The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1896. OUR POLICE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 50, 27 August 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1896. OUR POLICE.

In his report on the Police Force of the Colony the Commissioner admits r it cannot be expected that the force can escape criticism and censure, when ' if the truth were fully known commendation would and should have been bestowed. As regards the disorganisi ation alleged by a section of the press to exist, the Commissioner positively asserts that such a state of things does , not exist, and were it otherwise he would not hesitate to ask for an investigation. He states with force and truth that a certain class of the community are for ever crying down ' the police and apparently trying to manufacture grievances and discontent. He does not for one moment argue . that in a force of some five hundred i men there are not some unworthy members, but of such there are but a tiv-v ,»t:d i liny do not, as rule, remain long on tbe strength. The Commissioner admits that the system of recruiting the police from the Permanent force has completely broken down. Tbe

(jroporrion of the police to the population is 1 to every 1530 persons, the cost of police per inhabitant being 2s 7£d. In Victoria Ito 842, and the cost per head 4s 2Jd ; In New South Wales 1 to 694, and the cost per head 5s Id ; in South Australia 1 to 973, and the cost 4s 4|d ; Queensland 1 to 565, and the cost 6s lid per head. Taken as a whole the report shows that the colony possesses a nmst efficient and trustworthy police, and from what we have seen of the members stationed in the country districts the colony has reason to be proud of them.