MR MILLAR AND MR TAYLOR

Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 26

MR MILLAR AND MR TAYLOR

Speaking on the Police Commission report this afternoon, Mr Millar said that the promoters of the inquiry held by the Police Commission had indulged in a hope of beingable to bring a flood of opprobrium upon the Government, and now that that had failed the same persons were apparently willing to blacken the character of the commission. They certainly indulged in mild assertions, made with a_ view to discrediting the findings of the commissioners. As to political influence, he himself had gone before the commission in Dunedin, and had put questions to Inspector Pardy which constrained that officer to qualify a statement previously made by him, and to declare that in complaining of political influence in connection with the force he had not the Dunedin members in his mind. He went further, and affirmed that Inspector Pardy had been tampered with and been asked by the member for Christchurch (Mr Taylor) to give evidence in a particular direction. (Mr Taylor : " That is absolutely inccrrect. I deny it absolutely.") Mr Millar: " I accept the hon. gentleman's denial in the House, but I still believe whal was told me outside." Mr Millar then went into the case of Constable Mayne, and said he had taken it up because he believed that the man had not been fairly treated ; that, in fact, Inspector Pardy had a " down " upon him, and that the commissioner also had a " down " upon him in consequence of the inspector's bias against the man. All that he (Mr Millar) had done was to endeavour to secure ordinary fair treatment for Mayne. He spoke in strong terms of condemnation of Mr Taylor's action in first asserting that Bishop Nevill had an interest in premises occupied as brothels, and then in not openly, honourably, and frankly withdrawing the assertion after it had been proved to be without foundation in fact. Mr Taylor proceeded in too many of his charges on the strength of information supplied by a person whose character was indicated by his nickname, "The Prohibition Sewer Rat."