ASK A POLICEMAN

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 4

ASK A POLICEMAN

Odd Questions For the Man on Beat UNFAILING SERVICE The London policeman is universally known as a mine of information ou any question that is likely to be asked him by inhabitants or visitors to the metropolis. His ability in this respect has been given household fame: the phrase “ask a policeman” is almost proverbial. Possibly there are more questions that can be asked of London policemen, but the advice of the New Zealand constable is not sought to such a' large extent. It is seldom that a day will pass, nevertheless, without a policeman in this country having some matter or other referred to him.

Questions about the time, aoout lost property and lost directions, about details of current events —these' are only a few of the queries which may fall to his lot to answer on his daily beat. He would have to be a veritable encyclopedia to have at his fingertips all the information asked of him. People have come to recognise in him a ready and reliable questionee,. but even this modern oracle may be without a response to some of the demands made upon it.

Surprising ignorance or lack of observation is shown by those asking questions as to whereabouts and locality—the main form of demand required by citizens from their police. The constables have a busy time, for instance, when the steamer arrives from Lyttelton in the early "morning One recounts how, when standing in Lambton Quay, a young woman approached a constable and asked where Lambton Quay was. Another, this time a tourist, asked a constable if the Post Office was Parliament Buildings. Some demands made of tlie patient officers on their beats appear to involve a large amount either of courage or of impudence on the part of the questioner, Policemen have not only been asked to mind, parcels and valuables for a few minutes i one was asked to mind a baby in a pram while its mother went away ou a shopping mission. Moreover, this task was not so much asked as demanded of him, but be dutifully performed it by keeping a watchful eye ou the pram from a safe distance.

A young man iu au exceedingly jubilant state sorely troubled one policeman’s conscience one evening. The policeman was at a railway station, and a train, on which wn« travelling a friend whom the jubilant one was farewelling, was due to depart in a few minutes. The time was after 6 o’clock. The jubilant one asked if there was time for a beer. “Yes,” said the policeman, “but where are you going to get it?” The jubilant one named a nearby hotel without the slightest hesitation, and departed hurriedly, returning later, even more jubilant. One of the most remarkable requests made must have been by a young man at a dance where a policeman looked in, He asked if he might knock off the official helmet. When asked for his reason, lie stated that by knocking off a policeman’s helmet he would be carrying out his life's ambition. Another young man strolled into a police station one night and asked if lie might play billiards on tjie station table. “Just a minute,” said the officer on duty, “and I’ll see the.sergeant.” But the decision of the sergeant was never known to the young man, who was found to liave departed when the constable returned. Lost articles are the subject of repeated inquiries, some of which serve to perplex o.fficers on their beat. One policeman was asked if he had seen lialf-a-erown lying round in a crowded street: another was asked by an ankious lady if he had seen two children without their mother.

The policeman’s uniform seems to inspire a large amount of awe in most people: consequently many prefer to take their directions from less imposing and less well-informed guides than constables. Confusion thus sometimes arises through false directions being given, but the policeman is usually the ultimate source of reliable information. One elderly lady once approached a policeman with obvious timidity, and asked him politely if he were busy. “Not exactly,” replied the constable, with some perplexity. "Then perhaps you could show me where the bank is,” suggested the old lady. Contrary to the popular legend, there are not many who find it necessary to ask policemen the time: Wellington is well supplied with clocks. One little boy, possibly under the influence of gangster pictures, summed up enough courage to ask a policeman where he kept ills revolver. “At home,” replied flic constable.

In face of questions such as these aud many others which are asked, the police are called upon to display considerable qualities in courtesy and tactfulness: the occasion will seldom if ever arise, however, when a questioner of a New Zealand constable will meet with an unwarranted rebuff.