:: General police constabulary at a distance of more than 2 years they would be able to avail themselves to any salient of inaccurate memories, & no check on them would be possible in this department: thus if we reject the expenditure under head A, we shall be compelled detail hereafter to sanction an account of which everyone may possibly be cooked, but if we admit it, we
2.
Shall sanction what is perhaps one great piece of cooking accounts, but the principles of which is not objectionable in itself had it been propounded 18 months ago.
For the other items in this account Sir M. finds his authority in the reasons given (in para 4) (1) for not sanctioning the outstations, (2) for sanctioning the steamers: as to (1) he says the Duke was under a misapprehension as to his meaning, it was not a case of "proper quarters for visiting police, but of additional works required for the police by
reason of their increase; he therefore considers D sanctioned under head D, Report Financial 30 of 1868,
If "The Station at the Gap", which is intended to be finished
R.49.30 of 1868/54 1765 168 sent on her station :) was a supplementary estimate for Public works in that year, about $3000 being voted for stabling, $1500 for new rooms, $1000 for rearrangements & general repairs: it was sanctioned in the ordinary way, but evidently is a mere afterthought to reclassify
this year.
5.47
it to the special fund.
If expenditure under this head is to be admitted, it can
only be
on the same principle as under head A, i.e. by deducting from the entire expense of Public works For Police what is considered as standard average ordinary expenditure of Colony for the purpose,
As to the past, if the numbers of the police were only increased by forty by reason of the licensing system, the charge for increased quarters can be very little. Sir R. M. now proposes (para) to add 30 more men of character & from England.
9657)
Sir R.M's next alleged sanction is in the reason given for sanctioning the steam-vessels, viz that they would materially assist the police in putting down crime; he argues that the Telegraphs, Roads, Bridges &c are part of the same notion, for increasing the utility of the police, a costly & special effort for hemming in criminals; & therefore he tells the Auditor General that it may safely be assumed that such expenditure will be sanctioned.
This argument is clever, not admissible; for the Duke had some hesitation in sanctioning the vessels, evidently because Sir R.M. acknowledged [p.13 of 1869 Paper 1] that the schooner would also convey himself, his suite &
tours of inspection : much as will the Roads, Bridges &c be confined to the use of the police!
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