THE POLICE ON STRIKE.

Evening Star, Issue 2896, 31 May 1872, Page 2

THE POLICE ON STRIKE.

A crowded meeting of the citizens assembled at the Masonic Hall, last evening, to consider what steps ought to he taken in connection with the refusal of the police to continue on duty unless the Government consent to increase their wages. The Mayor was elected to preside, Mr Walter moved, and Mr Slesinger seconded the next resolution, which was also carried unanimously That this meeting, whilst regretting the step the force has taken in ceasing duty without giving some notice of their intention, is nevertheless of opinion that such conduct has been caused by the following circumstances, viz.:—lst. Through the Council having refuscd'to raise the men’s pay to its former level; 2ndly, Through a respectful petition from the force, presented to the Council at its last session, having met with no consideration at their hands ; and 3rdly, From the fact, that the warders of the Gaol, whose duties are far less onerous than those of the farce, are paid a higher salary than the members of the police force. ” The next resolution was moved by Mr Barnes, and seconded by Mr Grant, and carried:— “ That this mooting, recognising the length of time which must necessarily

elapse before any new body of men can be rendered efficient in their duties as constables, and the consequent danger and insecurity to the public in the meantime, would earnestly urge the Oavernmenk to come to so ne terms with the present force, so that their services may be retained.” Mi 1 Millar, F.S. A., moved the next resolution as follows :—“ That the citizens of Dunedin —fully represented by this meeting —have the fullest confidence in the members of the police force, at present asking redress of the r grievances, and consider that, individually and collectively, by their efficient conduct, as well as from the justice of the case, they are fully entitled to equal pay with the warders of the Gaol. Further, that the Government be requested to require them to resume their services on those terms being conceded. Also, that a deputation, consisting of Mr M Glashan, M.H.R., Walter, Millar, B irncs, Sco t, Sampson, Moss, and Slesinger, wait upon the Government to-mor-row morning, to present the foregoing resolutions, and urge them to give effect to them.”

DEPUTATION. This morning, at 10.30, the deputation appointed at last night’s meeting, waited upon the Provincial Treasurer ; and were informed that some mistake had arisen, as it was arranged that they should wait upon the Superintendent. After some explanation the deputation, accompanied by Mr Reid, proceeded to his Honor’s office. On the deputation being introduced, His Honor said practically it was considered inconvenient for the Executive as a body to receive deputations, although personally he had no objection to such a course. Mr Beid observed that he bad no desire to be present, but if the deputation urged him strongly to remain he would do so. His Honor said it was clear that the subject brought under notice by the deputation would have to be considered and deliberated upon by the Executive ; while, if the Government were present, they would be expected to give an answer off-hand, which he did not think Mr Reid would probably be prepared to do without consulting his colleagues. Mr Keid : Then I shall retire.

His Worship then brought under his Honor’s notice the resolutions adopted at last night’s meeting. It would be (bscrved by the last resolution that the deputation was requested to urge upon the Government the desirability of giving effect to the resolutions. The meeting and the deputation fully recognised the fact that the men in resigning as they did had committed an act of insubordination ; but it was not their present purpose to justify that act, although the meeting and the deputation believed that there were circumstances which to a certain extent went, if anything could, to extenuate the offence of which the men had been guilty. There could be no doubt that the action ®f the Provincial Council last session in reducing the pay of the police was inadvisable, more particularly when taking into consideration the fact that whilst reducing the police pay, that of the gaol warders was retained at its previous rate. The members of the police force—and in that respect he endorsed what they said—urged that the duties performed by the gaol warders were much less onerous and not so extensive as theirs ; and at the same time did not require the exercise of such discrimination and intelligence as those performed by the police. That being so, it was almost needless to observe that the fact of one branch of the service being placed in what the police conceived to he a better position than the other, had very much tended to aggravate the feeling of dissatisfaction which had prevailed amongst the members of the force during the last twelve months. Beyond this, the police said the petition they presented to the Provincial Council did not receive in their estimation the amount of consideration it deserved ; and they also believed, from certain remarks made in the Council the other night, the Council did not estimate their services, or themselves as individual members of the community, in such a manner as they thought they ought to be. It was alleged that some members of the Council spoke in rather derogatory terms of the police as a body ; and, in view of these facts, it was considered meless to further petition the Council in the matter. He placed these matters before his Honor, not as a justification of what the men had done, but because they were the views of the men, and the reasons that had led to their taking the action they had. The citizens were interested in the matter to this extent —they knew as a positive fact that the present police force were highly efficient, as regarded their knowledge of their duties, and a knowledge of how to carry out those duties in an effective manner ; and that so far as Dunedin was concerned, the force as a whole had the entire confidence of the community. Supposing that the men had done wrong, the deputation wished to urge upon the Government that all mea might err sometimes ; and that the error of the police was not so great a one as to be entirely beyond condonation. They felt very acutely that, if the men were not allowed to resume duty in some way, the effect upon the citizens would he disastrous ; because the fact was patent that no new body of men could be rendered effective policemen in a few days. The deputation strongly desired that some steps should bo taken having for their effect the resumption by the men of their duties, if that could be carried out without the Government losing its dignity or setting an example which might have a disastrous effect upon the future discipline of the force. The deputation felt sure that they had his Honor’s sympathy to some extent ; and whilst they did not attempt to justify they act of insubordination committed by the men, they held that it was not of such a gross nature as to be entirely beyond condonation. Mr Walter said it was admitted that the Government acted correctly in dismissing the men ; but it was now asked that the Government would place them on their previous footing until such time as the Provincial Council should reconsider the matter of increased pay. The men admitted they had done wrong; and if it could be managed that the Government would communicate with them direct, he thought they would make an apology.

His Honor : Nobody regrets more than I do the action taken by the men ; in fact I went out of my way to communicate with them during the eight hours they get to consider the matter; and I communicated to them Executive action, which probably I ought not have done ; which, had they really taken into consideration, I think they would have paused before they finally abandoned their duties. Of course I will submit your representations to the Executive with a view to taking the whole matter into further consideration, —at the same time from

what has already passed, I do not think there is any probability of the Government conceding anything. If the men do resume duty it will have to be entirely unconditionally ; and after making a suitable apology to their superior officer. The Government will come under no conditions - at least that is ray impression from what has passed. I think a good deal of misapprehension exists in the public mind with regard to certain points, especially in that there has been a distinction made between the gaol warders and the police; that the one has been reduced and the other not. lam under the impression that all were reduced a shilling, and I believe that will be found to be the fact.

His Worship : But there was a shilling reduced previously from the police pay, and not from the warders.

His Honor : Just before the deputation came in I was refreshing my memory on the subject. I was looking over the appropriations, and found from a cursory glance that iu IS7O it was not so much a reduction as an equalisation. Some men were paid higher and some lower than others, and all were then placed on what was considered an equitable footing. The reduction was more in regard to numbers than the rates of pay. You are aware that in 1870 a commission the Retrenchment Com-mission-sat upon this subject, and they reported in regard to this matter :

“Asa comparison may probibly be instituted between the pay of the police and the higher pay of the warders, although the two services may be regarded as somewhat of a similar character, your Commisrionera think it right to state their reasons why, in their opinion, this difference should he maintained Ist. Generally is is a rew gnised principle iu Great Britain and other countries that the officers of gaols and penal depots should receive higher wages than those in the police, on account of their more arduous and responsible duties, and for similar reasons the same principle should be observed and acted upon here. 2nd. Specially with reference to the pay of the sergeant warders, as compared with that of the sergeants of police in Dunedin, the evidence shows that in addition to their ordinary duties, the former act as overseers of work and trade instructors, and that their wages were raised to the present point on account of their long services.”

There has always apparently been a difference between the pay of the police and that of the gaol warders ; so that there must be some misapprehension in your mind on that po'ut. liis Worship : I think it clear that prior to this the pay of the police was equal to the warders. The so-called classification was a reduction, because the effect was to reduce the pay of the men Is all round. His Honor : Last year the Council did reduce, but the reduction that took place when Mr Weldon assumed the command of the force was not Is all round. Some men were increased, others reduced, so that it was a classification.

His Worship : Still as an absolute fact the men were reduced.

His Honor : I rather think, although not prepared with the Appropriation Ordinances, that it will be found that if there is any distinction, it is not a new thing, no matter that was done yesterday. There is another view to take of it. We are certainly all liable to mako mistakes, but I thiuk these men have made a very grievous mistake. At the same time it is divine to forgive. I see that on the 20th July, 1871, this memo, was sent to the Commissioner of Felice by the Provincial Secretary “ I have been directed to acknowledge the receipt of the letter from Dectective Farrell, and the memorial signed by the officers of the police department, on the subject of the proposed reduction in their pay, forwarded by you on the 3rd inst., and to request that you will inform them that the reduction of salaries was insisted on by the Provincial Council, and the estimates sent back to the Government with an instruction that a reduction of at least LIO.OOO should be effected aud, in giving effect to this resolution, the Government endeavoured to act with strict impartiality. Under the circumstances, the Government could not agree to re-consider the matter with a view to submit a higher rate of salaries, seeing that the Provincial Council would most certainly have rejected such a proposal.” Now it is clear on the face of this circular that their course was obvious. The other day, I remark, the pay of the Canterbury police was reduced ; but instead ef resigning in a body, they gave intimation that at the end of one month, if the reduction was insisted on, they would resign. The result was that the matter was taken into consideration, and the men got their former rate of pay. It is a pity that course was not adopted here. Mr Walter said the deputation agreed that the Government had taken the only proper stand they could in such a case. At the same time they asked that the matter might be considered impartially, that the Government should look at the men’s previous conduct in the force, &c, His Honor : No stand has been taken by the Government; they have been forced into this course. I regret very much any member of the Provincial Council may have so far forgotten himself as to speak in derogatory terms of the police; but the Provincial Council as a body is nob responsible for it, however much it may be regretted. Another thing I regret very much to have to mention is this, I find that the night before last, and probably last night, these men have been trying to intimidate the men who are temporarily engaged in guarding the City. A member of the deputation said he could not believe such a thing was possible. His Honor : I was not inclined to credit It until I made enquiry, when I found that the constables on duty were prepared to state so on oath, if necessary. lam very sorry for it, for the sake of the men themselves. However much we may be proud of the discipline of the force—and it has been something to be proud of—there is no doubt whatever that the real test of discipline is the steady adherence to duty ; to turn their guns against those they are bound to piotect, says little for discipline. Mr Walter remarked that possibly one bad constable had committed error ; and if he had, all should not be blamed for it. His Honor : I can assure you I have got sufficient evidence on the point. A good deal of stress has been laid upon the allegation that the petition of the police force last year was treated with contempt—at all events that it was not treated with the respect it ought to have been. Now this letter throws a little light upon the subject i

“ Provincial Secretary’s Office, “ July 29, 1871. “The Appropriation Ordinance IS7I-2 having passed into law, I have now the honor to request that you will be good enough to intimate to the vai ious members of the force under your control, that on and after the Ist October next their pay will be reduced Is per diem. You will please remind them that under the regulations it is incumbent upon them to give three months’ notice of their intention to leave the service. This, however, under the circumstances, the Government is willing to waive, but will expect one month’s notice from those who may elect to retire. ” His Worship expressed the opinion that the police, of all departments, should have been interfered with last. His Honor: I quite agree with you. It was very impolitic to reduce their wages. If there is one department of the service above another which should not be tampered with it is the police, on whose efficiency the lives and property of the citizens depend. I see from the report of last night’s meeting that seven shillings •was said to be the rate of police pay. Seven shillings, I understand, is only given to the men on probation ; eight slulli' gs is the minimum rate. 1 may say the pay of the men coming down here is only Gs; but Ido not mention this as any criterion or test of •what we ought to pay here. His Worship : In regard to the Armed Constabulary there is an impression abroad that those men certainly will not make such constables as would meet with the approbation of the public generally. I should be sorry to cast reflection upon them as a body; but it has been asserted that they have been gathered together indiscriminately, and without the least view to respectability of character or integrity, and more with an idea of creating a force for martial purposes than for making a domestic police force. Ido not know whether that is correct. His Honor : I am not aware that there is any foundation for the impression you ref r to. I believe that for every one man appointed to the Armed Constabulary there are fifty applicants ; and those who are coming down here will only be here temporarily. There is to be an Ixceutive meeting this morning, when the whole matter will be considered. But I would state again most distinctly, from what has transpired in the Executive that the Government will not listen to any terms which imply them coming under any obligation. Another thing I may mention is this. At the meeting there seemed to be a want of confidence in the power, ability, or discretion of the Government in meeting the exigency of the case, which the circumstances do not warrant. I think they will be found to he equal to the situation. The deputation then withdrew.