THE POLICE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1729, 21 April 1913, Page 7

THE POLICE FORCE.

NO GENERAL DISCONTENT. ONLY POLITICAL AGITATION. It is now alleged that the recent stir causcd in tile Police Force in Wellington is a result of political agitation. A member of the force with a good many years' experience stated this emphatically to a Dominion reporter yesterday. Ho holds that there js no general dissatisfaction, and goes to some pains to produce reasons to make his contention acceptable. . s &ys: "A feu* years ago a man on joining the Police I'orce as a constable got *£10 per month. Now he gets Bs.- per day when he joins, and, if married. Is. od. per day house allowance. Tin's daily rate includes Sundays. A man on joining the detective service gets Bs. per day and Is. per day plain clothes allowance, and of course the Is. 6d. house allowance if lie is married. And when that man is promoted to the full rank of detective he lis. per day. In tho old days lie would havo got either .£lO per month, or /s. per day,, on joining tho detectivo branch (without any allowance), and on gaining his full rauk he would,liavo been paid ils. per day." Proceeding io the subject of oxamination6, he denied that thero was any general dissatisfaction among the men on this point. He said: "Tlie rrten as a wholo don t complain about having to face tho examinations, and the only persons who do object aro one or two detectives. There can bo no doubt that tho idea of examinations has been brought forward with tho idea of knocking political iufluenco on the head, and preventing unsuitable men being promoted. My opinion, and my hope, is that political influence will not bo able to avail in any \vay_ whatever henceforth, as a man must qualify by examination, before getting promotion. It is not true to say that nil tho men disagreo with the proposal to hold examinations. This allegation of grievances is altogether exaggerated. The fore© was never in a better condition than it is at present. Some, who in the past depended on political influenco for their advancement, aro of course the first to complain.

. . tho past," ho continued, "tho discipline in the force has not been what it should have been. Formerly, when a dozen constables were sent out on the streets for night duty thero would be one sergeant in charge of-them. As this sergeant lmd to cover a great deal of ground it was impossible for him to exercise a good supervision over tho men; ho only saw each man about twice during tho night. Take the Remmers cases. They could not have occurred with proper supervision. I say all this to show that it is ridiculous to bo talking of grievances in n system which has just been so much improved in so many ways. Those who want further improvements must remember that the force is n big body and that everything cannot bo dono right away. The reasonable men, who aro in a vast majority, realiso that. Wo have at tho head of us now a man of forty years' practical and varied, e.tperienco in .New Zealand and England, and we aro all removed from political influence, so that we have every rcasonablo hope of rising according to our merits. As an officer of long experience said when addressing somo of the men a few days ago, the forco has never worked under better conditions, or been better treated than it is to-day. This talk of dissatisfaction is sheer political agitation. Wo realise it, and we regret it bccauso wo are satisfied to go along as at present and wo believe that we can get any reasonable improvements in due course."

FEELING IN CHRISTCHUItCH: (By Telegraph—Praia Aeßoo\atlon.) Christchurch, April 19. Regarding the alleged dissatisfaction ii) the police force, a reporter made inquiries amongst several members of the local lorce tomo'days ago, aiwl ho was assured that thero iras no trouble amongst, the Chrislchureh men. No mention of forming an. association had been made, and SuMnspcc-tor Maekinnon declared that he had not been approached by <iny man who. harboured n. grievance. As far as tio could judge, the constables in Cliristehurch were a happy family. These observations, however, do' not appear to apply to the whole fijrcc, os a reporter was informed by one Chrislchureh constable this afternoon that a. majority of the loe.'il force intended to stand by Ihe Auckland men. This majority. it i-i slated, is "sick and tired of this humbugging, domineering way that is fast creeping into the New Zealand police force." it is stated I hat one member of the local force was refused an interview by the Hon. A. L llerdman (Minister for Justice), when he was in Ohristohureh, and (he force is dissatisfied with continually receiving the reply from the Minister to complaints ami grievances. "1 will inquire into the matter." It is complained that men have been promoted in Chrislchureh who are years junior to men who have higher qualifications.

rnrlher statements made to Iho pre.-s----man go to show 11ml. amongst a unmber of the Olil istehurch men ;il, least there is a feeling of dis s atisfiu'tion. The men dielare tliat they have no grievances ogainst any of the. officials here---in tact, they consider that, far ;>■> the head ollii-inls are concerned. tlicy are better served in rhliitehureli than in any ctiu'l' town in Now Zealand,