POLICE COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 554, 8 July 1909, Page 5

POLICE COMMISSION.

EVIDENCE AT INVERCARCIU, . THE QUESTION OF POLITICAL ' ' INFLUENCE. (By Telegraph,—l'rooa Association.) . Invercarglll, July 7. Mr, H. W. Bishop opened tho police inquiry to-day. Commissioner Din'nio is present on behalf of tho Department. Ho rend a letter ho had sent to the' Minister, asking ~ that, in view of tho serious and reckless '•' oharges which had been brought' against himself and the Police Department oy certain > - momljors of Parliament, an independent tri- - bunal bo appointed to investigate tho report, and that-tho result bo made publio through tho press. N tl . Mr. Hishnp said no specific allegations had been mado to him, and ho know nothing of tho matter referred to' by Mr. Dinnic, ex- ( oept. through Hansard and the press. -Ho would send notice to members of Parliament to attend and giyo tho com mission any information that might be in their possession. • Commissioner Dinnio'e expressed desire, for , tho fullest inquiry was ■ endorsed by Mr. Bishop. ■ ' |. An application to givo ovidenco in connce- ■' tion with service in tho armed constabulary counting for a ponsion was refused on tho ■ ground that it did not como within' tho • scopo of tho commission, < ' ■ j 1 I'lVidonco was givon by ono constable, ap-- i pointed as a delegate to bring certain gene- ' ral matters under tho notice of tbo cow- v mission. These comprised statements that tho pay of tho polico was an inadequate recompense for tho services rendered. A house allowance was also said to bo inadequate, Witness asked that a railway concession bo given to tho police on holiday leave. Ho was unable to give ovidenco in regard to tho. sobriety or otherwise of members of tho. force or of their obligations in regard to pqli- . tioal influence, and was perfectly' satisfied with i the' "system of' promotion. Constable Soandrqtt Bald the pay' waß insufficient, considering tho nature of_ tho < work and the risks run. Tho oost of living' had risen considerably. Tho conduct of the men hero was exemplary, the physique satisfactory, and thoro was no insobriety. Some tinie- ago there was a case, and tho 'man was • renvpvod from tho force. Ho knew of 'no , cases of political influence. Ho had hoard tlipt t)ie' same class of men did not enter tho forco aa formerly, and attributed it, to the poor 'pay. ' Tho moß,t important ovidonce was,that of Constabln i Council, of tho local force, who is a disrated detective. Ho stated, that he had 16 years' service,' six years as aotingdotcctive, and two years as defective. Hβ spent.eleven years in Lyttelten, having been appointed on account of tho provalenco' of thieving at tbc wharf there. Witness also alleged that ateps wore taken by Mr. Laurenson, M.P., under pressure from his constituents, to.have witness removed from Lyttelton because, as he said, ho was too success-' , ful for tho comfort.of tho constituents aforesaid. Witness allied that Mr. Lniircnnon had , actually said to him privately that before ho camo his' constituents could furnish their houses and provide boots and clothing from the ships in port. Subsequently,' wit- • nose was removed to Christchurch as aotingdetective, and afterwards-detective, but was reported, for trifling- offences, and was ft "marked man." Hβ was shifted to Dunodin,-. where ho was subsequently disrated,'alleging' that no. opportunity had been given ■ for; answering tho ohargoa of neglect of duty made against him. It had been alleged that , he drank, but he had never'been drunk in his life. Ho had throe weeks uniform duty in Dunodin, and was then shifted te Inver-' , cargill. Ho considered his treatment cruel , aiuf unjußt. . ' This ras.c will bo further considered when the Departmental files como' before tho commission. > ' . . ' Connell privately submitted to tho commission 1 tho riamo of ono detective, who, ho alleged, was in the habit of getting drunk. Inspeotor Mitchell gavo a very favourable report of his district. Ho considered tho difficulty of procuring recruits was duo to a too -hiojh education test, which' blbokod a " desirable class of candidates from the country. It could bo by ,no means contended that a higher education standard could mako a mpn'a bettor cpnstablo. Ho endorsed the \ system of promotion, In reference te the headquarters staff, ho thought it wae not disirablfl that in the absence of tho commissioner tho Bub-inspcotar should have power , to assume duties which mado it necessary for him to dictate'te mon holding higher rank.

■ STATEMENT BY MR. LAUREN.SON. •' Ohristchurch, July 7. Mr, Lauronson, M.1 , ., was Boon by o reporter with regard to the statements made m evidence by Detective Council before the Polico Commission at Inverrargill reflecting on Air. Laurenson. nnd nsked if ho would make a statement lor publication. Mr. Laufonson said: "In view of the nllegations made. I will take early opportunity of going before the commission and giving evidence. The allocations nro of a monstrous character, and I think I shall havo no dilficultv in disproving them at the proper time. ( Asked if ho would go into particulars at presont, Mr. Laurenson eaid that lie did not desire to do so. The matters referred to had taken plnco some time ago, and ho would require to look nn details before lio'said anything on the subject. MINISTERIAL INJUNCTION AS TO , EVIDENCE. ■ Following is a copy of the official telegram* soiit by Hon. Dr. Findlay (Minister for Jus- . tice) to Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., prior to tho opening of tho inquiry into tho state of tho Polieo Force:— , ■ "For tho purpose of ensuring that every',> polico officer who gives evidence before tho commission should do so freely, and without any possible fear of the coi.sequences of,his evidence, should it bo adverse to Uio administration of tho Department, I, as, Minister' for Justice, dosiro you to givo an assurance, that tho giving of suoh evidence will not bo" allowed to prejudice in any way the career in. llio Polico Forco of any such officers, provided, of course, that, in your judgment as Commissioner, such evidence is not pivon , falsely or in bad faith.—(Signed) J. G. Findjay, Minister for Justice."