COSTS TOO HIGH

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1929, Page 8

COSTS TOO HIGH

EXPENSES OF SAMOAN POLICE. WELLINGTON. Feb. 20 Suggestions for effecting economies in the police force in Samoa are made by .Messrs P. Ycrschaffelt, D. A. Park and C. A. Berendscn in the report of their inquiries into the Samoan public service. Reporting on the Police Department they.say:— As is almost inevitable in similar circumstances, there is a '-errain amount of friction and lack of coordination between the military police and the civil police, hut in view ot t bo proposed merging of the two services probably no action is called for. Me recommend that the native police ioive should he reduced immediately from the present staff of twenty-six to ten. The Police Department maintains a messenger service round the island of Upolu on which nine messengers are employed. The object is to deliver Government messages to natives and Government officials, and apparently the only method of achieving this is to dispatch messengers on walking tours of the islaim. a journey occupying some days. Wc suggest immediate inquiries as to the necessity for this messenger force, with a view to dispensing with it nltogtlier or elastically reducing the number of messengers required. Of the military police the loport states:—

“The expenditure in connection with the military police is charged to New Zealand in accordance with section 7 of the Finance Act. 1028. We feci that in many cases expenditure lias been incurred which should have l>f<d nrior approval from New Zealand, and that in general too heavy a burden has been placed upon tin’s item. 0.g.. all medical attention for members of the force has been charged as for individual visits, with the result that the total has been practically sufficient to pay the cost of a medical officer for the force alone. The amount charged with transport also is in our opinion out of all reason, and should he reconsidered at once.”