THE POLICE FORCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1923, Page 4

THE POLICE FORCE.

COMPLAINTS OF MEMBERS. THE CASE OF THE SERGEANT. DUNEDIN, Sept. 5. Of late there have been rumblings from the north indicating that thee is a certain amount of dissatisfaction among members of the police tor;.’ vith their conditions of employment, mid from what could be gathered by a “Daily Times’ v reporter this, be it warranted or not, is not altogether confined to the northern centres. Cue anomaly that was (brought m.iLr the reporter’s notice concerns the man who after some years 011 city durv, is transferred to a country station provided he passes tbe no'-e-s uv examination. Tills' constable is. then Innsl'erred to the city agai t with the rank of sergeant, but the promotion is not as good ns ’t soon Is. tor the country station carries with 11 n i r,mhor of minor offices, such as 1 eyu-ti; r of births, deaths and nur" ij'S, in speetor of factories, census officer and so on. which represent perquisites that with his oidinnry remuneration probably exceed the salary that he gets as sergeant by over £IOO per year. If tbo man wishes to live tho city life became of family reasons, or if lie wishes to further ascend the official ladder, the temporary loss may be outweighed hy the immediate privileges or the possibilities of the future, but if ho be one of the many with whom monetary considerations play a big part, h 0 is not altogether satisfied that he has taken a wise step. Tll country stations there are many good men who refuse to qualify, for promotion, and in the Dunedin district- there is the recent case of a man who chose to doff hi.s stripes and to return to the countiv. Another matter that is exercising the minds of the “heat” men—lias exorcised them, in fact, for a considerable time—is that the majority of the constables 011 beatduty receive at the outside only one Sunday off duty in three. On the other hand the members of the force employed in the office work have regular office hours and have only five and a half day's work in a week. In reference to working conditions a correspondent lately wrote to the "Dominion’*' (Wellington): “ I hen

again senior sergeants and sergeants in charge of suburban stations are called upon to perform twelve hours’ duly each day. It is n- fact that no- elsewhere in our great British Empire is a police man of any rank called upon to perform a continuous period of duty of twelve hours.” The same correspondent aLo finds fault with tho tieatment of “ambitious young constables. who, on making technical errors through inexperience, are brought before the head of the Department. much like the ordinary criminal charged, convicted, which is a slain on their delaulters’ sheet and. a bar to progress, and in many eases fine ] to tbe. extent of £2 or £.‘3. It is further alleged by this correspondent that there is not sufficient encouragement given to men who wish to take pa 1 1 in sports such as boxing, but in a- reply to the letter hy the Commissioner it is stated that ho invariably gives permission on application for members of the force to take part in amateur boxing contests. The Commissioner also points out that the office members of tile police stall work under the same conditions as apply in other Government Departments.