H.—l6b

XXXIV

a number of men, and even quite recently, have been promoted, and have never passed, or been asked to pass, any examination. This is the sort of thing that causes grave discontent in the Force, and has been partly responsible for the setting-up of this Commission. Other men have been told that they have not been promoted because they have not been recommended by their Inspectors. And yet I find an instance of a man being promoted who was not only not recommended, but was declared to be unfit for promotion. It was not very long after his promotion that this man was reduced owing to gross misconduct—misconduct, by the way, that ought, in a sergeant, to have secured his dismissal. What induced the Commissioner to promote this man in spite of the lack of recommendation ? 1 have not received any satisfactory answer. There can be no doubt that the Inspectors are the persons who are best qualified to know the merits of men for promotion; but I do not think that a recommendation should be the only qualification. A case came under my notice in which a certain constable had worked under a certain Inspector for five or six years, and he had refused to recommend him for promotion, as he did not consider him qualified in any way. The man is transferred and works for twelve months in his new district, is recommended by his Inspector, and forthwith receives promotion. The possible weakness of the system is here shown to perfection. The man has yet to prove himself, but at present lam inclined to think that the estimate of the first Inspector was the sounder of the two. There is little in general to find fault with in the manner in which the Detective Branch have been dealt with. But lam bound to say that I can see no justification for the promotion of Detective Quartermain. This man was enrolled on the Ist April, 1903, and was made detective on the Ist April, 1909, over the heads of most capable and excellent men who had been doing plainclothes work to the great advantage of the Dominion, and who naturally looked forward to being promoted in their turn, and who feel sorely aggrieved at the preference shown to Quartermain. This detective is shown in the return of the Headquarters Staff as a Finger-print Expert. He was a constable assisting the Finger-print Expert prior to his promotion. He might just as readily have been made a sergeant. The only excuse so far offered for his promotion has been that he was previously in the prison service, and is a very useful man. This is hardly likely to be a sufficient solatium to those passed over in his favour. It has been said of men who have been in charge of important stations for many years that they are not qualified for promotion as sergeants because they do not possess the requisite education. In some instances this has been urged as a reason for refusing promotion to certain men. I have no hesitation in saying that, if a man has been able for a number of years to give complete satisfaction while in charge of a station —at any rate, of scores of stations that I could name —his educational attainments, even if slight, are fully equal to all that will be required of him in the position of sergeant. He has proved his capacity for writing intelligent reports, making out returns, &o, correctly, conducting prosecutions in Court, and very often as Clerk of Court, having to do a great deal more, even to the preparing of informations, &c. I have in my mind the case of a constable who has been described by a large number of witnesses as a most capable and efficient man, and qualified in every way for promotion. Some witnesses have spoken of him as one of the best and most capable constables they have ever come in contact with. Witnesses of all classes have testified to his worth. I myself have known him for years to be all that he is described. He has been in charge of important stations, both country and suburban. He has held the position for many years of Clerk of Magistrates' Courts, with minor offices attached. This man has been refused promotion because he has not passed the prescribed examination. He is a poor writer and a bad speller, but this has not disqualified him from doing yeoman service. He has even been in a station with a second man under him and given complete satisfaction. lam sending this man's name to the Minister, recommending him for immediate promotion, In this connection lam very much inclined to agree