INSPECTOR GILLIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10090, 28 February 1911, Page 3

INSPECTOR GILLIES.

PRESENTATION FROM THE FORCE Members of the police force in the Christchurch district assembled intne large librarv at the station in Hereford Street this afternoon and made a presentation to Inspector Gillies Members were present from Sumner, Kiccaiton and other outlying districts, ana the clerical, detective and other branches were represented. Sub-Inspector M'Grath said that those present wished to say "good-bye to Mr Gillies, and lie had been asked to present Mr Gillies with a chesterfield suite of furniture, Mrs Gillies witli a diamond brooch, and Miss Newsome, Mr Gillies's niece, with a diamond bracelet. He did not intend to say anything in regard to Mr Gillies s long and honourable service. . The -public Press had done him justice. Besides that, he was well known to the public. He first met Mr Gillies twenty-hye years ago, in Auckland, when Mr Gillies was a sergeant. Since that time the relationship between Mr Gillies and the speaker had always been of a most pleasant character. He had always found him to be the same genial, lignthearted man, with whom it was a pleasure to work. Mr Gillies was a strict disciplinarian, but he was not harsh or unkind to anyone. Although the speaker was sorrv that he was. losing Mr Gillies as colleague and. chief, he was dad to know that he still had his Friendship. All the members of the force wished him long life and happiness in his retirement. (Applause.). Sergeant Bird, the senior sergeant present, said that he had always found Mr Gillies straight and honourable, and he hoped that he would long live to enjov his pension. (Applause.) Inspector Kiely, Sergeant M Lennan chief clerk in the district office, and Constable Coster, on behalf of the rank and file, also praised Mr Gilhess charaoter and his work. • j .1 4. In responding, Mr Gillies said that he, Mrs Gillies and Miss Newsome would always feel grateful for the very kind sentiments expressed by the men.. It was just on the close of nine years since he took charge of the district. There was no one whom he knew here then except Inspector Ellison. He knew that he would have to show something after following that gentleman and Inspectors Broome and Pender, and he had done his best. He had always tried to be fair. He admitted that he had been a strict disciplinarian, but he had been brought up in that way, ever since he joined the force, when he was eighteen years of age. He had completed thirtysix years and one month's service in New Zealand and four years and four months' in England, arid he thought that no man should desire more than that before retiring. He referred in very complimentary terms to the loyalty and abifity of Sub-Inspector M'Grath, the sergeants, detectives and constables, and also to the capacity of Inspector Kiely, who, he said, should be proud to have under him the men in the- Christchurch district. He felt that he was justified in saying that the men in Christchurch were a credit to the force in New Zealand. As to the detective branch, it had been a valuable ally to him. The detectives had always done their work well, and the police and the officer in charge should be proud of the detectives as well as of the othftr members of the force. He also praised the work of Sergeant M'Lennan, chief clerk in the district office. He was both enthusiastic and conscientious, aud he and mil the members of his staff had been loyal and efficient. Sergeant M'Lennan had been offered promotion, but, in his loyalty, he had decided to remain in his old position. Mrs Tallies had asked him to specially thank the men for their sympathy during his illness. Large numbers of letters and verbal expressions of sympathy had been received from them. He again thanked them for their kind and appropriate presents. Three cheers were given for Mr uillies, and those present joined in singing " For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and lie then wished them "Good-bye" individually.