Mochner
which I can consciously accuse myself of professional failure & carry out orders, and I crave leave to offer the following observations on the papers.
In part of his despatch, Sir Henry Blake says that since the Command was given over by him in May, he has observed an increasing slackness in the men. Now he may have left the Colony in the autumn of 1907 and I took Command for several months under Sir Henry's observation, before he himself went on leave. Presumably, therefore, the slackness had not then set in.
I could hardly have recommended him for the post when it fell vacant. I remained in Charge during Sir Henry's absence, under the Administration of Sir William Gascoigne, during that period, which covered several months, I remember no complaints of slackness in myself or the men.
Sir Henry Blake returned, I think sometime in the Autumn of 1902. I cannot remember that he ever spoke or wrote to me about slackness in the Police earlier than the middle of 1903 when, at my request, Captain Lymes took steps to smarten the men up generally, particularly new recruits, as regards their appearance and saluting. It turned out that the European police were slovenly in appearance and saluting. I remember no further Complaints on this score.
Sir Henry goes on to say that very unfavourable comments are made on the Conduct of the police in the performance of street duty "by the general public, by foreign officers and by naval officers". He refers to par. 7 of Captain C. Briscoe's letter of 24 March. On reading the paragraph referred to, I see that the Administrator says nothing about the general public or foreign officers.
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