THE CONSTABLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1673, 13 February 1913, Page 6

THE CONSTABLE.

1 HIS PAY. STATEMENT BY MINISTER.

SOME, FACTS & FIGURES.

Disappointment has been expressed that under tlvo new scale of pay instituted for officers of the police force ho provision has been made for. increasing tho pay of constables. In answer to the criticisms' that have been' passed, the Hon. A. L. Her'dman, yesterday made the. following statement:— - ''Tho pay for a constable for tho first three years'of his service is Bs. per day, Sunday included, plus.ls. fid. per day house.allowance if ho is married, and if unmarried he is . provided with free quarters, fuel, and light. "The men .receive an increment of Gd. a day every'three j ears during the first nine years of their service, then an increment of Gd. per day on completing 14 years', service,'and"a,'final one on reaching 20 years' service, bringing the pay of a constable of 20 years' service up to 12s. per day, including house, allowance. Unmarried constables have a mess at their barraoks, where the cost of their food runs from 12s. to lis. per , week. Most married'constables of five or six years' service'are given charge of stations, and if these stations are in the couhtry townships, they usually have sufficient' land attached to enable the constable to keep a cow and.pdultry, and to grow, sufficient fruit and vegetables for family use'. Most of these constables arc also clirks of ..Court',' bailiffs; inspectors of factories, clerks,to .licensing committees,. etc., for all. of which ' they receive special, remuneration from the Department utilising their services.,, ,' :

"A reference to the evidence given by Sergeant 'Moore before the last Poli'co Commission- will show that, he w.as receiving .£l3O per annum over arid above his police pay .'as constable in charge at R-awehe station. Many other constables make large sums in the same way,, the least.riny of them receives from brio source or another ,being Mo per annum. Then, these men are provided with good six or seven-toomed .houses, containing rill modern conveniences. "All'.coristables airo 'provided with free heliiiets, waterproof overcoats,- and night duty overcoat?, ..and are also provided' with material to, rii.ake. up their everyday uniform, but they have, to pay for the tailoring themselves. V "The following . schedule' shows . the ratcs : 'of pay arid:allowances of constables iii the.various Australian police forces, as well ,as the pay ; and.house allowanco ruling iri' the New Zealand f6rce:—

' ■ '' 'AUSTRALIAN STATES. New-South'Wales. ' [■'■.' . -; ~'." >Pay.V ■■'' H.A.'. ■■'.' Service.;':,■ :■• .:s. ; . ct. • s., • •d. -.T0.3 years' ■«..»-.;■.-.... ".8. 6 i„l- -.— ; Over 3years- '.:.....,. .9 0 1- — . First-class '... 9 G 1 -- Senior 10 i • 1 — ,Free.uniform. . ;-.-,.. . .-Queensland.. .-;■.'',- -.-. .'' ..- -.. Fay. . H.A. . Service. s. d. 8. d. To 3 years V. .v.. 8 6 ■'•■• —' , •''—■' 3to ill years ; 9 0 ' 1 — Over 10 years . 9 G 1 — Senior, 10 1 1 — Freo uniform. ■ . .' ' . South Australia.' .-'■ „■ ■■~" Pay. ', H.A. Service. -, ,• s. d. s. x d. Ist year ; 8 0 1 — 2 to 6 years 8 6 1 — 6 to 10 years 9 0 1 — 10 to 15 years 9' 6 1 .' —. 15 to 20 years 10 0 1 — Over 20 years ...... 10 6 ,1 — First-clfiss V.. ..;.. ; H" 0' ! .-I' l '"' ~, Sehlpr ;'...!;;..'. 11 G' "l ';.—• .£9 per annua allowed for uniform. ." , - West.Australia. ■Pay.' '.' H.A. .- , Service./ ...- s. d. ■ b. d. To 3 years' 8 0 1 7 3 t0.5. years' .„,".::.. 8 6 17 5 to. 10 years ..;,..... 90. I 1 7 Over 10 years ......' 9 6 1 .7 Senior ...'.....:.....'.„:. 10 6 1 7 Sjhior ' 10 6 1 7 Free uniform. Victoria. , "', ' Pay. H.A. ■„/'...'.'■'■-',-"- : : "'■ '••'' + •'■Service. - ; s. d.'- ■»■ ;■ d. To'2'years ............ 7 0 1 6 2to i years .....;;;..,... 7 6 - 1 6 I to' 6 years ....„;.. 8 U-- ' 1 6 6to 10 years 8 6 .1 6 10 to 15 years ......... 9 0 1 6 Over 15 years -......; 9 6.1 6

| ; . ■■', Service. ■ ,' ; s. d.'- -k- d. To'2'years ............ 7 0 1 6 2'to 4 years .....;;;..,.. >7 ' 6 • 1 6 4 to'B years ....„;.. 8 U-- ' 1 6 6to 10 years 8 6 .1 6 10 to 15 years ......... 9 0 1 6 Over 15 years -......; 0 6.1 6 Free overcoats and helmets only..' '. ■ ' •In cities, fin other places. •■.-■.' Tasmania..'.' . ..' ' Pay. ''" H.A. Service. s. d. e.' d.' To 3 years .6 6 1 6 Over 3 years 7 0 1 6 First-claSs' 76 . I 6 Senior .......;;,.'. 8 0 1 6 Free-uniform. .'-••,: ' ~*ln.cities. ' j-in other places. ...'■ . ■!. '".■■'" '. " NEW:! ZEALAND. ""■■■''. . ~ ■'■■'. House ' Service,: ■- ' Pay.: allowance. Total. . s. d. s. d. s. d. Under 3 years ... 8 0: 16 9 6 3to 6 years 8 6; .16 10 0 6to 9 years ....... 9 0 1 6 10 6 9to 11 years ..... 9 6 16 11 0 14 to 20years ..... 10 0 i 16 11- 6 Ovef 20 years.... 10 6 16 12 0

Helmets, overcoats, and' material for making up uniforms are provided by the Department. ' ■'■ >•-••■•■>■

"When the present rate of pay. for constables' was fixed by .the .then Minister for. Justice to come.into forceon January 1, 1912, it was announced that the pay of the other ranks would bo revised later oh, and this revision.has now taken place. "Before the revised scale for constables was given effect to, all. constables commenced at 7s. Cd. per day plus ls.:6d.'pbr day house allowance for married men/arid they' had to wait four years for each increment of Cd. per day., Now' they commence at.Bs. per day, plus house allowance and receive.their increments,every three years. • , \ ■" : . : , 'There ore GBB constables in. the force, ond.if they now received an increase of 6d. per. day, it would cost the Deportment .£6192 to.edranience.with,.and.as all ranks above that of constable would have to be proportionately increased to' prevent the ctcation of. further, anomalies, a further annual expenditure of nearly rfsiOOO would .be involved,' making approximately an additional' annual expenditure of, say, £8000 per nnjinni to.the pay of nil ranks. "At' the • prajont ■ time; I certainly do not feel • justified in recommending the Government to' incur this additional outlay. " I do riot think that the circumstances warrant it. •'' "■' •'. ■'.■,. '' '

"I, aiii fully nlivo to tho importance of the duties.-'performed by the constable, and, speaking generally, I have-every reason- to bo highly : pleased with their behaviour arid'nttention to duty. -Tho:discretion and. patienco which the men exhibited, during, the industrial troubles in the north have not been forgotten, by me. I hope to be able tomako. the conditions nt the -different stations more, comfortable and attractive, but I cannot see.iuy -way. to advise Hi©-Government to .increase pay which, in my opinion, l is at present quite adequate." .; ■ .- . .