WHERE ARE THE POLICE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 271, 4 June 1889, Page 2

WHERE ARE THE POLICE.

'■- ■'•■• - . , ♦ . .. — --- ■-•••;•.... . ,;; : lii every town in every country . the above cry is always heard when, anything has gone wrong, and it has passed comprehension why they are sever to be found when wanted, la. this town the constable, as tu^ual, IB wanted when not near, and as Arenas : to be away, he will more L ; kely v oftener be wanted when hecaunot be found. There are times when in his ordinary police duties his absence might be necessary, butwha.t we desire to draw attention to, is his - repeated absence apart from his proper duties as a constable, not as, he, \ and his superiors understand it, but as we, part of the taxpaying public understand it. We look upon having a policeman in our midst, to whom application can bemade when wanted, we pay for it, the coastab'e is paid forr it, but still he may be awty. The absurdity of the reason of hit absence is what we desire to bring to light. He does not leave th,e town unprotected, so that be may • scour the country to apprehend a dangerous character or to simply patrol the country districts ; but he is allowed to leave the duties for which he is paid a fair wage, fair, or <, he otherwise would not have enlisted, and to still be paid for. mot doing that ,' for which his pay is given, to .allow him to earn moremoaey by charging mileage on the service ot civil summonses. The taxpayers are paying a man to go Oat for a day and work for himself, at a very paying job. Can any of us get a simple Government to provide any more of us with such a billet? If the constable had nothing to do, his being permitted to serve these writs might be very well, but the f ess. for service should i>e paid to the deparfownfr; .. bt&viiu 1 the case of the constable stationed here, it is most unfair to the community that their public protector' is allowed to act in this capacity, whilst the town and district is swarming with the dissipated and undesirable class that it is. We believe the least the Department could do is to send a relieving constable every time the one stationed herd has to be away.