DINNIE AND "THE DEMONS."

NZ Truth, 4 January 1908, Page 1

DINNIE AND "THE DEMONS."

His Administration Challenged.

Wonders surely will never cease ! r A section of the clean and respectable daily press has at last questioned tlie honesty of Police Commissioner Dinnie's administration, (and this "m face of Jthe^fact that week m and week ouVpTJt«*old muchir^ligned "Truth?' has been pegging away giving so many, facts about . %he Rottenness that pervades the police force generally. "Truth" has penrpricked the Commissioner so scientifically that the assurance, from an unofficial source of course, although nono the less accunate for 5 that, that this imported -snout., from ' Scotland gets ver^ J • ropeable whenever "Truth"' is mentioned to him is „cjiuite feasible. No doubt it would ohly ibfc natural if he was on the alert to catoh the paper on rtbe hop and seek to gaol the proprietor and everybody connected there- • with. It's not natural^ perhaps, ;.tbat Dinnie should entertain genuine Christian feelings towards "Truth." He has been pen-pricked enough now' that it is tduite a welcome relief to find tha/t the "Dominion" is taking a hand; and m a mdld, respectable and respectful manner echoing the sentiments that have been published m these cbluinins. Now, the "Dominion" gave., DiDOiie a_, pleasant New ' Year's surprise on -.Wtednesdiay . when it ventured to insinuate that * there was, favoritism m the Police Force ; that favoritism ■of a scandalpus nature has existed and continues to exist will not and cannot be denied; because the promotions that have been, made within the past twelve months, at least, show that the hard-working, . honest and conscientious officer who is out day and night suppressing crime, catching desperate criminals and maintaining law and order, has been cruelly passed over. The lucky individuals who are attached to the Commissioner's staff and who are merely clerks, and cultivate coins , on the fleshy part of their anatomy, have all <been made sergeants. Club, M-asonic, and other 'infhi-ence is responsive for this gross unfairness,' 'and it is 1 reaii\ ly time that the responsible Minister took a -hand and gave Dinnie to that a little honesty m his administration might- prove acceptable to the public. :• * ' • *■■ •• ■ "*•..■. .■ • ■■ Now, to make this paper's attitude thoroughly consistent it must be mentioned that itholds a brief for no officer m the force. There are many with services of '25 years' standing whose records ai ; clean-, whose work has been conscientious, brut for whom promotion and ' reward is impudently denied. What plums were to be> picked, have been' plucked by the '•'sergeajnts" who sit on Cushions, beeaxise hard-bottomed chairs proved uncop? lor table. ■ 'Truth" has given many instances of long and faithful police service going unrewarded and unrecognised, but it comes as a surprise .to .learn that the oaptors of the recent' dyriamitard house-breakers m Wellington have received absolutely no recognition whatever. Now, the public need hardly ' be told that "this .was a very dangerous gang of criminals,; Life and property were as dirt to then*— they would shoot on sight. iTbe offlperfc who efiected their capture carried their lives m their hands, and Mr Justice Cooper, who -gave the 'dangerous criminals 15 years' gaol eadh< "from his seat on the Bench, pubJicly expressed- his appreciation of the services rendered to the public by Chief Detective MeG-rath; and Detective Oassells m having the desperadoes brought to Justice. The fact of a Judjge complimenting^ the police for doing their duty is certainly somethinp; which is rare, showing that m this case at least the officers responsible had done work which should 'be recognised m the ,proper) quarter. The Chamber of Commerce placed on record its appreciation of the services rendered the community toy the officers concerned, and further, ,we find that an influential body of citizens waited : on., the Minister for Uustice m- •-■the interests of Detective Cassells, at anyrate, but from the Minister received little, if any, satisfaction, because the Minister declared that .any official recognition of the officers' service^ must come from .Commissioner Dinnte,' • • • It redounds to the ; credit of KiUei Dfrf«c-tir« McGrath that he HiGehvimtd tmy spDoi'*l share /of

the . kudos connected with" 'the. capture of the gang, the credit o,f it all, according to this self-sacri-ficing officer, was due to' his subordinate, and, .naturally,' one would have imagined that after the remarks of his Honor Mfc Justice Cooper, the re- i solution carried by the Ohamiber of Commerce, the efforts of the deputa-tion.--of citizens' to the 'Minister of Justice, Comandssioner Dinndc would have given Cassells some special reward, coming as it does on top of Cassells's very satisfactory police career. Now, it is common talk m police circles j iri Welli'ngtan that Cassells 'has been . signifieaatly shoved to one side. Wihy'-Dinriie, 'the : Commissioner , should have such a " set" on a subordinate is something* "Truth" is unable to Cassells, so far as can be gleaned f f6m the m]em- ' bers of the detective force, has an excellent record, while, if convi6,ti!pns secured is the surest way of gaining pronto ption, Cassells ought to be up near Dinnie himself. Anyhow;,! thijj paper is not going- to labor matters, Dinnie's "snout" on one officer is a matter that must be explained \ and should be brought up m Parliament next session. The "Dominion," m bringing this matter to light, . has echoed , " Truths sentiments. What can an honest officer expect from, a* boss bobby of the Dinnie type ? There is no encpurageiiient to go straiight. This gross favoritism is an incentive Ik> police officers Ap abuse ivheir trust. Things will have to mend and Dinnie will have to bend. * . • * It was only last week, while m a prophetic mood, that this paper hinted that just now things were at sixes and sevens m the Police Force, and that sooner or later, the public Would learn from other sources how near the mark "Truth", had always been when it declared that promotion m the force went by favor, the CqmmissionerS's favor, and not by faithful, signal, or brilliant service. Now. this paper has maintained an unrelenting, warfare against Dinnie's administration. Practically, he is not the man for Galway. Since he was imported there has been nothing but bungle, and a "list of these bungles I make very unpleasant reading, andi afford food for serious reflection. Why | should New. Zealand, have to go to the United Kingdom for a boss bobby.- Thei imported policeman everywhere .hi. has been .tried, has been a' frost and - a failure. Socially, of course," he is the best of fellows. In the club, he is a shining light, m other circles and cliques he is , always a moving spirit, New Zealand I is for New' - Zealailders even m the Police Force. The young New Zealander, as pointed ouf m these columns, has no chance" whatever of i donning the blue uniform, unless he has got a 'big pull, politically or spciallv. The timq; is, coming shortly, "Truth" hones, when: New Zealand's Police Commissioner will be a man with New Zealand experience. We have had enough of these expensiveimportations: Now that the daily press arehelpitiß "Truth" to show the public tire,, rottenness of things "generally m the Police Force of New it can be confidently hoped that there will be a change— a rnuchneeded/change—if - D,innig wishes/his administration of "tiie Police Fbrce to be considered strictly fair and honest.