POLICE COMMISSION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 206, 8 November 1909, Page 5

POLICE COMMISSION.

Report Presented. ! ' The report of the Royal Commission lof inquiry into the state of the New i Zealand police force was presented to i Parliament on Wednesday afternoon i by the Minister for Justice, the Hon. !Dr Findlay. The objects of the Commtoion were to ascertain: I—as to the general organisation, control, and enrollment of the police force of the Dominion an it now exists in its several branches, and the discipline and efficiency thereof, and in what respect the said force or any part thereof cooH be better recruited, organised, controlled, or made more efficient; 2 —»s to the efficiency, conduct, sobriety, and morality of the members of the said force or any of them: 3~~as to whether any political or other improper interference exists in connection with the'said force, and. if so, to what extent, and whether such interference has any influence in the administration of the said fore; and 4—as to the methods of promotion of members of the said force, and the reasons governing the selection of members of the force for promotion. The Commissioner, Mr H. W. Bishop S.M. has gone thoroughly into the questions to be reported upon and bis recommendations make interesting reading. It is impossible to give explicitly the findings of the Commissioner. Broadly, the report justifies Mr Arnold M.P. in respect to his statements which ted to the enquiry and imply a very considerable weakness in the administration of the Department. With a a view to bringing the force op to the best standard the Commissioner recommended as follows :

That the probationer on going into the depot, remain there three months instead of two. At present the rate of pay while in the depot is 6s per day, of which 2s 3d per diem has to be paid for messing, ft is now recommended that the pay for single probationers remain at 6s per day, bot that married men receive ?s 6d. It is considered that every encouragement should be given to married men to join. Out of 193 enrolled in the last two years only 44 were married.

Mr Bishop goes on to recommend that no recruit be finally enrolled until be has completed three month's probationary service in the streets —if ultimately enrolled, his seniority to be dated back to the time he left the depot. During the probationary period of three months every man, married, or single, should receive ?s per diem. This should rise by increments of 6d a day every three years, until the maximum of 9s 6d is reached, only senior constables, referred to later, receiving the new maximum of 10s All constables now in the force should be levelled op to fit in with this small increase. If the standard is to be kept up. the and force made efficient, it is absolutely necessary that there should be this slight increase in the pay of constables. No all round increase is recommended as it is considered that other ranks are fairly well paid, and this is not the time to ask for any largely increased expenditure on the police or any oth»r branch of the Public survicr. The Commissioner of Police in the course of his evidence outlined a proposal for certain increases, and these, Mr Bishop says, woutd involve an addition to the expenditure of £7OOO, Mr Bishop adds that he would like to see some material increase granted, but in these days of drastic retrenchment cannot see bis way clear to make proposals that are not entirely warranted by cicrcumstanccs.

Mr Bishop also recommended: That men should not be allowed to refuse promotion. That inspectors should be allowed to select clerks from men under their own control. That it is not desirable to give detectives a special rank of their own, by making thi chief detective's rank equivalent to that of sub-inspector. That no man should be advanced to plain clothes duty till he has nerved at least two years in uniform. That it would not be wise and polite to create a grade of senior constables, giving the men one chevron, and paying them an extra 6d per day, making the maximum 10s per day. That the annual leaves be extended for officers of over five years' service to 15 days in the year, and that arrangements be made for the men when on leave to travel at reduced fares. Sufficient attention is not paid to physical training. A physical instructor, with qualifications such as possessed by Constable Skinner, of Tauranga, should be appointed. Every member of the force should be a competent rifle shot. Arresting constables should not be required to attend Court until notified by their superior officers of the neces- | sity for doing so. ! More attention should be paid to the | desirability of giving the men Sunday leave when possible. RenU having gone up so enormously of late years, the bouse allowance should be increased to 10s 6d per week for constables, and 14s 6d for seri geants. ! Sergeants and constables should re- ! ccive the same travelling allowance as detectives—Bs per day. Senior sergeants should be paid at j the rate of 13s €d per diem, with the ordinary house allowance of Is 6d per diem where not provided with free quarters. The majority of these men would be sergeants who are now in ! charge of important sub-districts.