Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1898. The Police and Licensed Victuallers.

Manawatu Herald, 23 April 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1898. The Police and Licensed Victuallers.

The report of the proceedings of the Police Commission at Chriatchurcb does not make pleasant reading foi anybody, first because it showa with out doubt that in the minds ol the constables they ware net per fectly free to act in cases affecting public houses, and secondly that the impression is abroad in the force that too much " zeal " would meet its own punishment. What can we think of a Minister of Justice, who haviug control of the Police force, has these facts brought up at a public inquiry, and his only plea in defence being, either that he knew of tbi feeling and took no action to reassure constables, or else he was unaware of what was occuring 1 In another part of this issue we give the matter as telegraphed, and from that report it will be noticed the Rev. F. W. Isitb stated he bad told Inspector Broham that a constable had told him that if he were allowed a free hand he could run in ten publicans any day. Mr Isitfc said that Mr Broham swore for several minutes, and said "Ti have him out of the force if I knew his name." Mr Isitt further stated that so many policemen had told him that their hand** were tied that he believed the men. All this it will probably be contended is only hearsay evidenoe colored by the imagination of a fanatic. It may be so, and we are aware that at times sufficient care in securing direct evidence has not been taken by Prohibitionists in making their charges, but we have seen a good deal of the peculiar way of the leader? of the Liquor Party, and we feel assured that the opinion it -has been stated constables had formed has been based on the experience they gained of the treatment meted out to any constable who has endeavoured to have the Licensing Laws duly observed. From such object lesson? they have taken their cue, as it was intended they should, and until the police are freed from this restraint, so long will the lioenring difficulty be perpetually cropping up. But we have not the mere statement of Mr Isitt, for Inspector Oullen deposed that in 1886, when a second olas« sergeant, he had been transferred from Timaru at the instance of a section of the publicans because, with Inspector Broham, he had been active in suppressing Sunday trad ing. This is the difficulty, the trouble arises from a section of pub lioane, those generally who have been induced to go into poor burineshouses by hotel brokers who fatten on their constant removals, and these victims to trade greed having sunk the little capital they possessed, endeavour to get a portion of it back again before they are turned out of the premises, in the best or any way they can. These are the class which create all the nuisance, as when one publioan makes a breach of the law he naturally draws the nimble six pence from those dry old souls who are always thirsting for more to drink, and thus leaves lees for the honest observer of the law to get during regulation selling hours. The other publicans do not like to inform, and they therefore try to minimise the evil by also doing wrong, and thus a district gets demoralised. We notice further the brave words* of Mr Commissioner Tun bridge who "as Commissioner of Police he desired the men to take action in any cases of breaches of the law, whether j against publicans or prohibitionists," yet we are bound to ask will these words have any effect on the men, who are nominally under the Commissioner, but who is himself under the Minister of Justice ? The Com* missioner must be aware at last, from the evidence already given before the Commission that the police force is utterly demoralised, as it is not by good conduct that men are promoted and they therefore make use of what political influence they possess. This has been stated

by witnesses time after time, so that there must be & large amount of truth in the matter. We can bowever call Mr Commissioner Tunbridge's attention to a case of wbicb he is thoroughly aware, that of Constable Gillespie, who has been removed from this town, from a responsible position a* a constable in charge of a district and Clerk of tb> Magiatrate's Court, to street duty in Wellington. For why? Certainly it is not for the cause alleged as the reason as Judge Kettle has entirely exonerated him from blame, and complimented him upon the aotion he had taken. Why then is Con stable Qillespie still employed in duty at which a recruit could be usefully employed, and this constable " one of the most efficient officers in the service" as Inspector Pender described him, not placed whert his abilities would be of use to the settlers and the eolony f We have a very strong opinion that when this removal is traced to its source it will be found that the same hand which has been at work creating these peculiar impression* on constables minds as to how far they can act igamst the liquor interests and no further, has also had a hand in 'his piece of most unjust work. Constable Gilleppie, as senior officer on this coast, had to act as Inspector of Licensed Houses and had to report on their condition to the licencing committees, and k wa3 instrumental in getting a new building erected in the room of a most dilapidated house, bad many others enlarged, nw\ nil put into good order, beside* insis.iug on the law being observed. T f uuy not be that these actions hav j -red upon the pockets of th; mv.i *•? of base various licensed premie «. bur. until the cases where men:i< ih.d to the committees there was no evidence that th *Be improvements would have been effected, an 'l the belief is bound | to be that these owners had to lay out money on tho complaint of Constable Gillespie and Ihua ri > nor | generally like it. The oasa makes a | good object lesson for other coni stables, and it must not be wondered at that if they consider Constable Gillespie has met his reward. We | cannot understand a Minister, more especially that of Justice, who with these facts before him, and we know that he has them very plainly set out, yet makes not the slightest effort to do justice to Constable Gillespie; yet we are supposed to be surprised to learn that the police foroe is demoralised t