POLICE AND PLAIN SPEAKING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 6

POLICE AND PLAIN SPEAKING.

The plain-speaking of the Minister for Justice conccming the agitation which is being fomented amongst a section of the junior members of the police forcc will meet with very general approval. If the public are to have any confidence at all in the force it must/ be apparent lo everyone Unit. I hey must continue as they have done in the' past to keep themselves cl ear of an association with any political or class interest. That an endeavour is being made In bring the police within the- ranks of the Labour-Socialist, movement, is made clear bv the form of invitation being circulated amongst them to sign an application for membership in ''The New Zealand Police Association.'' Thir application form, which hears the imprint of The. H'rw/r/'—the publication of the "Hod' 1 federation —also carries the intimation: "Post to A. Rosser, Organiser, Trades Hall, Auckland." The name of Mr. Rosseii will be familiar to the majority of the public as that of a gentleman who has shown considerable activity in Auckland Labour circles, and ho seemingly is the "organiser" of the movement. Trades unionism is a very good thing in its proper place; but there are quite obvious reasons why any association of the police force of the country with any outside organisation of this kind should not be tolerated for a single instant. It is impossible to believe that any number of the older members of the force, who have a proper conccption of their duties and obligations to the public, can have any sympathy with a movement which, if permitted to continue, must shatter all confidence in the discipline and conduct of the police force. Such grievances as may exist should, of course, receive proper consideration, but the force would bo, well rid of those men who, instead of bringing their complaints forward in an open and straightforward fashion, have slunk behind the professional Labour agitators, and by so doing aroused uneasiness and ..suspicion in the public mind as to their discretion and 'fitness for the special trust reposed in them. We believe, as wc have stated on. previous occasions, that the great bulk of the members of the police force are deserving of the respect and confidence of the public. On tils whole, the force has established a creditable record, and under its now head, Cullen, seemed likely to become , still more efficient. It is the, more regrettable, therefore, that the indiscretion of a section of the junior members of the forcc should have occurred to mar tho record and lead to a situation which leaves the! Minister no option but to take such steps as will ensure the full and complete protection of t.he interests of the general public.