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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 1

The allegations .made at a previous sitting of the. Police Commission by Constable Simpson, of undue preference being given to Roman Catholics in connection with appointments to the force, were met on the 16th, by Commissioner Dinnie. H!e stated in evidence that there was no foundation for the statements that had been made. In support of his contention, he handed in to the Commissioners lists showing appointments made sine© 1877. Both Commissioners expressed themselves as satisfied that the lists disproved the allegation that any preference was shown. At the close of the sitting Sub-Inspector O’Donovan desired the Commissioners to recall Constable Simpson, and ask him whether, having heard their remarks and the extracts read from Mr Dinme’s lists, he was satisfied he had been in error in supposing preference did exist. He wanted the constable to say publicly whether he bad now changed bis views. The Commissioners ruled, however, that they had nothing to do with what Constable Simpson did or did not think. It did not matter whether he was satisfied or not. The returns furnished by Mi* Dinnie proved conclusively that there were no grounds for the assumption that positions in the force were given preferably to persons of. aiiy particular denomination. At the sitting of the Police Commission last week Commissioner Dinnie mentioned in the oourse of his evidence that in Wellington at present the proportion of police to inhabitants was one to 1375. The maintenance cost of the local force was 2s per inhabitant per annum. Tasmania’s cost per head was he said, the next lowest, namely 3s 2d. Mr Poynton asked Mr Dinnie for returns showing the proportion of police to inhabitants for twenty years back at census periods. This the Commissioner of Police undertook to furnish.