix myself up in it. 355. This letter referred to a charge of abortion —" Went to Wellington, got rid of child "?— Yes. The Inspector said that he had heard something from another quarter. I thought that he knew something, and that if I started making inquiries round there and it leaked out he would blame me for letting it leak out. That was really the reason that I did not do anything. I was waiting for him to come himself.