H.—l6b.

XXXVIII

imagine that he is not overworked by any manner of means, and his office is very largely a sinecure. The sergeant who acts as editor of the Police Gazette seems to be well paid at £282 per annum. He tells me that his time is fully occupied. The Gazette is now published weekly, and the issue has been very much improved under the present Commissioner. The publication generally is very creditable to the Department. I make no recommendation as to its control, but suggest that the matter receive attention. It was changed from a fortnightly to a weekly issue on the Ist June, 1904. The cost of printing the Gazette for the twelve months ending 31st May, 1904, was £441 7s. The cost for the twelve months ending 31st May, 1909, was £605 18s., to which has to be added the cost of making process-blocks and printing illustrations, £59 4s. 6d., making the total for the year £755 2s. 6d. As regards the sergeant who acts as Storekeeper, I am bound to say that I can see no possible reason for giving police rank to such an officer. It has caused, as I have stated elsewhere, a great deal of dissatisfaction, and the Department has certainly not benefited. Some of the stuff supplied from the Store has been disgraceful, and the sergeant must be held responsible for this. This refers not only to the quality of some of the stuff, but to the different shades of the uniformcloth, which shows out so badly on parades. I suggest that the whole matter be fully inquired into by the Commissioner, with a view to put the work on a better footing. lam convinced that the work can be improved upon, and its usefulness considerably extended. It is impossible to go into details in such an inquiry as this. If it is found possible, as I fully expect, to improve on the present system, I recommend that the sergeant be sent out to do uniform duty at his present rank. The feeling that I have referred to as practically existing throughout the Force on this subject of the Headquarters Staff was very well and moderately expressed by Inspector Mitchell on page 13 of the evidence, and was fully indorsed and emphasized by Inspector Cullen in Auckland, as the result of his long and varied experience. Sub-Inspectors. There are two Sub-Inspectors in charge of subdistricts, under Inspectors who live at a distance. One is at Timaru, and one at Palmerston North. Timaru is attached to Christchurch, and Palmerston North to Wanganui. When men are sent from other districts to work under these Sub-Inspectors, no information whatever is supplied as to their antecedents, and the Sub-In-spectors are wholly ignorant on the very points of which they ought to have some knowledge. The defaulters' lists are sent only to the Inspectors. I recommend that in every case a copy of such lists be sent to the Sub-Inspector. Clerks. Some comment has been made as to the manner in which constables are selected to be sent into district offices to act as assistant clerks. I have been surprised to be informed by the Commissioner that the position is little sought after, and that he receives very few applications to be detailed for that duty. The Inspectors in the four centres are very much in favour of being allowed to select their own clerks from the men under their control. I can see no possible objection to this. There is a wide selection of men in the large districts, and the Inspectors, for their own sakes, would only select competent men. Making their own selection would insure their own satisfaction, and thus remove any cause of complaint, such as exists at present. Detectives. It has been urged that a special grade should be created for the Detective Branch of the service, giving them a special status of their own, and making the Chief Detectives of equivalent rank to the Sub-Inspectors. Ido not consider this necessary or even desirable, and I see no reason to alter the existing order of things, at any rate, for the present. The right of detectives to be con-