The Police Force.

Manawatu Herald, 17 October 1895, Page 2

The Police Force.

The annual report of the dom* lnissio.ner of Police was laid upon, tne table of tho House of Representatives. It shows that the total strength of the force is 487 of all ranks, an increase of two compared with last year. One of the features of the report is Colonel Hume'd suggested scheme, by which an increase of pay should be given by length of service, all other things being equal ; and if this proposal jbe not accepted he suggests, as an alternative, that, in fairness to those constables at the top of the third class and to many others, a continuous service of say five yeava without an entry against them should wipe out any previous record of misconduct and prevent their oonstant supersession by their juniors on account of irregularities committed many years ago. To carry out efficiently the proposed scheme it would be necessary to have only four classes of rank, viz., inspectors, Bergeantp, constables and detectives. In the proposals before the Government provision has been made for these ranks only. At present there are no less than thirteen differ* ent ranks in a force of less than 500 men. With regard to moving constables from one district to another, the Commissioner contends that such periodical transfers are necessary to secure efficiency. He refers to the innumerable difficulties which are nearly always raised when removals are suggested, to the petitions re ceived from the inhabitants of the town or township where the constable resides, and to the fact that the looal doctor generally states that

thft ohftnge will be detrimental to the oonfitftble or his wife. In regard to the lait-mentloncd eircumat&ncs Colonel Humt sarcastically remarks that if one is to judge by the correspondence that pours in on the Department on such occasions, one is forced to the conclusion that the majority of the .force are married to chronic invalids. In tho Commissioner's opinion when a transfer is ordered it should either be carried into effect at once, or the constable should resign from the force.