POLICE COMMISSIONER

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1925, Page 4

POLICE COMMISSIONER

AN EVENTFUL CAREER. INCIDENTS IN DETECTIVE’S WORK. WKI.UNOTOX, December 1. The rise of AV. B. AUllveucy in thirty-two years from junior const able’ lo ( uriin'issioner ot Police has beet marked by signal service in the detection of criminals. Mr M’ 11 veuey is a native of Grey iiiouth. a sou ol Air Bernard M licence.

a gold miner of that district. Starting life as a school teacher ill 1881. he joined the Rost and Telegraph Department in 1 sS.A, hut left three years later in order to go to Australia, where he wax in i emmereia I lile lor three: years. In ISPD he returned with his family to the goldfields cm the West Coast, and in p-tpl «as elected as a councillor of the Borough of Kumara, a position which lie held until lie joined the Defence Department in October, 1892. In 1393 he was transferred to the police force, j, lining up a. Dunedin. Tv o dues filler be was 1 1 all > ter red to Invercargill. He entered the detective branch, and in that sphere lias been associated during a In illiantly siieccsslul career with some ot the most, notable criminal east's in the Dominion. SOME MURDER CASES. He began Ids detective career with the famous Minnie Deans bahy-larming ease at Winton in 1895, and live years later was the principal laetor in discovering the culprit in what was known as the ‘‘Chinese murder ease ” at Reelton. It was first believed that one murder had been committed, hut a second was discovered through a roliia.rkable incident ill Court. When the accused Chinaman was called to answer the charge of murdering one, Dock Teoi, he replied “ I no kill Lock Teoi. I no kill Lou Quni. ■Englisheeman ho kill them.”

This statement led to further police activity and the discovery many miles from any habitation of the remains of a second victim. Detective M’llvcncy conducted inquiries into the Tapanui murder, where the victim was a Cfiiine.se gardener; and in ]tills prepared the evidence in the notorious Westport ease, where Burke was kicked to death in a stable. Two ,seamen were arrested, and Detective M’llveney, who was oil the headquarters detective staff, was sent to the district to conduct the investigation. The arrested men wore convicted of manslaughter, and the principal witness subsequently was convicted of perjury. There was a further development as a result of Detective AT’ 11veney’s activities, the convicted perjurer admitting his complicity in Burke’s death and being sentenced for manslaughter. A LfCHXSI NO IXVESTfO ATIOX.

A licensing inquiry, out of the track of usual detective work, but ol immense public interest at the time. 1000. was what was known ns the •'Ohinoinuri licensing bribery ease.” Allegations were made that the Licensing Committee had been bribed to secure the removal of a license from l’aeroa to Wa.ihi. Mr Justice Sim was appointed a eomissioncr to hold an inquiry, but on appeal to the Supreme Court tlm commission was declared ultra vires, the principal reason being that such an investigation could not legally take place if the commissioner was to he empowered to force witnesses cm their oath to make statements which might incriminate themselves. So serious a mat ior could not he j allowed to re-J at this stage, therefore tile Commissioner of Police, by direction of Sir John I'indlay. then Attor-ney-Keueral. instructed Detective .M il-

vcney lo make im investigation. H<* did so. The result was reported to the Government and the principal parties, but it has never heen made ]>nhlie. The detective's report was evidently accepted as sound and the matter was never attain raised. The new Commissioner has had more than the usual share of murder investigations. When lie was appointed subinspector at Auckland in IPlo, lie took charge of the ease against Keal, the Onewhero murderer, who killed his sister-in-law and her infant child, then escaping into the hush. .Mr Sf’llvency on that occasion was associated with the detective officer who is now StthTnspeotor Hollis. They had to organise a greati round-up, with the assistance of settlers, from a radius of 20 miles, a big area of bush being circled and the hunters coming closer to the point where Keal was believed to lie hidden. He was discovered snugly ensconced in a natural crow’s nest on a tree commanding n good view. When the pursuit became hot he dived into 1

tho hush, but was captured after an exciting chase among fallen timber. THE COOPER CASE. Air Al’llveney’s last big criminal case resulted in the conviction and hanging of Daniel Richard Cooper, for child murder in a AVelfington suburb. This was an extraordinary case, which necessitated the digging up of tho whole of a large section around Cooper’s house. At one stage the police, who had found the body of a child, came across another which they had not suspected to be there. The ease was brought home to the culprit largely through AH Af’llvency’s knowledge of medical jurisprudence. It was Built up in a most painstaking manner, and the trial was very lengthy, accused being ultimately convicted in respect to ono child. The new Commissioner’s most recent service was his able organisation of protection for free labour to mail ships hold up in AVellington, this being done with a minimum of disturbance, though some events showed that less capable or more provocative arrangements might have had serious results. He had charge of the administration of the AVar Regulations for (lie safety of ships and cargo at. AVellington during the war, and in 1923 he visited the United States with a view to obtain-

ing an insight into the organisation of the police forces in that country. Immediately upon his return in January, 1924, he was promoted Superintendent at AVellington, a position he has held until his present appointment.