RECENT TRANSFERS OF POLICEMEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 50, 15 March 1937, Page 9

RECENT TRANSFERS OF POLICEMEN

■Press Association.)

Asscoiation Fears Attempt at Victimisation SUSP1CI0NS V0ICED

(By Telegraph—

AUCKLAND, Last Nignt* ,The transfer announced last Saturday' to Palmerston North of Detective-Ser-geant A, B. Meiklejohn, on© of the mosti able investigators in the district, has given rise to a suspicion in the minds of many members of the police force ia Auckland that the executive members of the newly-formed Police Association are being victimised. The strong feel« ings of resentment at recent transfers rehched a climax during the w6ek-ead ,and a special xneeting of the Auckland Ibranch of the association was held. j Over 100 members of the force, in* cluding uniform men and detectiveSj lattended and representations were 'made during the week to the Prime Minister on behalf of the Auckland Branch of the Police Association. Recent. transfers of prominent members of the association were referred to him with particular reference to Deteetive .'Meiklejohn. Mr. Savage gave an assurance that Deteetive Meiklejohn or any othet anember of the association was fully enfitled to lay a complaint and put all the •facts affecfing it before the Minister in ■charge of the Police Department, Hon. iP. Fraser. In the past it has been a breach of police force regulations for any member of the force to approach a lCabinet Minister with a complaint. No secret has been made by many :members of the association that there !is a strong feeling that Commissioner jCummings has not been helpful in hastjening the smooth running of the asso- ' ciation. There are many who are convinced that some of the transfers have' been made with the object of weakening the association. The claims for j shorter hours and higher pay are ; thought to be regarded by the commis- i sioner as too heavy. Members of the I association admit that there may be a. i perfectly sound and reasonable explanation for the transfer of executive offi- j cers but nevertheless a strong feelingj j exists that no effort to help the asso- ■ ciation has been made by the commis- 1 sioner. They base their suspicions on j jsix recent transfers. ASSOCIATION ISSUES DENIAL (By Telegr&ph— Press Aaaociation.) | AUCKLAND, Last Night. ! A denial that members of the police force in Auckland considered that the ■transfer of certain officers amounted to victimisation as reported has been made j by the Auckland Branch of the Police Association. ; It was stated that there is no truth j in the suggestion that the association made representations to the Prime Min- | ister recently upon the removal of exe- J •cutive members to places where they ' :eould take & less active interest in the J association. "There is some resentment about j some transfers," it was said, "but the : word 'victimisation' has been neither j meant nor expressed. In the majority • of instances the transfers constituted ' promotion." i