POLICE CONTROL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 698, 24 December 1909, Page 5

POLICE CONTROL.

I INTERESTING RUMOUR.' , WILL ME. TUNBRIDGE COME BACK? I >•' The Primo. Minister's announcement "con-; ceming the future control of the Police Department,: and Mr.; Dinnie's protest against his forced resignation, were the subjects.'of. a great deal of talk in the ■ city yesterday;.'A ruinoiir. which found credence in Quarters not very remote from official ciroles was to tho effect that the Government "had : decidcd to obtain; a successor to Mr. Dinnie from England.- It was : even stated i w-ith confidence that a cablegram' had been sent to the High Commissioner for',.Now Zealand/ asking him to endeavour to. secure a further term of tho services of Mr. Tunbridge,;.who was' Mr. • Dinnie Vpredcc&ssor: in .-office;, or, failing 'this,- to hsk the ■ Scotland Yard authorities ■ to recommend: an, officer, for-the position." The rumour seems, at' first sight, hardly consistent with the Prime Minister's - statement , that it was not intended to appoint another Commissioner of Police, and that the Department', would remain under the Under-Secretary for- Justice, with a Chief Inspector, to,be-ap-pointed later on, The genorally accepted idea seemed .to be that Mr. Cullon,: the senior inspector, who is now stationed at Auckland, would be selected for the post of Chief Inspector. On the other hand, a great deal of emphasis has been placed npoh tho necessity for avoiding friction, and it is,'suggested that the promotion of any': of the present inspectors to tho superior: position would bo a causo of friction. - ■ Mr. Tunbridge, who resigned the position of Comnjissioner in 1903, as a consequence of differences with the late Mr. Seddon, was generally. regarded as a strong and impartial administrator; 'and it is believed that his reappointment would bo widolv popular. He is now in, England, and a few months ago ho was, elected , Mayor of a borough on the South Coast. .„- .