POLICE COMMISSIONER

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1930, Page 2

POLICE COMMISSIONER

Commissioner Mcllvaney, who has resigned his office is 63 years of age. He started as a school teacher in Grey mo utli in 1881, joined the Post and Telegraph Office in 1885, and left it in 1888 to engage in commercial pursuits in Australia. In 1890 he returned to the AYest Coast, where he joined the Defence Department in 1892. In 1893 he was transferred to the Police Force, being stationed in Dunedin, and later was transferred to Invercargill, where, in 1894, he. was appointed Inspector of Factories. He conducted investigations in the -Minnie Dean and AlcKeown murders, and in 1897 was placed in the detective office in Southland. He was promoted to detective in 1899 and transferred to Wellington, from where he was tietailed to the investigation of the Chinese murder a.t Reefton and the Dr Legatt case at Nelson during 1900. He was then transferred to Invercargill for six years, during which he investigated the Tapanui murder, in ! ebruary, 1307, he was promoted to chief-detective and placed in the Commissioner’s office, being sent on extradition duty to South Ameiica shortly afterwards. His next investigation was the Ohinemuri bribery allegations. He conducted special investigations in the Auckland Post Office in 1910, and for the next, two years was on the staff of the Commissioner of Police, In 1912 he " as sent to Rarotonga and' the Cook Islands to appear for the Crown in the ease against a native named ISoonga for the murder of his wife, In 191314 he reorganised the Criminal Registration Branch of the Police Department. He was promoted to subinspector and stationed at Auckland, where lie remained until 1917, when he was transferred to AAtellington, where he was attached to the staff of Captain Hall-Thompson to administer the war regulations. He was promoted to inspector and given charge of the AA 7 ollingtou district in 1919, and dealt with the Newl a lids Ibaby murder case. He was appointed Commissioner of Police in 1926.

AVHO AVILL SUCCEED

AIANY SUGGESTIONS. .AVitli the resignation of Mr AA 7 . }L M’llveney from the position pf Police Commissioner, the question of his successor arises. A r arious police officers were sounded on the subject and nearly all were of the opinion that the office should ibe given;.; to man cjulside the Force, a military man or a magistrate. If the appointment should be made from the members of the Force it is considered that 'Superintendent AVohlmann, of Auckland, is the most likely man for the position, He is the senior officer in the Force and is regarded as a very capable man, It is pointed out that though all other posts in the doApartment are filled by the system of : seniority, the system is disregarded when it comes to the most important post of all. In New Zealand the former custom was to appoint an outside hnan, and this practice has been changed only in the past few appointments. RESTRICTED OUTLOOK. “However gpod a man may be,” said one officer, “the long years of routine work have a tendency to give him a restricted outlook. He places too much importance on red-tape regulations. There are many brilliant men in the Force, (but I think the Government should go outside of them. A military man would fill the bill, though possibly a magistrate (if one could be induced to take the position) would be better.” BRITAIN’S EXAMPLE. If the authorities decide to appoint a military man to the position they will have a precedent in the appointment of Lord Byng to the command of the London Aletropolitan Police. The suggestion is a very popular one with local ■ members of the Force. The administrative work in both military and police is similar, it is stated, the chief characterisation required being firmness and decision. In this connection the name of Major-General Robert Young, at present officer in command of the New Zealand Forces, conies from a good source. If he were to accept the position, however, it would be necessary first that the status of the Commissioner should he raised considerably. More likely is the rumour from the Defence Department that Colonel AA 7 . L. H. Sin-dair-Burgess, at present chief of the General Staff, may he appointed. Colonel Siueluir-Burgess has the distinction of holding more decorations than any other New Zealand military officer. He lias had a close connection witli the administrative side of the Defence Department. Another man, who, it is considered, may got the position is Air Richard ATadden, at present secretary of the Police Department. He has attended to most “of the administrative work of the department during his years in that office, and has all the necessary qualities. If he is appointed it will be a very popular choice from the police point of view. A MAGISTRATE? A large body of police opinion favours the appointment of a magistrate to the position. Suhc a man, it

was stated, would have a good standing in the eyes of the public. He would have a good knowledge of the law and would have been in close contact with the Force. Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., of Auckland, is mentioned as a likely man if the Government looks towards the magistracy for a Commissioner.