POLICE COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1524, 4 August 1905, Page 3

POLICE COMMISSION.

HrPoynton, addrossiog Mr Regan, who .■ handed in several complaints regarding the administration of the police force and ‘ concerning tbo actions of certain eonstables, said the same remarks which had E - been made to Mr Richardson appli J to all ■ , but two of Mr Regan’s chargos. With ’ regard to the first one, which referred to the relations existing between Inspector - Collen and Sub-lo3pectoc Black, they would hear him. The other charge was With reference to another matter, in which the constable concerned was charged with j committing an offence which was equiva, lent to rape. The hearing of that case would involve the bringing forward of people who might or might not like to give gvidenoe. The woman referred to wa3 now married. Mr Began : She will come. It is generally understood that this Commission was cet np with a view to cleaning np matters fin.connection with the police force of the ’• colony, - \ ' Mr PoynSon : No; that is.not so, and wherever w.e have sat we have had some difficulty to make it understood. We have nothing whatever to do with tpecific charges against individuals, Mr Bishop: Iu the opinion oE many people it is thought that the scope of t bo Commission is not wide enoueh. Mr Dinnie {to Mr Began): For your information I may toll you that the charges .against this constable ware of such a serious character that I did not consider it desirable to deal with them at once,} J simply transferred him to another district whilst fall inquiries were made. I could not, however, find sufficient evidence upon which to prefer a charge against him, ftnd since then he ban been dealt with by the Department. Mr Began; In what way ? Mr Dinnie: You will find ont about that later on. SUB-INSPECTOR BLACK’S EVI'V .' , DENCE. '- • ■ Upon resuming at half-past two the Commissioners called upon Sub-Inspector Black to substantiate a statement which he made on Saturday morning with regard to the relations existing between himself and Inspector Cullen. Sub-Inspector'Black commenced by saying that having known Mr Cullen for some considerable time, he did not anticipate a particularly good time of it under his supervision, but although this wa3 so he came here determined to carry out his duties to the very best of his ability. For at leaßt eight or nine months all went flveli —at least ho thought so—and Mr Culiea had found no fault whatever with him.

THE FIBST UNPLEASANTNESS. - The first unpleasantness between them then occurred. It arose through a report which he sent up to Hr Cullen. Some days after it was forwarded the inspector came down to his office. Witness saw that ,■ ha was in a temper. He threw down the ceport upon witness’ table, exclaiming, f ‘ What sort of a report is that to send to me?” “Well,” said Sub-Inspector Black, ,S I told him that whenever he had any complaint to make against me h 9 was :.-. not to swear a 4 mo. He denied that he swore at me; he said that that wag not sswearing at me. I told, him tbas he did, and said that I would not stand it.” Gon- , tinning, Sab-Inspector Black said that My ' Cullen then taunted him with being a subordinate, and wa3 therefore bound to After some further conversation, which .witness could not give exactly, Mr . Gallon went g-Wfl-y, The matter then rasnained in abeyance for a while. One day, when witness was in the i#o£ector’s office Deceiving his p£.y, Mr Gpl-len referred to the matter again. He expressed £is at what had happened, and said that he was n man who never bore any malice. “But/’.said the sub-inspector, >' from that T-’time I noticed that his manner had changed; it was different from what it had been before, but there was nothing with which I could exactly find fault.”. A LOST BRACELET. “Some time after that,” said Sufc.Tnspector jDlaek, “ a lady lost a gold bracelet in Queen-stfset, and as she was under- the impression thn* sba would find the bracelet if she inquired at - tha station she accordingly proceeded being shown into witness* rooxH : ©bd flftid $0 Witness , that she had lost a bracelet, . 9ab declared that a small boy had been seen to . pick it up and give it to a constable. Witness informed her that if that wa3 so he had not received any intimation. Accordingly, when the various sections eamo in, hs aßked tbo various individual constables whether they had received the bracelet. They, however, denied that it had been handed to them. Witness went on to say that some days after ono of the constables, Who had denied receiving tho bracelet, wont down to witness’ office and admitted that.ha had received it. He admitted that when he said he had not he lied. Accordingly witnoss rnado a report, sotting out the whole of the circumstances, and .forwarded it on to the inspector; During the course of the day he received notice from Mr Cullen that both the constablo and himself were required to bo in attendance at his /.the inspector’s office) at a certain time in order that an inquiry might be conducted before Mr Culloa into the matter. Tho constable was charged with having failed to give up the bracelet after he received it, and with having doniod that he received it. He was fined 5s and costs, buj the fine was afterwards remitted by Inspector Cullen. ORDERED OUT. After dealing with several other incidents, Stib-Inepeotor Black went on to state that on tho morning he eeot in his applicotion for a transfor he sent somo correspondence np to tho inspector’s office. After ho had done bo he recollected that he had failed to attach a report from ono of the sergoants to it. Accordingly ho followed up the correspondence to tho district office, where he saw the officer in charge, yrhotold hip that it had gone into tho ... , . . ' •

t .(Per Press Association..) r , , , Auckland, yesterday. rnS 3C! !' nb A 0 ,^ cGIl P ® complaint neaiust Inspector Cullen was heard by fcho Police Commission to-day. McGilp said tho inspoctor treated him unfairly, and onoo liberated a prisoner bo arrested on a charr-o of horso-staaUng. AVitness 1 report upon wLiab he arrestod accused was road to tho tha?Z 33 ' 00 \ ° hair “ nQ remarked , that the constable had no information, oxcopt thut the man had a grandmother and butt his leg. Inspector Cullen suggested that hs had treatod him with so much consideration thas people had gono so far as to charge him with making McGilp a favorite. The Commission will probably conclude Us sittings to-day. .Later.—To-day the Potioo Commission concluded its Auckland sittings, when Eovorol complaints regarding tbo administration of the foroo in Auckland woro heard. Altogether tho Auckland sittings iastsd six days.

Auckland papers to hand give full particulars of the ovidonco furoishod boforo ;f ,lho Police Commission on Monday. ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE POLICE.

The proceedings wore oommonccd by Mr Kiohnrdscm, handed in a document alleging that in two instances the polioe enabled, either through soma corrupt motives, or through negligence, two publicans to get liconses by reporting favorably upon thoir character, when, as MrEiohardsoq alleged, they should have reported otheswise. Mr Bishop pointed out that this was a question for the stipoudiary magistrate. It was he who gave a certificate of character ' and not Mr Cullen. Mr Richardson : Yes ; but it goo 3 home to Inspector Cullen. JEo winked at it. Mr Bishop ead fhai the magistrate, before granting a certificate, could satisfy himself in any way ho ohoso ns to the character of an applicant for a hotel license. The magistrate applied to the police to give the information, and it was given. This report was & private one, notess the magistrate chose to make it public. Mr Riobardson: I maintain that if any such roport misleads the Licensing Committee, then Mr Cullen or whatever oflioer furnished tho report was responsible for misleading that tribunal. That utterly inoompetoQt and notoriously bad characters can get a license I submit is a grave reflection upon the police administration o Auckland. The matter was ruled to be irrolovan MR REGAN’S COMPLAINTS

I ? keen “ vagrant dog, or the I groatost criminal in the country,” said the I *?r° s P e °'°r, with emphasis and considerable hea‘, "I could not have been Bpoken I ti? T.f 11101:0 insulting manner. And from I at day to this we have never spoken except on • matters affeoting the Depart- | Men!. He sometimes spoke to mo by the telephone, and when wo met in the street ho did not speak, nor did I. From that I day ho has on every possible occasion found fault with mo ; when ho roturnad my cor- I respondenoo it was always aocompanied bv some fault.” I

The sub-inspector then want on to refer to another esouped lunatic, who got away from Coromandel. Upon that oooasionhe was blamed by the inspector for the faot that ho did not get a launch out sooner and have effected his capture. Lottars appeared in the papors in reference to this, and correspondence, in which the inspeotor ogam laid the whole of the blame on him, passed between them. This oould bo produced. A NEW ORDER. , . , Witness 3aid that Inspector Cullen then issued a new order, making witness responsibie for everything that happened in the city and suburbs—for the capture of osoaped lunatics, prisoners breaking away | from custody, and so forth. He was to forward any correspondence relating to serious orimes at once. “That,” said the witness,“l am convinced was not done to benefit the seryioe, but simply to tie me down. My impression is that he simply issued that for the purpose of . putting me m a corner and so that he could deal with me whenever he chose to do so. Often he found fault with mo for carrying out orders which had previously been given to me by him verbally,” , “TREATED ME AS A VAGRANT , . DOG”

Well, now,” said witness, addressing ho Commissioners, 11 1 toll you this,' that it takes a lot to oarry me away, because I am a very calm man, but I tell- you this that, had I yielded to the impulses of my nature upon that occasion when Mr Cullen treated me as a vagrant dog, there is no knowing what I might not have done. I knew, however, that I would have been biting off my nos 9to spite my face. I considered the matter for three days, and then I sat down, calm and rationally, and wrote out the whole of what hau occurred, and forwarded is to the Commissioner. I took the liberty of pointing out that the service could not possibly be benefited by keeping two each officers together when such relations existed between them as between Inspector Cullen and myself,’’ Further on Sub-Inspector Block stated : “ I say in the face of the fact that I have been hero for three yeaars, and although Mr Cullen has been strongly opposed to me, that he has.not been able to report me yef. Anyone who knows Mr Cullen and his disposition would say that, therefore, I I have done my duty an wejj as it was possible for a man to do it; otherwise he wouid have reported me. “ I want to say,” continued Mr Black, “in justice to Mr Cullen, that I consider him a very smart and efficient officer. At the same time he is the most unscrupulous man that I have ever had the misfortune to serve under, I say that as the troth ; also that there are men under him who would say the same if they dare.” Mr Black said he had cover bevn fonnd fault with, before. In his younger days he was fined once for being I9.se, and once more was fined for being “ under pbe influence.” MR CULLEN CROSS-EXAMINES, Replying to Mr Cullen, Mr Black said the (inspector favored Dart by granting leave for the constable to pursue his law " studies when leave was refused to other constables.

Mr Cullen : I suppose you never make mistakes ?

Mr Black: Qh, yes : I make mistakes. There are only two men in the world whom I know Co be infallible. One lives in Boise, and Che other lives in Auckland, (daughter.) Mr Cullen ; Then the osher man 13 supposed to be me-?

Mr Black did not reply to this question. He admitted making a mistake over send* ing down a stowaway to be returned tp Sydney after the steamer had left Auckland, which was due to the remand being made the day after the steamer left. He knew the Towers case, and said that he made no mistake in that; at any rate, he had had no complaint about it.

Mr Cullen then 'read a letter from Eme3t Towers, addressed to the Hon. J. McGowan, Minister for Justice, asking for compensation for wrongful, arrest, and Mr Black, in regard to that matter, justified tbe action he took in ordering Towers to be brought to Auckland Mr Cnllen suggested that Mr Black wbb responsible for a man who had been discharged. not getting seme of his property left at the police station. Mr Black reported that if ho were responsible for miaja'kes jz? tbe station, tlen Mr Cullen was responsible fop his |Mr Black’s) mi3takos. (Laughter.) He suggested reforms ia the system of police being employed on four hour shifts, they should have sight hour shifts. Mr Cuilen pointed out the difficulties tbas jypnld arise over tho meal hours if eight-bone sfiiftp were adopted. Mr Black said the gooff could come in with -the meals/ . v ;

Mr Cujlen : But that would be Jetfing p, civilian enter tbo station. , ;*

Mr Black: Well, a great deal worse. Shan the cook comes , into tho , station. Laughter.) In describing Mr Cullen as

“ the oracle of wisdom,” Mr Black pointed out that tbe station system of Auckland differed from the other centres of the eoiony.

inspector's offico. Witness askod him to get it for him. Tho oftiaor in ohargo thon went iDto tbo inspootor’s room in ordor to do so, but returned almost immediately with tho announcement that tho inspector wanted to see him. “ I knocked at tbo door,'' doolnrod tho subinspeotor, 11 and on receiving tho invitation to 1 Como in,’ I wont in. t As I did so tho inspector Jookod up—or rather, I might say, glared at mo—from his desk. Ho askod me what I wanted in as insulting a manner ns ho oould possibly nssumo. I explained what X wanted. In nosponso ho throw tho papers ovor to me,-- remarking that I was always bungling something. X said, ‘ Ale Cullou, X have boon horo for two aud a half years, and during that time A have eudeavored—' I got no iurthor than that. Ho said, ‘I want to hoar notiuug from you.' I said, 1 Surely, Mr Oul.en, you wili allow mo to explain ? ’ i 3ald i, 1 don't wdnt to hear anything rorn ydV and, pointing to the door, added m as rough a tone as possible, ‘ Go out ; go outside of my offioo I ’ 1 did go, t bof JE O J did I took tho opportunity of , . ID g Mr Cullen that I considered him A real gontloman.’ ” not on speaking terms.