THE SPIRIT OF THE POLICE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 6

THE SPIRIT OF THE POLICE.

. MINISTER'S INTENT. THE LOYAL AND THE LAX MA? Charges which have been mac against some members of the Regul; l-ouco Force were the' subject of statement made to a Dominion report* last evening by the Bon. A. L. Hen (Minister of Justice). . ... pelieve {said Mr, Herdman) th: With few exceptions tho force are aba lutely faithful. The older and more e: penenced men are not, only faithful, bi) they axe liost anxious to uphold th : good name of the Force. 'Nevertheless tw*?- °? n ,y ince d that over since th \Vaim striko a determined effort ha been made by tho the Federatio-nists t enhst the sympathies of the polict isf ?[havo followed recent event closely will ■ remember tho attempt t rorm a lolico Association, They wf remember that Mr. Arthur: Rosser, well-known Lab&ur Union secret-an was closely identified with this mow ment, and thoy will recollect that til government refused to recognise sttoj an institution' Constable Smythe, th moving spirit., was transferred to Grey mouth, and ultimately dismissed fron the Force for misconduct, and otherj who. were actively identified with tin movement were.sent Ho other stations J.h-e (jovemine-nt.was subjected te' : H® a ' of abuse from news-papers ant politicians lor tlw action thai was thei taken, but tha public will now reeoawso how vita l it is- that the police should be kept apart from politics anc t-rom Labour organisations altogether." Uxmplamts havo been made aboui the conduct of some of the men oil Wednesday, and you. may rest -assured ■ wia-t these complaints are -being most searchinfily investigated. I would point | out this: that it would materially nssisi the Department in their inquiries if the number of tho constables who are alleged to have been las could he sup, plied. Perhaps apart from the numcouH bo otherwise identified. Citi.zens who .witnessed tho events complained of are invited to supat ° Bc6 ' T ho loyai men ? 0 cu"' 6 ttre distressed to learn of ttese complaints, and no doubt they will themselves make every effort to prevent the reputation of the- body to flinch they belong from being besmirched'by men with no sense oOronour. I hope that inquiry will show that the complaints are unfounded, or that anyrate, they havo been very much exaggerated.

ft, ?i,r ; VQt 'd moro. I think that the public should know that in my opimon. Commissioner Cullen, Superirt- +? ffl E hSOn i Zl ? B P« tor Hcndrejfand the officers and the Moat hulk af the men in force during Hie striko trouble, flare rendered, and are rendering. splen- 1 did service to tho public. There may be the exceptions to which the attention of the Department has been drawn, but men .who have offended will be properly dealt with if an offcnco is 7 Officers and men have worked uneomplamingly night and dav, often gping without meals, often on dutv for ?■ T 3 at 8 strGtch - never hesitating for a moment to early out the directions of the Government iii very trying circumstances." POLICE MEETING HELD. A representative meeting of police was held on Thursday night and roso* Jutions were adopted repudiating am- * °f' Royalty or shirking against the general body of constables! IB© iiieefcm.(7 favoured a pfonjpt inquiry into complaints by the public and proper punishment of culprits convicted on ovidenco.

A number of the special constables, both mounted and foot, are stated to be signing a, protest against the reflections cast on the regular police.