H.—l6b.

This makes the total cost of the Headquarters Staff, excluding the Commissioner, £2,493 12s. 6d. It will thus be seen that the whole staff, with the exception of the Fingerprint Expert at £200, is particularly well provided for, and I am inclined to think that an ordinary Civil Service staff could do the work quite as efficiently (excluding the detective work) and at considerably less cost to the country. I am aware that this is very largely a question of policy, but it is my duty to express my opinion on the position where I think it affects the efficiency and discipline of the Force. It has been said, but without the smallest reason, that the work is better done by these police officers than would be the case with a civilian staff. Such a contention is absurd. Then, to say that the Commissioner can secure more discipline and control over police officers than over civilians is, in my opinion, equally absurd, as applied to strictly office work. To say, too, that a knowledge of police duty is essential to such a staff is equally a stretch of imagination. The Chief Clerk, Sub-Inspector Wright, is without doubt a very capable departmental officer, but for some reason or other there is a generally expressed distrust of him. This is nothing new with regard to himself personally. Ample evidence of it will be found in Hansard of the session of 1901, page 680, et seq. At that time he was in the District Office at Wellington, and was afterwards transferred by the present Commissioner to his own staff, and on the Ist January, 1906, he was promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector. Since then there has been simmering discontent in the Force, and there will be found ample proof of it in the evidence submitted herewith. For some reason or other there is a profound impression that Mr. Wright dominates the Commissioner, and uses his position to unduly interfere with the administration of the Force and to advance the interests of those favourable to himself. lam not going to express any opinion as to whether this belief is well founded or not. It would be exceedingly difficult to obtain proof of it, and I prefer to leave the matter at this. I am quite satisfied that a change must be made, and I strongly recommend that immediate steps be taken to rearrange and reorganize the staff at Headquarters. Sub-Inspector Wright should be sent out to do ordinary police duty at his present rank. The details of how this should be arranged could very easily be worked out by the Commissioner. A competent man should be appointed from the Civil Service to act as Chief Clerk. He would soon pick up the duties. The first two sergeants and the constables should also be sent out to do uniform duty, according to the respective status of each. Their places would have to be filled by capable Civil servants, and one would require to be classed as " Accountant." The two Finger-print Experts should not be interfered with. lam not able to satisfy myself as to the necessity for the appointment of the Chief Detective. He is supposed to do work of a special and confidential nature, but I should

XXXVII

Rank. Salary. House Allowance. Special Allowance. Clerical Allowance. Total. Sub-Inspector sergeant sergeant constable sergeant (Police Gazette) Chief Detective sergeant (Storekeeper) constable (assists generally between Store, Gazette, Finger-prints, and Head Office)* Finger-print Expert Finger-print Expert (detective) . . £ s. d. 290 0 0 200 15 0 191 12 6 155 2 6 219 0 0 292 0 0 200 15 0 136 17 6 £ s. d. 60 0 0 27 7 6 27 7 6 36 10 0 27 7 6 £ 9. d. 18 5 0 18 5 0 18 5 0 18 5 0 £ s. d. 18 5 0 18 5 0 18 5 0 18 5 0 £ s. d. 350 0 0 264 12 6 228 2 6 191 12 6 282 17 6 328 10 0 264 12 6 155 2 6 18 5 0 18 5 0 18 5 0 200 0 0 182 10 0 27 7 6 18 5 0 200 0 0 228 2 6 Total 2,493 12 6 * A reoeni ppointment o ng to inereasi of work. iu.