NARK NEILL

NZ Truth, Issue 87, 16 February 1907, Page 5

NARK NEILL

LATE OF THE "FOORCE." A Persistent Pelf-^ursuing „• Felice Pensioner. =■■-■•>'■*■•?""■ ■' ./■!."; J — ' .' . Paid for Pimping on the Publicans.

y The Gilbertian axiom that "a policeman's lot is not- a 1 happy one," is a misnomer or something equally dreadful; at all events it's far from being substantiated by .facts. The sight of a copman standing . fast asleep with his eyes,. 'open,, af the street corner, or- making goo-goo eyes at the girls as they pass . by, or occupying his time at any old thing equally unconnected with graft, is always warranted to make present writer long to kick himself m a vital spot when he recalleth the. fact that grey hairs and stiff joints now prohibit him for evet from joining the "foorce" and. having a : good, giddy time at' the country's expense. : Adding to that picture 6t a lovely, lazy life the' fact that these copper coves get a pension after .so many^years'of leisure, well and truly performed, the Gilbertian axiom looks very small indeed, ; rotten, itf fact. But when these tired traps are allpwed. by a crpnk, crook constitution to retire on; pension at an age when they are still young enough, and active,^ enough to. enter, ihtg cpmnetir, tion : witfa. ; less" fortunate' folk, who; have not pensions, for any job that may be going, and do so compete, then the thing becomes an absolute scandal, and wants ' things said about it m Parliament and requires operating; on m other "horrible ways. , Chiristchurch is the proud possessor of one of these > ' TIRED AND RETIRED. POLICE- . „ MEN, : who is greedy ; wants a hellova lot, m fact, and, morepver,' gets ifr—with both hands. The gentleman inVquestion, answering to the name of Robert Neill— Bob to his croniesserved his allotted span for his pension, and retired, without applause, when the time arrived, -to enjoy -it. But. Bob, seemingly,-.wasn'-t half done with, for shortly after he had shed himself of his blue, clobber, - and people were telling him how v like, a real Christian he looked iin mufti, he took up another racket. It became known to all .whom it might concern ithat the Ghristchurch Licensed Victuallers' - Association had appointed a detective, or something like that, to look afiter their valuable- interests, and Bob Neill '; forthwith imade his bow m his new role. Some unkind folk said he wouldn't have stood A GHOST OF A CHANCE . of. , being booked foir the billet had he not been the fortunate possessor of a btpther, boss of the; White Hart Hotel, and a leading light m the L.V.A. Anyhow,, Bob bobbed v**; alright, but what his mysteriou?' mties .are no one seems t6 fenbw, 9 though probably the bonifaces themselves know something r ; for it is alleged that. Bob 1 draws' the comfortable stipend of £4 per week for doing^-what ;he^ is supposed to do. Some grumr allege that Mr— beg pardon, Public 'Tec— Neill isn't strictly impartial m his methodsv and even go so far as to hint that, .whilst he firives an unfailing attention to some, licensed houses, the properties of a certain brewer's firm aren r t subjected tb' •' 2 too ol<^ve scrutiny .i ; But • that is beside tie question?' Bob gets his £4 a week ;at pub-pimping besides his pension. But on to the top of this the tired, retired trap tracks another snug and' cosy appointment. He attends the various, race-meetings as \ private detective, pulling m two or three pounds per diem for doing so. Which, added to the two previous, sources, of income is beginriinjg to make Mr, Neill Ito be quite a small millionaire m his way. Last, but not least, the . gent possesses "proputty," the rents from which must fetch him m another £3 or £4. per week, so that altogether the LATE LAMENTED LAW PRESER- ; v ; ;■./. .VER, • .' . ; is on a tolerable good wicket. jbody blames Bob Neill, of course, for making hay while the sun shines. The shame is that the laws governing the police skould allow active, able-bodied inea to retire on pension, to become competitors iin the commerciar market with maay luckless devils who have trouble to so muchas make, .both ends meet-, The case 'quoted is a glaring instance Of the abusiHg of the p»liqe pension scheme, and it should at once' be so amended as to make a continuation of this ,of thing impossible.. A; pension is primarily to keep a man from want m his old age, and H an- active pensioner is so nlessed With good health as tp wanit to continue grafting after he had been retired, the pension regulations; should stipulate that the amount so 'earned shall be deducted from' his pension. That would stop Neill and others of his kidney from snayelling up all' the good things going, whilst . enjoying pensions that the very men whom they keep of billets have to help provide. /