Parliament.

Manawatu Herald, 17 September 1898, Page 2

Parliament.

DEBATE ON THE POLICE COMMISSION. The report of tbe Police Com mission was discussed by the House on Wednesday. The Minister of Juatioe moved that the report of the Commission and the Commissioner of Police be re ferred to the Public Accounts Com mittee to consider and report as to what the increased cost to the colony would be to effect the reoommenda tions of the Commission and the Commissioner, and as to whether circumstances Warrant the said increased expenditure in whole or in part. The cost of carrying out the ! recommendations of the Commission ; would be £16,328 yearly, and to i carry out the soheme of the Com mis«ioner of Police would cost £18. 428 yearly. The approximate cost of the Commission was 44250. The Minister went on to gay that ha denied the sweeping charges made against the farce at the time, and said that tbe force would compare favourably wich any other section of the community. It was very gratifying to him that that opinion had been borne out by the Commission. Be believed the Commission would restoro confidence in the public mind with regard to the police force, but although the report would be gener ally considered satisfactory, it would j not be so regarded by Mr Taylor and his friends. As to the charges made by Mr Taylor, he pointed out that only 28 out of the 500 men in the force appeared before the Com mission, which did not bear out the charge that the force was teeming with grievances and was honey combed with discontent. He should be inclined to give tbe Commissioner a free hand in regard to appoint ments to the force.

Mr Taylor read from the evidence to show that the former Commissioner had no administrative power, which rested in the Minister. Ho

urged that every charge he made had been fully justified by the evidence ; all the senior officers said that political interference had undermined the morality of the force. He bad also eaid that- incompetent met! had been rewarded, and quoted la* spector Pdrdy'a statement in regard to the unfitness of Constable Mayne for detective duty, to which he had been promoted. He contended that the conduct of the police had not been good, as proved by the dumber of charges brought against members' of tho force. The Commission re* ported adversely on the case of Inspector Emerson, whose retirement was recommended, and the evidence also bore out what ,hp had said against Inspector Hiokson, while Inspector Brcham bad been censured so severely that he had sent in his resignation. The recruiting system had bpen condemned by every In* spp.cto.% and there was not sufficient investigation ot a man's antecedents ; wlvl* between the time the Commission w.-ifl announced and the timo it commenced to take evidence 72 prom** ions were made, which bad th" fi^ct of destroying evidence 1 . Th.v n.:\v Commissioner was^ appointed to try and conceal .khe^efecta of thp department, and ne charged Ministers that the reason for their refusal to give evidence was that they were afraid to do so. The indictment against the department was %>fflptetef/-' T, Vot*#':s" The Premier ficifmarshalled against Mr Taylor were so complete that he had been compelled to go back on almost every charge be had made. Mr Taylor ' said Mr Tunbridge'a appointment was his, but if that appointment had not been a good one he would not have been so ready to take the responsibility, although he was only too ready to take the credit of such a sajifep&tory appointment. Before, leaving for Australia in 1897 the Cabinet bad decided to secure a Commissioner, bnt the appointment was delayed, as he was going Home, and it was -bought a suitable person could be found there.

Mr Pi rani contended that the report had not exonerated the department from the charges levelled «»ainet it by Mr Taylor. ; .Only, two charges had been dtsprtjived. He contended that the charge in regard 'o politioil influence had been upheld, and the report of the Oom~ mission was decidedly against, the system. He quoted from the evidence to show th '*!•■» wa«> a considerable amount of di 'organisation and Immorality in *h % firca, and if the only resuk of tja a Comrais'ion was to rpnmvp th»* fivee from th> infl hence of Minisoiv, th*» action of Mr Taylor would bavn been fully justified.

Mr L>W'V urawfl that nnt one case of pnlitic;i I in flu -nee or corruption bad be?»n pmved. Mr Northcrofc had apok-n <ib>u6 political iofluence in his r.viui'nce, bat Mi' Northcroft him^lf, when it was proposed he l&ould iv> retncived, naed all his political influence be could, pn^sjbiy command, and even ppoke to him (Mr Inwry) on the subject. He regretted that tbe Commission .bad on: ru de inquiries a3 to the spies* in t.h* force from whom Mr Taylor had got hi 3 information. He spoke in term* of high praise of the services rendered by Inspector Emsraon, and naitl there was no such thing, ais for. givc>nesd oe marcy in the composition of ill)*? who were pursuing that

officer

Mr G. Hutchison complained that ths Premier and Minister df Justice bad refused to give evidence before the Commission. Etc urgeaV ifaat there was no precedent for a Minister being allowed to refuse to give evidence before he. bad been sworn and stated on oath bisjreason for tefasins. Tbe Commission ought to oost Ministers their seats on tbe Treasury benches, and he would be surprised if the public did not enter a verdict against them in connection with this matter. Tbe hon. member' then proceeded to relate instance! in which constables guilty of wrong* doing had been retained in the force* owing, be inferred, to political in. thence, and be contended that tbt organisation of the force was rotten to the ©ore.

At the evening sitting Mr Kelly moved the following amendment to the motion proposed by the Minister of Justice : — " That, as the result of the report of the Royal Commission on the Police Force, it is desirable immediate provision be made — (1) For the removal of the force from political control, as thd Commissioners report that the Police Commissioner should hay 6 absolute authority in regard to appointments, transfers, promotions and dismissals ; (2) for improving the present nystem of recruiting; (8) for Jibe efficient training and instruction of members of the force ; (4) for the retirement of officers and men who by reason of age or otherwise are inefficient/ Dr are of drunken or immoral habits, or are addicted to gambling ; (5) for the amendment of the law so -as to punish those, who -supply alcoholic liquor* during prohibited hours ; (6) tor retiring allowances and pensions fo deserving members of the force." He urged that political • influence of the very worst possible kind had been used in connection with the Administration of the force.

Mr Scobie Mackenzie considered that the Government could not object to the amendment, which was mereU

a recital of the recommendations of the Commissioners. The Commissioners had shielded the Government, and in excusing them giving evidence they practically admitted that their giving evidence might lead to a noconfidence motion and that they might be turned out.

The Minister of Public Works said the Premier had only done his duty in not going before the Commission, seeing that it might be his duty to recommend the Governor in regard to the recommendations of the Commission. It was said the whole force was corrupt, but the Ccmmissioners in their report said, "The general conduct of the force, taken as a whole, has been good." No doubt there were some men who ought never to have been there, but they found such in every walk of life. They even had black sheep among prohibitionists. As the people of the colony became better acquainted with the repert they would see there was no foundation for the charges made against the force, and no necessity for setting up the Commission.

Mr Montgomery said as he looked carefully into the report he found it furnished a stronger indictment against the Minister than ever Mr Taylor did, and, although its recommendations were couched in very guarded language, they were so strong that they showed the charges made by Mr Taylor were true in substance, at. all events. Mr Duihie considered that on the whole Mr Taylor had made his case good, and he hoped something would be done to put the police force on a sound footing. Mr Wason thought that instead of appointing a Commission the Govern* ment should have left the work of reform in the hands of Commissioner Tunbridge. Mr Hogg said they knew what the Commission had cost, and he questioned whether the game was worth the candle. Mr Massey said if Commissioner j Tunbridge were given a free hand he | believed in a short time the police I force would show a considerable improvement. Mr Flatman said he did not believe the police of any of the sister colonies would come out of an inquiry with ■uch a clean sheet as the police of New Zealand had come out with. j

On Thursday the report was further considered.

Mr Moore said he had reluctantly come to the conclusion that the finding of the Commission was hardly in accordance with the evidence, which showed conclusively the presence of Tammanyism and the encouragement of insubordination in the force.

Messrs O'Regan, Millar, Duncan and R. McKenzie spoke in favour of the Government.

Mr Guinness urged that the Govenynent had committed a grave political blunder in acceding to the clamour of Mr Taylor and others to set up this Royal Commission. He objected to both the amendment and the original motion, thinking that the Government should either bring down a scheme to give effect to the report or else leave the matter alone.

Captain Russell said the Commissioners had toned down everything that told against the Government and he went. on to contend that the use of political influence had only commenced with the term of office of the present administration. Unless they gave absolute authority of the Commissioner they would do no good whatever. The Premier, Messrs Sligo, Graham and Lewis spoke, and then the debate was adjourned.