INSPECTOR GILLIES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 13 August 1910, Page 5

INSPECTOR GILLIES.

SKETCH OF HIS CAREER

Here is the career of Inspector Gillies, of Christ-church, who is to be retired from the Police Force :—lnspector R-. JGillies landed in Auckland in 1874, and the following year ho joined the police force. _ He was previously a member of the Irish Constabulary. Since joining the New Zealand police force Mr. Gillies has been stationed in different parts of the Dominion. About 1887 he was appointed to take charge of the station at -fe Awamutu, Waikato, where he remained for seven or eight years. 11was whilst he was. at Te Awamutu that Gillies planned and carried out one of the smartest arrests ever made in the Dominion. A young man named Pecker, who had. come from England to reside at Epsom, was brutally murdered by a Maori named W iniata. The murderer got away to the King Country {which at that time was a little-known region), and remained there for several years. He was ultimately arrested by Gillies, was brought- to justice, and was hanged. The residents of the Waikato presented an address to Mr. Gillies setting forth their appreciation of his courage and resourcefulness ; his services were also recognised by the Government. Mr. Gillies was next in chare gof the station at Devonport, near Auckland, and i n 1889 he was placed in charge of the Thames and Goldfields sub-district, a position he held 52E0u Ut lline J* 03155 - "At the end of 1890 he was promoted to be inspector in the \Vanganni and West Coast districts of the North Island. and in March. 1902, he entered unon his duties as inspector of the Canterbury and North Otago police district.