THE POLICE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 596, 26 August 1909, Page 6

THE POLICE FORCE.

* [ • PAY AND PROMOTION, i [ , SOMETHING ABOUT "HANDY MEN." G'v- v- "■ -.■■■»tlJT ToUrrapb.—Press A»*oo!*Uoo.) .... £ Auckland, August 26. f' j h j > ; At the :Polioa Commission,, Dr. Sharman, , s medical officer, askod if he had anything to ■ • • say in reply to complaints : made, • said he ;had ; information which: showed, that certain '(.■ . . individualshad approached a member of p- Parliament to A are' him (Dr. ■ Sharman) fired ?■. out of .the farcty bag and baggage. :Ho I'v-• vwas .endeavouring ,to supply; proof., of this. v. iJr, ■ Sharman then retired, *it being underf . : u Stood that he;would, be^called, again. - • !. n : ' j> Constable Foreman said he had personally ( . • • declined promotion, but • there: was a good "'.-ffidsaJ '«f- influence connected therewith. Ho 'mentioned th® following cases in which-joo- ; v • • '»ors had been promoted over seniorsHodg- ,.•••• son, over 111 seniors; ; Keith, over 101 j:. : ;>yi teniGTßj ; O'Reilly, over 181; Boniors; Eccles, | ;: . oyer-189 seniors;- Creen,■ over 148 seniors; . ..and-Cununings, over 230 seniors; ... •... > Sergeant Sheehan, as a deputation from & sergeants, said probationers sliould be em,ployed twelve-months at 7s. '6d. a day, and i f ■ . • ■ ■ should have power to end the pro- ' f ;v; ; ibation' at any .-time'during that period. ■He i.-xs.&v'i.tobjaoted: to 'the ■ preferential promotion of 1 'plain-clothes men. y : Sergeant Sheehan complained of. ; the work; J, cf what ho described as a handy man.-While was jn.charge:of Newton.station-.tbe;-]])-tho commissioner asking him to report' on the effip.' :■-i'cienoy, and-organisation of, the station, as he . had reason' .to wondet. whether a''change at ■ .Newton • station was not desirable, and he x like to know whether .the inspector ... could, not. make a recommendation to that {~' effect. ~ Thero' wis no cause whatever for !•' complaint, and. ho could only conclude it was ( • • tho'work. of a handy man. j • -Mr. Bishop; Do you think, tbat.-thero is iV- B«.v. falling;.oil in/tho physiquo' of the. men il'entering, the-force. to-day as compared with '. ...' a-few years ago?- - • [ . / .'Sergeant Sheehan: . Yes, there has .been a .very-.inferior class.:of., men entering- tho *. .'.forco 'during the last three years.'-. A' great t: •;, many - are what you would .call "wasters," all .fitted for.serviced.: When they jv-> get in',l it. is difficult to get them out again si'.': . .as long-as they behave themselves. ; s; '; Mr- 'Bishop: To what, do you attribute this • state of things?, ;. : ; ~'.Sorgeant Sheehan: Oh, men comohero from >;,■ 'Australia l and: get; into the force,, arid they I contaminate others. ■ V ■ ' Bishop:-And what is the reason of it? t Art( no good men available 5 & : . Sergeant .Sheehan:. I.do not.see why thev :; Should not be available,: but I think the small p;£:i.« Tate of; pay,offered is a bar. i ■ Another' thing pv:'is,that the, youth of the Dominion does'not . . eeem incjined to knuckle down' to discipline.: :. ,- . . Mr.. Dinnie, Commissioner, of Police, sub- . ' .- Sheehan to a cross-examina-i-. .-: , - ition: on the.question of "handy men" withConviction:;ofv the -sergeant ! that thoso "handy men" existed. The disf? . i;.: J'Pl'no: in the • Auckland district was re- :- v ierred to :bv :the witness as the best in Now f Zealand. He -did not think that -sergeants • . . should bo : allowed to remain moro than six • . at one station. . , The. c6mmi3sion then adjourned until tomorrow morning. '