THE POLICE FORCE

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 7

THE POLICE FORCE

SCATHING CRITICISM BY MR. ARNOLD. NECESSITY FOR REFORMS URGED. " I HAVE TAKEN OFF MY GLOVES." "I consider it to be a puMlo duty to refer to the unsatisfactory state of the Justioe Department, more particularly the police branch." | Mr. J. F. Arnold, tho member for Dunedia Central, dovoted tho time allowed him to ' speak on the Finanoo Bill to a scathing critioism of tho oondition of tho police force. Ho prefaced his remarks with tho * abovo-mentioned declaration. It was, ho continued, an open secret that thoro was a great deal of dissatisfaction, and unrest among tho general public in connect . tion with tho police foroe. Ho would not refer to matters which had recently been brought under the of tho publio • through tho newspapers. There oould bo no 1 doubt also : that 'thero was a great deal of dissatisfaction in tho polico foroo itself. Tho Minister for Justice must know that if some- •>,• thing wore not done' tho result would be very '. . serious. He had previously had to plead on' behalf of tho prisons branch, and it was > only when oxtremo steps were threatened ' that a small moasuro of reform was secured.. Ho did not agree" with those who said that \ tho present state of alfairs had been brought about in ooneequonco of tho influence that had been btought to bear on Ministers of , • the Crown in oonnection with appointments. It might' bo tho caso: but ho did not think go.: lio believed that there had been appointments as to which tho Minister had not been ' ■ < oognisant, and it was in oonscquenoe of sucb appointments that the present oondition of affairs had arisen. From tho standpoint of ability, tho police foroo in Now Zealand was equal to that in any of the Australian States. .: . ; i.'

Why Thero Are So Many Resignations. . Ho was making his remarks so as to sav« tho moiro respectable and better-class members of tho force, Who might leave if something' wero not at once tlcn-i./. Ho • found, -i that during tho first of two periods of equal length 65 men resigned. and 9 were dismissed, whilst during the seoond period 146 men resigned and 22'were'dismissed. Mr. Wilford: Look at the wages. : 1 Mr.' Arnold went oil to'say that during tho : first, period wotle was very but dur- '■ ing tho second period men would think twice 'before tlhcy gave up tiie jjosition which t-lioy, held. It was evident, therefore, that the men had not left the forco in ; greater numbqrs during.tho second period because they, am Id do vory. much better in other linos of employment.. Not only were men resigning, in Wgo' numbers, but men could not bo-got to join it. Members kuow that, only ,two, 0r..,. three years ago members of tho Aimed Coi>stabulary wero only too willing to join tho'. ■; polioe. Now what was tho position? Re-cently-a circular was issued from. the Commiasioner's ofßeo to tho following cffect:—, j ,''As it.is.evident.that-there'. : aro numbere of suitable young mem ill the Dominian wlioso attention has never been drawn to -tb<j ad- . vantages of employment in tfhe-polioo- force,- , members of the force are requested to look ' out for suitable mod' who M<n"safely' bolre; oommonided, and adviso them to, make, appli-j ■cation for admission to tho force.", ,3'tf ! j, , Tie circular went on to say that if oare : wero; taken to reoommerid only thoroughly re] t .gpectablo men tho forco would be benefited; So tho position to-day was that every police-! man was a walking labour, bureau 1 • That was not a position in which members of tho forco should bo placed. i \ Tho whole trouble was .••that- nW/'sufficicint inquiry wa&mode ■ into. th<j VT &tecod'ciils-of ' applicants i 1 knew; for : fact that tho -older'- members of. the force would nbt 'assooicito with many of Chose who woro now being admitted to. the force. . ,i '

\ Admitted without Inquiry. . _ He .would quote the oase of a man who was taken on two months after his arrival in tho ~. Dominion, and very soon afterwards; ho wa^, '. found'taking part in- a street scene ja 1 which . tfio people of Wellington were familiar. Than again, there was the case of a man; who came fo'Now Zealand-with his wife'.s sister.After ■ he'liad- been in tho'Dominion for a few., weeks he was appointed to tho police forco "to look after'socicty." That mans ',vifo 'made' inquiries, with the, result that ; it was , * ;found that 'he': tvlso ; '\ had theirj two ! • children. He ' knew of . another easel .tfhero ' a\ man : who ca'nlo' 1 from another, part of tho' Empire was allowed i •to join the -force without inquiry having. been made as to his antecedents. ' Within a | few months ho was found to bo living with' ; ' tho wife of, the person with whom ho hadi been lodging.' That man. left .Now Zealand, and, it was believed, took tho other man's' - wife .with liini. There was then the caso. of. a mail who was dismissed from tho Glasgow ;i police, because he had assaulted, a sergeant. < He' ; .'canfe." ; to Now Zealand, and received an ilppOinttncnfc' without any inquirios being .made, , The. next instance that he would quote was that of a notorious criminal, who ■ joined tho Police Department, which had in its possession a copy of his photo, and also a . .copy, of'his linger prints. -Ono day, in the -barracks; at Wellington, some of tho police . ; . who were looking over tho photos, noticed ■ •the likeness.. Another man, .who was. re- ; .efhyd into ,the, forco without duo inquiry, ■was* to be .found' a" week" or.two"afterwards • encouraging hoodlums to prevent officers who , wore trying .to stop a street, brawl from.do*.;.' ing! their duty. It was, in consequonco oftho fact that a number of undesirables were now 'iir tho forco, that all tho trouble had arisoh'li' Only the other : day one of th«' , constables in this city was found in' a drunken stato on his beat, and sent back to:'-tho' barracks. . ..Upon that .matter th» Comriiissioner had tola the press that the cases of constables getting under tho influence of drink wore very few, taking them , all round, and woro conlined, principally, to tho younger members of ■' tlio. force. ■ Sucli cases, Mr. Dihnic had continued, could not bo avoided,:, because ,men must bo tried, boforo it could bo known whether they would bo found wanting. A privato employer would ; require certain credentials from applicants ' for work, evon although they came from out- „■ sido tho Dominion. It Would liavo been" almost impossible-for tho men to whom lie had referred, to get employment , in. positions of trust with'privato people.I,'1 ,' ' The Question of Promotion.

Ho knoy/ of ono constable who'had been promoted over lifty-iive of his seniors to a sergeantship. Others. had been promoted over' 93 others; 100, 108, 130, 136, 1-10. 144 ISO, .190, 212, and 233. Surely thero was ' ono -;f 1233 who had n prior right, in . tho way : of- ability to promotion. He did not ' believe that length of service should bo tins" only qualification' for the promotion. Ho ' did not know vwhethcr the Minister was ) awaro of. the condition of things in some of tho barracks, especially at those in Wellington, Ho , remcmliercd how,- in the early .. days in Canterbury, 'tho worst section of tho community had spent from ' Saturday night to Monday morning. It was no worso thaii what ho was led to understand took placo at tlio. police barracks aI Wellington every night. Did members knov: tliat the constables in Wellington were not allowed to romain out after 11 p.m. without special permission from his chief officer? lie . would also draw attention to another iogu- ' lation that was in operation in connection with tho police force. A constable wished to bettor his position, and was sueeerfsfnl in ; getting a position as a bailiff} Immediately afterward* a regulation was issued tint in future applications for situations outside tho police foroo woro not to bo'made without ' tho sanction of Mie Commissioner Having boen obtained. Was it likely that men of intolligonco arid ability would remain in tho foroo under tlioaS conditions? Then aiair, thero was tho caso of a man who wished t j bo married, bnt his young lady lived in Atw tralia. Ho was entitled to thirty-six da.s' leave, which ho got, but for portion of tlio time his'salary was stopped. But another ' member of tie force required to go to Great

Britain to be mareod, and he.reoeived six months'' leave on full payl > > ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ A member: He belongs to the 'HngetPrini ■ ■•. Mr.' Arnold remarked that the person to /. whom;ho referred was for all that a member ... of: theforce. With respect to the question of wages, he said that labourers could command 8a; per day, whilst oonstables only rose from fa. 6d. to,9s. 6d. by increases of 6d. oveiy four, years. ' K the constables.were married they got something for houso . allowance, »but as they were required to live within a short .distance of the police barTacks the'extra'sum did not: help.matters. Thou. there 1 was the case of' detectives, ■'who, when travelling by boat, were stuck -in tho steerage,'and otherwise had. to undergo hard- . -ship. - : ' '• "Best V/atched Man ln .the Dominion." , There were mauy other matters which, if, i not looked; into,' would result in serious difficulties arising. Ho had hardly. knotyn -at first how it.Was possible to bring the matters' to which he referred Before the public/ He /know that if ho spoke as he had done he would.be the best watched, man in New, Zealand by some members of tho force. ---A'member: .Who-told you that? ... .■ ' Mr. Arnold declared that there would' be people on the look-out for those! who it'was thought gave him information. During.the noxt six months no policeman was likely to speak to him. ■ • • •'

. A-voicp:;'You may. give him occasion to do So. (Laughter.) ;.; : Mr. Arnold conoluded as follows: ..> , ' I .have. now taken off my gloves to the . Police Department, and its - chief.; Unless. tho Minister looks into theso mattors, and provides some remedy, • I shall V . fight' the i matter'to 'the-'bitter end. Mr. Wilford: lam with you. "• -'' Mr.-.Arnold:,l am satisfied that,this is the' only way. to bring about reform. • •The. ; Prime Minister: declared that there . was only one officer in the Finger Print Department. - In ordor that ho could go to England to jget married ; 'he had received sismonths',cleave' of month on full pay and the balance, without salary. If Mr. Arnold, was Preferring :to anyone else he had been , misled.' It was-.young Dinnie. . Members: .Tell'us how ho got the.appoint- ( Kent in tho first place? Sir Joseph: I am not dealing with that . matter.just now. ~• , . ■. ! Mr.; Arnold admitted that he' might- have , been'- - misinformed on' that point.'. He had the.'namesiof'all. the persons to whom he had referred, and had made as full inquiry as was possible. If Sir! Joseph' wished' t0..: get them ho would givo thorn to him. Sir Joseph: I shall be vory glad to get tho names. , ■ : y •;.(• OTHER SPEAKERS, i

MR. HERDMAN'S VIEWS. Mr. 1 Herdman said that as; reference''had boon made to the police forco of Wellington, he 'must refer to.the matter. Ho Had listerie'd with interest and delight to those truo ■ statements which must be: very repugnant to ; tho Government. The'■ speech of nold was of a charactei - . He . understood from' him that; the Government's,' . policy of making appointments to, the police force was to rccruit the foi;oe from the ranks 1 . of 'the'icriminal'class. ' Several instances had' been given in "'support;; of'- this.';suggestion.;. TheE'caies ''surely "revealed an; extraordinary f V irtate.'.of affairs ( when. ; a : cbrivicted criminal vV^oouUrc6me ; here-arid! be;appointed .to'the r<S! sponsible ' duties Jofi,-a ;:police, officer, ; ~Tho • ,of,,;the\man who had deserted' his'-iwife ! .''■'■\WMV.'al»' ; .aV/strSi'iig ,orio', and in ' this' city• , two.ooristables had committed a blackguardly' ';. attack^tipon'.,a' ,, .womah. >Mr.' Arnold's . speech■ : of . affairs' in';,'the' force;' .whichl.if.nii-.,did ; not: demand..immediate ; in- 1 ; ,vestigation:i reflected: great_ discredit on : the - - authorities. The' facts .mentioned by Mr.' '. Arnold,^justified-:.the arguments he had used, in support of .a Service board. . . - . "'.The'' Prime' ! Minister "protested that-tho question. of " a Public Service Bill could not be raised at thatiiiino,' ' : ,/-~i ; ;.The.Speaker'ruled that Mr. Herdman must had been placed beforo:tho House, ■ ' -Mr. Herdman, said; i that .'.lie was .referring to • his'-advocacy-of public service board;'outiida - : the' : BbilsoT r <:' An'.-iin- ( fortunate . condition'' of" things,'' t-o say - the ■ . least of ;it,7 had been shown to; exist in tlio '• ' force—a_ condition.of things, calling' for: the closest inquiry. ...It tho cases Mr. Arnold mentioned , were; authentic, tHoy could well V'suppose that theso'were ri<)t,the 'only persons: , in. the-force-who.wore unworthy to be police' , constable's. . , : He did. not. agree with the remade against, tho M.inir,; fiter for Justicej-'who/ ho'lieklj'coiiduct-edhis: '" Department : ;• with"'! a."- great: deal |of en--ergy,.. and .ardour. (Mr.' -Arnold: That's •N not ;the ,' 'point.'), : Neither. '■ did, lie v blame, of':' 1 the 1 . Justice'. ; ; Department, ..but.;the Vpresent',. head iif ''.tlio Vl JPblfce'"D6partmerit;',-'' He' 'recalled ; the .High; .; Btage ; ,of efDcjehcyj^which'the"'police forcfe'. *•••• attainedunder the;-skilful'""management'; of ;. under,-whom -;-the: :'.k. ■ forcd -r.probably r tlio" : highest'' standard: 'it; had 'ever' .reached,;,,., \Vhen;'he l 'left : it ' was 'the.'general 'opiiiiori ."that; tho. reason ■■'was/y-n.pt;'.ro''.mhbjli'jthat' ; tired of. the! 1 position,s or. old,; or desirous *of going '.to-'.'the' . .->" Old;",Country,;'butvhecause'..he;Vco'uld :;nbt on-', : , , dure"thev sub'-' '~ iected::'iHe,regrettetV 'that' 'the : ; pr&ent li&id of,the ,'Police; '''^^ed.^'.the'^lpya% : ;':\ffhieh'-'-".-Mri:...TuriKridg'o. ;::^;inaiiitainedi%.>nd;^h'at'-'ho'.'h'Bd''jiot i: ljept .the' ; forcoat;the',same ( . pitch pfleffi'cioncy. ' '.'UTTERLY ROTTON CONDITION OF THINGS."

.Mr:. T. E.. Taylor ..(Chnstchurch.,-.North) 1 stated, that - it' the. matters'' mentioned by ~ Mr; •>Arnbld;<w t 6i)B.t i tr.uei t-h'ey. required' ■very'. 1 - careful-.investigation.-- ~MrX Tunbridge .was, -in his opinion, undoubtedly'one of tho most capable, and honourable men who ■hadVever . : betn 'ih the; public service in New Zealand. : ! was: political interference - that.. had driven: him .out of-, office. r:Xhat ,'was'"denied at' 1 the' time, .'but 'it. was nevertheless- a, fact. Hg : had resigned'because; his decisions with re- ./ ference Ito a matter at -Nelson,; and the un- .'. ruly element in the'cities, , had-been : reversed : ' by the.'political head of the Department!'' Mr...Tnnbridge had no.need to crawl; he had ' ; -J .so,he resigned his' positioii. : ; lie (Mr. Taylor) did-.not .think: the Ministor' - - for Justice..was;.responsible..for-the' unfortu : ; , .; nato:; position, force v . TlOl "■ did he.blaino'tho Government, 'he.'natter. r. The .matters!' referred to by. ; asrtriflesj'light 'as air/ com*' ■■■ P a . rw l .with .the -liilterly': rotten sconditiori- : of ta'rigs which existed!in'the'force. ,-It 'would ; be' a .'surprise, to him if the present" condition ... tolerated, r- for another ; six .months; 1 : He would' ask. tho Minister to 'take tho -de....v.' fa u 1 tors' sheet for the Canterbury district for ; the past throo years. It would be found that there;-was policeman,'after policeman : who,was' ■ utterly not hontst, not ; .truthful.',, There had;been'.retained m the force merely, by political "nulling." -v-:,.; -

• Mr. Russell:- Who was roßpoasiblo for the "pullmpc"? - .Taylor: Seeing that you are'a political r baby'..at .the:'present time,' I don't charce you i b i ■■ Mr-, 'Kussoll: I am no moro responsible' .. thmi vou are. . Mr. .Taylor said it could not bo expected of- him that ho should know the members Who , had .interfered on behalf of 'unworthy • men'.' 1 He would: only : that they bad boon re- • ; .and thoir: punishment had: beea : suspended owing to political interference. '. "POLITICAL PULL" DENIED. •' •Mr. Russell (Avon) denied the charge of — ! '' L ' of the polioo force in ! Cai,!t-r,bury v The statement was, a reflection -mi ;'.Mi innuendo' against'every'member for t' t province. Speaking for himsolf, and he b'.H'ViMl. that he was ..speaking ! for."every i.:!'"'.' Canterbury; member,i not 'ofea : of;them ■ liii'l written a letter • asking the ' Government - yi irt.iMi in the force a man who had been pi :». (r-J to be a thief or dissolute of- dirunkan. J !i: road the names of the Canterbury members, a lid asked if -they were men who would use the political pull suggested. The positively,swithwhich Mr. Taylor had ; made the nsjvt'i-titHi led him to,the point that tho political pull might: come from Christctarch , Nort-. After the chargo that had been made • it- was .iiicliinbont on"the lion, member to ky who the inan was who was defiling tho public lemco bv -tho exorciseof that political pull

to which he had referred, or stand condemned aa a ' maa Cwho .had mado an assertion which ho was-unable to bear out. NEXT SESSION. -Mr. Ell (Christchurch South) said he bad been restraining himself—(laughter)—but session he:would havo a good deal to say. (Mr: "Massoy Heaven torbid.), Ho .asked if Mr. Taylor had brought tho names of. tho culprits in the Christchurch force .undor the notice of tho Minister for Justice, So that inquiry might bo madeand tho imputation of misconduct withdrawn. For his own ■part ho did not kno.\v of a single case of •impropriety- in the police force of Christ- ' . Mr.'Taylor said he'referred to tho Cante--bury district, and lib'know what he was.talking about. ( Ho had brought several matters •'to. the notice'of the 'Ministerial head of tho 'Department. Ho had certainly used the term "political .pull," because he meant it, but political.,pull, was exorcised by many pooplo besides members of Parliament. REMARKS BY MR. FISHER. .Mr. Fisher (Wellington Central) said that what Mr. Taylor had just said showed that •"pulling" was effectual. The accusations were a reflection not only. on the head of the ,Department but on the Minister. It w;ib tho duty of Mr! Taylor to make good his oh'arges, or if he did not he should bo branded on the floor of tho Houso. * . Tho charges amounted to a stigma on the wholo force. ...

: Mr. Taylor: I did:not place any stigma on '.the force "as'a whole! : Mr. Fisher then' said that both Mr. Taylor and Mr; Arnold should support the specific charges that-they had made.' . "ALL HONEST DOWN THERE." ; Mr.' said that he was sure there,was no such thing as wire-pulling in the. southern' districts. i Mr. Hanan: Wo are all honest down there. (Laughter.) ' '.Resuming, Mr.; Anderson said that the revelations showed that so long as the Departments were under tho control of .the Ministry without a board or some other, intermediary a Government' was always liable ito havo charges of corruption levelled against it. Much good would undoubtedly ensue if ,a'public service board was established. j

Mr.: Taylor, made' further remarks by way of explanation'. :" He: stated that .there could 'be. no doubt : that tho charges were well .founded. One ' constable had been transferred' from Auckland to Christchurch for insobriety.' It'.was'suclf a scandalous affair that lie waited 'on the Commissioner, . who admitted, that, the man had been transferred for misconduct. ' According to Mr. Dinnie the only justification for retaining (lis services was that ;ho-,was a capable officer. Ho told ,Mr..Dmnio .that. if. tho man were, not retransferred he ivould call, a public meeting :.within" 24: hours. need hardly tell mem■bers'that it ; was not necessary for .him to .call a meeting—tho'man was transferred at ■once. It was his, belief that that man was still m the force. There was'no doubt a "pull" had been given" to secure the retention .of that man's services. - . .A. COMMISSION SUCCESTED. Mr. Hemes (Tauranga) said it - was "remarkable that none of the' Ministers had replied .to,; the charges that had been levelled ; against .'members, of;,the police force. •" Sir Joseph: I -shall refer to- them in my reply., , . ~ v'-Mr, Hemes said-if:what was alleged was ,true a oommission should at once be sot up! - EXPLANATION BY THE PRIME . MINISTER.

.Minister, referring to this mat-t-or f later, said that the members who had raised, .this, question should havo .ascertained what tho ; other ,• side, was before they brought the matter.' forward.. ;He intended to read the names,of the,meri .who had been .referred to,, so ' should bo no misunderstanding.;. Ho would" give the particulars of : mek^jugh; \»",)ijd received from the Commissioner. It was riot true- that inquiry ,'was never made as to.the antecedcnts of the • constables who, had "had to be dismiMed. One constable had,. all his life in New splendid testimonials. Another was a New-.-Zealander ; and had previously 'served;6ri'tßß"fgilways. Another bad had two years', ho saw active service m.South' AJrica',- served .in" the London police aiui .iii the Cape police, arid produced good .testimonials.',. The;!case of assault in questiori^sis.Relieved .to-have been due to liquor. The riian whoi'vit was. alleged, had committed a matrimqnipliOffencej';camo from England; had;:l'iela,,;a'\pDsition. /&;;the South' African polico.,...and .was,...able to'produce, entirely sat.rfactorys references. ■' His. identity, was quite/aMideritally, arid he . was resign';" The constable who, it wals."alleged;;: was.rfound ';drunk in Mariners .Street , lately, submitted. with bis'.'applicationcertificates covering the period from his ;scliool days., It"would' thus be seen that the •applications were not granted without due in-:-?u'ry.-.. •„ ■ „ WIRE-PULLJNC DENIED.

r.': The Jaime, Minister.i went. on to say that -■last.;£6ar, oqiTof 387'awdidates for the police fdrc0.,257. wero rejected owing to- .various causes.' ,The* man who.had been .transferred o ver','3oo othors' was specially qualified as 1 a •gliratOT.o';ra<fiiiger;: prints expert who went ■Home -tp : be married -liad been 5} years in the arid.-was entitled to 36 days' leave'on ' leavo ,on,pay and '.five months'; absence. I ,without pay to go to .England and get further education ut his own expense in regard to finger print work. A 'Sergeant irho.had;been. referred to (named by the Prime,,Minister).,lad come with the best of; personal' recommendations, being, well connected;-' by a gentleman of i.higlr repute..' Tho Now South' Wales police forco .was applied- to for a, character,. and no reyy; ; temg.'. received . he was temporarily apNew South Wales had in his case, but .'afterwards -the'- man's photograph was discovered iir a volume of (New' South Wales .criminals, and-he-was discharged from the force.' .'Tho Prmo-MMsfcer' was 'assured by.the Commissioner^^h'at'there had been' no political pull. The Minister,ifor Justice and the Government desired that-the -force slhould be independent of I 'beyond cavil.' With re,gard,to .the, matter stated by Mr. Taylor, the ca'so,.of a . certain , sergeant - (named) was irivostigated.' by ,'the. commission set up at Mr Taylor's instigation l in 1898,. and tho charge against him was not proved. The man had a .fir'sfcclasa report from liis inspector, and .there was nothing against him whatever. '■ - Mr. Taylor: You are entirely wrong. It was a most heinous offence committed within .the/last three, years. "Yoii give'mo the hies," said f Mr. Taylor, "and I'll disgrace joair tommissiaaer any time I can got access to them."-. -, --

■ Tho Prime Minister, added, that the Min:istor..for Justxo would inquire fully into the , whole of . theso oases. , " LET ME HAVE THE PAPERS." Referring to tho case which he had mentioncd, Mr. .Taylor .stated, later,: that the Prime' Minister had been very much misled bj the document furnished by the Commissioner. ■ The'chargo against the man was a' serious crimo during the past throe years, and the" Commissioner must know that. The files in' the Commissioner's office would prove what, he said. ■■ Tho ■, Commissioner had removed 'tho man' from Ghristchurch within the time ho. mentioned. If tho chargo had not been true, would ho have dono that? ' Lot..mo havo the. papers," said Mr. Taylor, " and I'll make the Commissioner cot hia words. 1 ' ' . The Pnmo Minister read the statement of the' Commissioner to tho effect that if the .mah: wis. removed ';from Christchu'rch within 24 hours, he must have been under previous onlersi';and ; it was not on account of Mr. Taylor's representations. ~ ".Taylor:'All I ask is access to the filos. I will show 'that that man had no right to remain in the police forco. Ho has no right to thero, and the Commissioner knows it, and is keeping him there as ho is keeping many another; man. " 'Mr. Arnold'stated 'that for various reasons hs had:'refrained, from quoting names. Some of the' men were now leading respectabio lives. Out,of tho names tho Prime Minister had' read,' only three applied to cases which''he had referred to, proving that the position was worse than had been stated by him.