SCOTLAND YARD ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1928, Page 2

SCOTLAND YARD ENQUIRY

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, .Alay 19

Though world fanvins. Scotland Yard is now virtually in the dock before public, opinion.

The whole nation is disturfieil atthe sensationl charges against it.

Though it is universally admitted that- the London policemen are the finest body of men in the world, Scotland Y ard, as the outcome of several recent events, is definitely suspect, and there is a disturbing feeling throughout England that there is something amiss in its methods contrary to the British sense of freedom, and justice.

The entire press is agreed that the charges involve the freedom of the citizens, and that they must he judged from that aspect.

The papers emphatically declare that the inquiry must- be public and comprehensive, and must in no sense be a retrial of Miss Savage or of Sir Leo Cliiozza .Money, who have been 1 ion on ra'b ly acq u i tted. The action of Scotland -Yard in taking the girl, Miss Savage, from her work is only one issue. The papers declare that even if Miss Savage’s statement were to be denied ill toto. no amount of official denials can clear Scotland Yard of the great and growing cloud of suspicion that is hanging over it.

The press asks: “For how long, and in what number of cases, has Scotland Yard been thus behaving? For it is inconceivable that Miss Savage’s case is the only case of the kind. The three principal officials concerned are: Sir William Horwood (the Commissioner of Police); Sir Archibald Bodkin (the Director of Public Prosecutions), and Chief Inspector Collins. of the Scotland Yard Criminal Investigation Department. LONDON. May 18. Sir AA’m. Joynson Hicks (Home Ministo'r), in a statement before the Tribunal (which is investigating the action of the Scotland Yard force in connection with Miss Savage’s examination). said that on May 22, lie proposes to make inquiries into the specific charges mentioned in the House' of Commons yesterday. When it was finished, ho was prepared to assent a. larger investigation into the whole ot the police methods. Regarding tlio witnesses, he had arranged in connection therewith to meet the Labour leaders and Sir J. Simon for a discussion before making his definite proposals in the. House of Commons. This larger investigation will be cal lied oiif by a different body from that appointed for the May 22nd inquiry. The second inquiry will be public.