The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1872.

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

The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1872.

It is much to be regretted that our Police Force has been provoked to take the step they adopted in order to assert their position. The course they have taken cannot be defended j but there is much to be said in excuse. We should be very glad if a plan can be adopted by which the men who have been goaded by a sense of injury to refuse duty, may be reinstated in their position. The people of the City will feel safer under their guardianship than under that of strangers. We pointed out a few days ago the injustice to which they have subjected and the course the Council ought to have taken : but advice is thrown away upon a legislative body, the majority of the members of which have no other desire than to secure their honorarium, get as much money as they can appropriated for expenditure in their own districts, and spend as little as possible in any other. It is to be regretted that such a question as police pay should have to be settled by such men. The language they used to express their idea of police duties shewed how little they understood their responsibility. Perhaps we ought to compliment them on their innocent belief of the ease with which criminals are kept in awe. No doubt their notions of vigilant supervision of the criminal classes are gathered from watching the rounding up of a few stray sheep by their shepherds’ dogs, or reducing their plough horses to obedience by a stroke of the whip. Dwelling in Arcadias where rebellion is unguided by reason, they seem to have concluded that a shepherd’s pay is sufficient for men whose duties are to meet cunning fraud with knowledge, to track ingenious dishonesty through its sinuous windings, or to grapple with and overcome brute force trained to effective elfort or infuriated by drink or passion. Such innocence of guile, if it exist, may be very amiable, but very inconsistent with legislative duties; but these clodocrats are not the only people to blame. It is somewhat singular that the inhabitants of Dunedin never found out the value of the police until they were deprived of their services. The Estimates were under discussion, the police salaries were passed, the Evening Star pointed out the injustice done, and urged a reconsideration of the matter —but the citizens never moved. Even the Barneses, Grants, and Grahams were silent, until on a sudden they found the City deserted by its police, and then they found out they were worth something. It was a glorious opportunity to rise to the surface. The truth is the police force is in an anomalous position. It is a Colonial force, paid by a Provincial vote for the protection of a Municipality. Who, then is responsible 1 If the Mayor is appealed to he says it is a question not within his province to deal with. It the Superintendent is appealed to, he is powerless to deal with the question of salaries apart from the Council. If the General Government is appealed to, the responsibility is acknowledged that the City must be protected, but again the question of pay is remitted to the Provincial Council. This Council, made up mainly of country members, seems to have very little interest in the safety of the chief city of the Province. The Executive ought certainly to have had more knowledge, and to have framed their estimates on sounder principles, but it is the vice of governments that until pressure is exerted wrong is never righted. It is a pity that the police, who have refused duty, should not have adopted the perfectly justifiable course of giving proper notice of their intention to resign unless their claims were acceded to. There would then have been no difficulty in dealing with the case. It is one of those, however, in which there has been so much provocation that much may be urged in extenuation of the course taken, and we think if they were to signify their willingness to resume duty on their claims being reconsidered, the matter should be overlooked. One point must not be forgotten : it will be vexy hard that these men who have fulfilled their duties so creditably to themselves for so many years, should be lightly sacrificed because of an error of judgment. Strangers may fill their places, and they will reap the benefit of the stand these old and tried servants have made, while all they have done in the past goes for nothing. This should not be.

We admit that discipline must be maintained ; but then men should not be provoked by a sense of neglect and injustice to disregard it. Whatever be the result, it is a warning that Dunedin ought never to forget; in future, it will not do to allow its interests and safety to be played with by the Provincial Council.