H.—l6b

XXV

in taking that portion of his district away from him, did not represent fifteen minutes a day. His evidence on the point will be found on page 353, commencing at paragraph 67. He was evidently never consulted on the matter, and he considers that the efficiency of administration has not been improved. However this may be, it seems to me that matters can scarcely be allowed to continue as they are, and if the Thames District is to remain it should be given some semblance of importance and justification for existence by being increased in size by taking further territory from Auckland. To assist the Government in dealing with a rearrangement, I attach a plan showing a proposed alteration as suggested by Inspector Kiely. I attach also his accompanying letter, as follows :— " Thames, Bth September, 1909. To the Secretary, Police Commission, Wellington. " I have the honour to submit to you, according to directions, a suggestion how this police district could be increased in size and importance, bringing it up nearly to that of Wanganui and West Coast. This could easily be done by taking in Ngaruawahia and all those stations between that place and Raurimu, thus giving an additional twelve stations to Thames and leaving sixty-four stations in the Auckland District. At present there is not a Supreme Court sittings held in Thames District, and it is rumoured that one is about to be established at Hamilton. The stations I suggest should be added are Cambridge, Hamilton, Kawhia, Kihikihi, Ngaruawahia, Ongaruhe, Otorohanga, Raglan, Raurimu, Taumarunui, Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti. " J. M. Kiely, Inspector." This plan having been received by me after the Auckland and Thames sittings had concluded, I forwarded it with Inspector Kiely's memorandum to Inspector Cullen for his opinion. I have received from him the following reply :— " Auckland, 29th September, 1909. " To the Secretary, Police Commission, Wellington. " With reference to the attached memorandum from Inspector Kiely, in which he makes a proposal for increasing the area of his district, and that his future headquarters should be at either Rotorua or Hamilton, I wish to point out that there are no buildings at either of these places that could be used as offices and store for the accommodation of the Inspector and his clerk; therefore a considerable sum of money would have to be spent in erecting office accommodation at whichever place was decided upon as the new headquarters station. As, however, a large sum of money has already been spent at Thames in providing the necessary district office accommodation, it is rather an extravagant proposal to transfer the headquarters to where further unnecessary expenditure would have to be incurred without any benefit whatever to the service. "Whoever is responsible for the formation of the new Thames District had no knowledge of the lay of the country, or the routes by which the various stations therein could be reached from Thames, which leads me to £he opinion that the idea of forming the new district originated in the Commissioner's office, and not with the late Minister of Justice. As showing how little the person responsible for the formation of the district knew of the stations in it, I may point out that whenever the Thames Inspector wants to visit Coromandel,' Whitianga, &c, he must first come to Auckland, where he has to remain overnight, both going and returning from these stations, which can be reached from Auckland in less than half the time it takes from Thames, and at less than half the expense. " The only stations in Thames District that can be reached more quickly from Thames than from Auckland are Paeroa, Te Aroha, Karangahake, Waikino, Waihi, and Katikati. All the coastal stations can be reached from here in less time than from Thames; and Rotorua, Te Whiti, and Taupo can be reached in the same time from Auckland as from Thames; while Tokaanu can now be reached from Auckland by Main Trunk express in eighteen hours, as against three days from Thames.

iv—H. 16b.