COMMISSIONER DINNIE GIVES EVIDENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 18

COMMISSIONER DINNIE GIVES EVIDENCE.

WELLINGTON, August 15. Before the Police Commission this morning, Inspector Ellison stated that ho had found Sub-inspector Black, of Auckland, who had been under him in Christchurch, a hard-working, straightforward man, and he could not describe him as inefficient, incompetent, and incapable of conducting cases, as had been stated in Auokland. He had seen belter prosecutors than Subinspector Black, and he had seen worse.

Sergeant Lyons, who was stationed in Duuedin when Constables Moses* M'Donald, and othei-o were there, gave evidence that there was nothing in their demeanour to excite suspicion of thieving. He had heard remarks made that thieving was going on, and did not lot the constables know when he would visit them, and did not make appointments with them. He did not think certain petby larcenies woulcl have gone on had there been proper supervision of the men.

Sir William J. Steward deposed that v.hen he recommended Mcses for appointment he wars not aware that he had been convicted for theft. •

The commission ruled that under its order of reference it could not deal with a matter which Mr Taylor, M.H.E., wished to bring forward. Sergeant Griffiths, forcnerly of Dunedin, deposed that when he was stationed there things were at, sixes and sevens, and the inspector was to blame for that. The Dunedin boats were not satisfactory. Ho admitted that he had a grievance against Inspector O'Brien. Commissioner Dinnie said, despite letters of recommendation from members of Parliament and others, be always selected the most suitable men for the force, and the Minister of Justice had told him to do so, and supported him. The lives of candidates from the time they left home should be inquired into. As regards the admission to the force of ex-Constable Moses, inquiry was made as to his character in the artillery,' during the time he waa in South Africa, and in the Permanent Militia. Here his character was good, and the papers were sent both to Christchurch and Waimate for inquiry. The constable at the latter place reported that MoseS was highly spoken of as honest, sober, and straightforward. As a result of all this his- name was put on the list in February, 1903, and remained on the list until March 1, 1904, on which date he was selected and sent on to the drill ground. In the meantime Sir William Steward wrote recommending the man. Witness did r.ot think he himself would have placed Moses on the list on the strength of the papers in question. Mr Bishop : At that time was it understood that troopers who had served in South Africa should have preference?

Witness said he believed it was. Those trooDors had AUt gnen satisfaction. Thcy_

were not up to tho average. Moses's appointment was not got by influence. Witness on receiving news of the Dunedin thefts went down to investigate. He first interviewed the police officers and men. After their conviction he interviewed the prisoners. A number of men — 12 or 15 — had left the service since as tho result of tho i'lqi'irv, but ihero mig-ht possibly still Jje pome in Ihe service who might have ~heen in some slight way connected with those larcenies. Inspector O'Brein (Dunedin), when his attention was called to the fact that his sergeants could not do their work properly because of the long beats, did not take the proper course. Witness was satisfied these larcenies were going on for a number of years for lack of supervision in Dunedin. The blame could only rest upon the inspector and sub-inspector. Witness next touched upon the question of religion that had been raised. Inspector Cullen (Auckland) had, he said, been accused of recommending a Roman Catholic for appointment. He (Mr DinnicJ "handed in a list of Mr Cullen's recommendations since 1890, which v/onld, he said, show the case to be quite the reverse to what was alleged.

Mr Bishop (after reading the list) : Yes, that certainly puts a different complexion upon it. Witness then submitted lists of officers taken over from tho Provincial Government and appointed by the State Govern* ment, "also a list of the whole force. show= ing the religion and rank of each and giving the separate districts. Owing to the friction in Auckland between the inspector and sub inspector, witness said the latter seemed to have imagined things and woiked himself up to a pitch that he could not control himself. He knew witness was investigating the matter, and that he would be transferred. He was very unwise to bring the matter before the commission, and witness could not imagine why he had done so. Witness, in reply to Mr Bishop, said he would be very crlad if members of Parliament would retrain from ui'ging the appointment of men to tho force. Of course, they had a perfect right to, but it was pressure that was not desirable. Witness had interference from M.H.R.'s on many occasions, and would be glad if it could be stopped.