THE POLICE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 603, 3 September 1909, Page 6

THE POLICE FORCE.

"MORE ABOUT HANDY MEN." "TO,O LARGE A PROPORTION OF .UNDESIRABLES." '•"■ '. ~'. (By'ToleEraph-Prcss Association! ' .''■" Auckland, September 2. At the Police..Commission this morning, Sub-Inspector. Hendry .and Sergeant' Sheehan were-recalled by.Mr: Diunie, and-questioned with respect ■to : their statements regarding "handy men." 'Both stated they did not for a moment'think the Commissioner instigated such ; inquiries, or was awaro of, tho existenco of such men..

Mr.- Bishop said.he would regard, it as likely to deal a severe blow at the discipline of the force hero if it was correct as stated, that two men' had been using: their positions to, convoy information to the head oiEce. Personally;-ho did not-think for a' moment that Mr. Dinnie would allow that; hut if the report were . true, the two clerks referred to must have dbno'this for their own benefit, or for the advantage 0f... someone, else. So far, however, they; had had only a repetition of -the rumours. ' There was ■ no' reflection upon'Mr.'Dinnio.

Inspector Cullen said ' three, months in a depot was,quite.enough for new.men. There .was, need for more practical instruction and less 'law in. tho depdt. • There wete' many fine men ini'the. Auckland- force,, tot too large a proportion. of undesirables. Bather too- much was made '"of the clerical '■ departThe men of that department should not bei left too;, long in'the office after being appointed. 'Sergeant-clerks were inclined... to pat on airs ;and patronise' uniform sergeants. Helhad known one.clerk who'.wanted to look . patron isingly upon his inspector. Sergeants should pass,; an'.examination in. .practical police work, discipline, and the law bearing thereon, after they had< been recommended by an inspector. The same should apply to promotions in the detective force. A medical examination should' be necessary before promotions.were made.: He did "not think there should 'be so "many . transfers,; • especially among./ybung men; at' their own \ request: .Regarding;, defaulters, it would be ■ better 'to' let'them remain in .the district in which thoy had defaulted.' '

", ■' ■'"'"• : ,'' i."''. -".'-"'"'_Reofultliig.,'.'-."".'";"-'|''. '.'■.' Mr. Bishop: is I your, opinion,-about the' falling-oif. in recruiting ?,,'.'• ". ." '/Ihspeotdr.'.Cullen:" I -think,' an increase in' the. pay-., will; have a', good 'effect.''■. Another point';is,that many' young men;do.not realist the'.attractions •. of the^.force, for ; there' are undoubted attractions;.' There, is no' man nibre looked •up to"' or . respected than the country constable,, who is' pr6vided with a good house and has many advantages. ' Mr. Bishop: Do you think an increase "of pay from 7s.'6d. to Bs. will cause more applicants to, come forward ?—Yes, : I think' 50..".. '■•■'.., •' ' ( .'';' . ' '~'..;.'.' ' • :;'• Haveyou any'opinion.about- the standard of .'education fifth standard''is not too high,/but-I think Hhere'should 'be ,rabro laxity, in-'rega'rd'to a-fmah's literary quhlifications.' fce a man- show's''that' 1 he is keen and practical he should not be thrown, out,because of lack of education. ■ 'Mr., Bishop:.Yes','l know several men who are;excellent constables, and I'doubt'if they can : spell some words of three or - four letters.; Inspector.'Cullen:'Another:thing is that I do riot think there is a need for maintaining a height of sft. 9in: Men of sft. Bin., with a normal .chest.'expansion'of .38in.,.are. just as good.-...-" >:.;;'.:; '- : .':-'...;-.'.'V:., ■ .-'V.,-.- : .* -,;,;; VDo ■ you. think ,the;.station sergeant have justified' .their cfeatjpn?—Yes, l --I do; and - if the ; work: goes jori - mounting, up we 'will need' two station-.sergeants'jhefe. ',<;./'' ■■'■' '■ •■:•.-..--.

"Abnormal Amount of Drunkenness." You seem to have had an abnormal amount of drunkenness here?— Yes, more in' the;last twelve .months than-ih .the-previous,.three years. ~,,, ... '■■''■■ : Y ■ "•"•"•'■ ■"■. ' -.\ ■:■ ■ ':■'■' To what'do you'attribute that?— The men must come into 'tho force with the desire for liquor. A good many:of the cases were amongst 'm'eri 'froth.'South Africa,'and else-' where. Very few, are young New Zealanders. ■ Are there special temptations .in. Auckland?— Well, is a big, place, and, there.' is' always': more'.temptation, in a Big town.'' A man may get on friendly terms with barmaids,- and; bring', liquor, home with, him.' . • -•■.. :■-.■••..". .

\ You'have had'cases of bringing, liquor into' the. barracks?—C;k,..yes. You could not.go upstairs at-one! time- without .stumbling over bottles in. • the; passage. • Sometimes there would be : a:'dozen'and'a half empty bottles brought down:next;, morning. .' \. A'iicl was 'that ■ free'J.iijuor?—The inferenco is that the-men' received it ; gratuitously., We set, a watch,' and found -it -on. the persons: of two..young men. '.Their, 'excuse - '-was, that' friends had'given it to them ; in"'the 'streets. -- ; .What ; was done- with .them?— They were both called upon,to resign., ■"' ■'.-'■' ■'•-.'• Is that kind''of thing- now stamped out? —Yes,.-pretty ;.well,' though. T ; still" think- a little of it goes on, .however. Speaking'of the;men,generally,-,! 'must.'say, I think, that they, are very-good, constables, >and a fine body of men.■'-.•. :."'■■';.. ;.• ■.■,'.'.-,:. ,'■...>..-- :

.'../.•■ •'..-.,■ -, Some Suggestions, .y ' 'Inspector Culleirweh't'-'on-'to'-say that' he thpught.. the. Dominion 'should be divided into .four _ divisions; under• the,, • control ,of ■■four divisional^.superintodent£,;':whoA wpuld co'ninspectors and' 'sub-inspectors, and their 1 . It would lonly.'-'be necessary to ■.have' subfinspectora at -Napierj'-'-Wangaiiui, Palmerstpn.North,'Timara,.Greymouth, aid InvercargilL :;''■'. .'.•.-.,■ ~'.■..■ /..Referring''to-'.-recent-- promotions •> ;in;..-tho 'Commissioner's:, office,.lrispecto'r"GuHeii;.sajd discontent had --been created : by., these : 'appointments.' 'V'": ','■.''.'■'' ■ '.- ■'" ■.'■' -" '"' ••.:'-• -.. Questioned byMr. Bishop as to whether any attempts';hid' .to. bring• p'qlitica],, influence' to' bear,' upon him,'; ■ Inspector .Cullen said that'when he iwas .'first at .'Auckland 'he;.'yis'-'jwaited './'upon : and ( asked'.to'do 'a' great, 'manythirigs.outside.'df.' the;'ordih/irjr.oourse, :but. as' he;'never ,did' these' things 'these' : people"had : ceased to- trouble him. "He Oould,,'not : remember';the particulars' of a stated to ..have directed" ' mah.should .be ■proseM'i^' : .warrant' wis not\'issued for V month," with the result'that ;the man got' clear away, from ■the' country.'. He believed that. the.-'case had been, referred 'to,'the Crown'.Solicitor, but ,he could hot remember ,exactly, as the file pfpapers was,'now away from .Auckland. The commission;'has concluded its'. Auckland .- sittings.'. The ■ next. sitting, will' be at Kotdrua', on Monday. .':