CO129-319 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [10-11] — Page 575

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be repeated as regards Captain Lyons now Acting Captain Superin-

tendent. As Mr May has pointed out in his concluding remark

Captain Lyons has been placed in a difficult position by the

neglect of the Captain Superintendent to give him any guiding

instructions before his departure on leave. At the same time

of responsibility Captain Lyons can by no means divest himself, for the laxity of

A

discipline revealed by Mr May's report. In the case of Inspector

Williamson it appears that while this officer did practically no

patrols for seven months Mr Badeley and after him Captain Lyons

either never noticed it or never interfered. As a matter of fact

Inspectors report their prevoius week's patrols each Monday morn-

ing and the omission should have been noticed. The correspondence

moreover in the four cases of which particulars are enclosed and

the palpable neglect of duty in not satisfying himself that the

out

standing instructions are carried, both by officers and men show

ん

that Captain Lyons too fails in the necessary qualities for

command. Strict discipline is absolutely essential if the police

force is to be efficient and its importance is intensified in

proportion to the indifferent quality of the material.

6. The remarks of the Colonial Secretary under the head of

discipline demand careful consideration and in my despatch No 5!!

of