THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11541, 30 March 1898, Page 6

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

FPeb Pbbss Association.] INVEECAEGILL, Makch 29. The Police Commission, -which opened its sittings heije to-day was occupied with the investigation of the complaints of Mr A. C. Henderson, solicitor, that the police put business [past him by suggesting the naines of other lawyers to accused persons. He did not specify any individual who had done so, and was not aware that after he bad complained to Mr Poynton, S.M., a list of solicitors was placed in the cells. Sergeant M'Donnell said that a surprise had been sprung on him in this matter, and he would defer cross-examination. Mr Henderson also expressed the opinion that the police should be shifted more frequently, as the men became too familiar with certain persons, but he could give no specific instance. He thought that there was too much familiarity between the Sergeant and men here. Constable M’Donough, examined by Mr Henderson, denied that he had on a specified instance, or at. any .time, tried to put practice past Mr Henderson, who said that he had no further witnesses, and had gone farther than he.intended. Evidence was given by Mr Henderson about an interview with the Setgeant over the Hall-Mathers case last ,t,j^r, : .,when he alleged that the Sergeant wrote on a used . envelope that if ho (Mr Hepderson) would give evidence required for the prosecution he would get a Government billet. This, ho said, ■was done by the: Sergeant so that he could, say that no words had passed between them. This Mr Henderson gave as an instance of a subterfuge used by the police to obtain evidence, as he did not believe the Sergeant’s offer of a Government billet. This and other matters brought forward by Mr Henderson were adjourned till to-morrow. Constable Walker, Eiverfcon, complained that he had not had promotion; also that, although he bad been exonerated from a charge of rape preferred against him by a woman in Dunedin years ago, he found later that a reprimand was entered in the books against him.