The Administration of the Police Department

Manawatu Herald, 12 October 1897, Page 2

The Administration of the Police Department

The greater portion of Mr. Tanner's very brief speech in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives yesterday consisted of a narrative of personal experiences of the laxity of the administration of the liquor law in Christchurch. He had no wild charges to make, he said no second hand statements, no matters brought under his notice by others, but the few facts that he had to state had come under bia own observation, and no Ministerial assurance, no Departmental report, and no committee's proposals would over remove them from his mind. He supposed that it was not difficult in Clnisfcchurch, or any other city in New Zealand, to fall into the company of men who were about to take a walk round town on a Sunday night. At any rate be, on a recent occasion, had no difficulty in falling in with four persons who were about to take such a walk. In company with thesa persons, and without explaining his object, he visited five licensed houses in srceesaion. (Cries of "Oh 1 eh '"* r ;, the first thre.e-fcs found that br.^ir ■.( .-, 'wftToeing very actively oarrieci r >', so much so that if business was as brisk on other nights of the week there was not the least doubt tnat the licensee Would soon retire with a fortune. At the fourth place visited it was impossible to gain admission while at the fifth place they found the whole place from the outer door to the bar so jammed with people that he could only compare it with the state of things seen at a railway station when there was an excursion train there. With much difficulty and a vigorous use of their elbows be and his party made their way to the bar. (•• Gh, oh," from members.) There could be no question of the landlord in this case not being aware of the breach of the law being committed for it was the landlord him.self who was supplying the drink to the perpons there, and at a rate which must have placed upon him the "greatest exertion. He (Mr. Tanner) had never seen such a thing. When bo left he was perfectly satisfied • — (!oud laughter) — as to the allegations m:\de hy the public about the selling of liquor on Sunday. He made no comment upon the facts ho had stated. (Mr J. W. Kelly— They do not need it.) What he thought he might express in strong language, but he wonld not. They hacl a responsible Minister and a force of 500 or 600 men to see that laws were observed, but he would nnt comment upon this. In conversation recently with a police officer upon this subject the officer had acknowledged that a good deal took place of which he personally disapproved, and added — " Sir, the state of the Police Force during the last two or three year 3 has been such as to take the very heart out of a man who desires to do his duty." (" Hear, bears " from the members.). Whether this was right or not he was not prepared to say. — Post.