The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1013. THE POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1938, 22 December 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1013. THE POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY.

i .■ The important duties performed by the members of Hie Police Force and the consequent safety and security of person and property in our 1 country-sides and cities have long been taken as a matter of course, and it has become the fashion to rc: gard the functions of the police as being largely of an ornamental character. This eminently British attitude has been rudely disturbed by. the events of the past month or two,, during which it lias been demonstrated that there are members of the population who are prepared, on the pretext of industrial warfare, 1.0 do everything in their power to upset the, reign of law and order.' Tn Wellington, to go no I'lirLhov'-'afield, armed mobs have rioted in . the streets, and for a time the public., property along' the waierfront.'was

seized- and hcUt-byi a !awjess.:" : rabble.Intimidation and tcrrqrisin'we're deliberately. resorted-'to,' and numerous Jbr.ti.tal, assaults' wore "committcdr'u'pon. ;law-abiding ■" private? eitizehs/Wand ■ , upon|members...of ? ;thc^force3 ; retainiitl .'..b.v^ttej-t.ovjrcp l reas disorder.'' To ; : on.ie'oxi/Tif-..tlie -.experience of. W'el--1 ingtontpi rigi hoseSTinattors*- has been the the ■ Dpm m lonffijvTlii teW.offtSaffairs 1 rni::-es a quer-hon, quite distinct- froin n .V" s pp.cit i 9 find>ist ri h1 i s iit jjii ri cl /ono ■ that; .a * ty; - So; far;as; S the|late:disorders go; ; tlie la\y-Jias^ssc.vtod j Itsolf -ivii.iiovuvv-i .rertainYjvaj^--'.Knfc;-tlic<niattcr''- 4 cannot'! V3c, I ;._a i pericncc-through which -New, Zealand* ;haaf justTpass«bf:iridicateS'fl forcibly.-.! .' theft' wisdom., .-'and^'necessity the!; forceS; atHhe;disposal the;authoritieSj:Jfor,:;theipreseryation'of the public peace, :iii"a degree" that urdght'haye' ; seemedfunncce.ssary e !wheh'. a- proper respect for the law, and.all. that' it.' implies, ' was .- taken - .- ; fur. granted % The; Poll pejEpj-ge >hasfcme rjjed ,frbm the Ja te xii sorde rsl.wi tli;:crc dit*but it was 'made toy very!- early, stage .in; their'"progress 'that ,thc numerical. strength I 'of .the;>Forco'-was by nomeans •> with.-. the magnitude of the "'task"'in'- hand. This - was plainly' stated .by' the/ Hon- A. L: HsRDMAN'-whcn sec-ond-reading, dcbateSupon'the Labour Disputes' ..Bill .in ■ the House of - Referring. to ..the ' peribdivvhen-' the strikers took possession of fthe. local wharves, the - Minister .of: Justice- stated .that there were ninety'police in' Wellington at the time, and' that even when others were drafted'in,'.,making: the ! total ;150, -.they.'we're insufficient'', to copo with';tlie- ; -> disorderly :.'' ; 'clen'icnt which * was-* terrorising- the 5; water- 1 front.-'. The Minister went on to.state that ho. was not going to-ask" ninety, men to attempt, to. dearwith/twclvo hundred howling human.beings. Mr. Herdhvn at. the moment ~wrs..:., engaged in defending the'-'cmploymcrit of special constables to,.supplcmcnt the regular Policc'Forcel'but'his remarks arc equally pertinent -as indicating the necessity of permanentlystrengthening the' regular; Force.'ln advocating this course nothing /is further from our thoughts, than to cast any. reflection' upon' the- .Policc Force as it. now stands, 1 '?: In, one. or two instarieesjiincinbcrs of j.the. Eo'rce failed : to., rise.- to the".occasion, '.but they were isolated cases, The great majority of its members have'exhibited perfect loyalty , and., a'-'splendid devotion to duty.' I'Much 'might' be said of tho-courage and firmness with' which they at times faced .violence and danger, and of tact and goodhumour; which "many' of ''them' .displayed in perplexing,situations and under trying circumstances, but it is all summed up in the 'statement that they recognised their' duty and did it well." It.may -not'"be out of place to suggest" here-that it would be a graceful act on the■part of tho Government, and one-that .would mcet_ with general approval,- to recognise the..loyal, and faithful services of the Police Force during the recent troublous times in some practical manywr... This step is fully warrantcd < by, the greater responsibilities which recent • developments have cast upon the police, and it would tend to encourage that steady development- in efficiency which is quite as important as an adequate numerical strength. ?■' It would be'ungrateful not to mention the manner in which Mit. Commissioner Culleh ' and ■ his officers discharged their onerous.duties during the. pcriod'of. disorder.'.'To them the time and its events-must have presented a succession of problems, and the history of the strike demonstrates tho fact that these problems were capably solved. This is not the time to speculate as to whether tho reckless demagogues who wrought so much havoc gfc the time of the WaiM strike, and still more in .the insane conflict' which has. just- ended, are likely to renew their efforts to embroij one section of the community with another.On tiic good old principle that a.stitch in time saves nine it will be a wise and provident thing to add to the numbers of the Police Forcc and maintain it at- the highest possible pitch of efficiency, in order that any future,attempt to disturb_ the reign of law and order may be 'nipned in the bud.- ~A reasonable expenditure, now. in building up the Police Force may. avert the necessity of incurring a much larger expenditure at some future time. >