POLICE EXAMINATIONS.

NZ Truth, Issue 139, 15 February 1908, Page 5

POLICE EXAMINATIONS.

SLOPS SET TO SCHOOL-BOY TASKS. What Barns the Coveted Stripes? PIMPS AND CRAWLERS ENCOURAGED

It has come to: "Truth's" ears (though never intended, of course) that one Government official,- who, by the way, is drinking himself to his grave, "and who is about ,to spend what little of, his. -life is left on a pension granted by a paternal Government, has, m his official capacity, and speaking, on an official matter, declared it. to be of his own official knowledge that more than one individual on '-'Truth's" staff are excriminals, and, therefore, no reliance or credence should be placed on, what appears m these columns. Now, this paper is of a forgiving, though not forgetful, nature, and as the said official is a drunken old sot, with one leg m a dishonored grave, it will pardon the old pot, and will content itself with calling him a miserable old liar, and.it will not point to one or more members of his own family ajs being .more likely, to swell criminal, statistics to^ the least presuming person on this paper's staff.! First spasm ! As the wowsers say. Secondly,, this emphatic democratic organ m. its politest manner wants to know what- the devil is the little game, presumably emanating from Commissioner Dinnie's department* to ascertain the source from whence came some . of.'-'- the liitle tit-bits which have appeared m these columns concerning Dinnie's administration of the Police Fprce. -Perhaps, this paper holds more cards up its sleeves

than .Dinnie and his -'sergeants'' think. Perhaps it does, perhaps •it doesn't. Anyhow, that doesn't matter, i Dinnie • can dismiss . who he likes or transfer who he likes, he can •blame who he likes for supplying "Truth" with information ; but before he does anyone any injustice let him first be certain. "Truth" has a more efficient secret s.ervice than Dinhie has, .:ans when Parliament next meets the might prove interesting.' 'The - explanation fo!c these few observations lie m the fact than more than one has . ..-. ' BEEN HELD TO BLAME ; for supplying this paper with infoi- ' motion of a confidential character. Dmnie might find it out on Judgment Day only, if the rules of heavenly evidence render it admissible, and the chances arfe- they will not. Thirdly, alter which we' will read the Lessons of the Day, this inspired, Divinely inspired, organ, wishes, with little comment, to -publicly print the daily made assertion that "Truth" is a noclass rag, and that noTjody reads it, or takes any notice of it, an assertion, howiever, 'quite, worthy of the historical remark of a celebrated politician on hearing it declared "that Britons never, never, never shall be slaves." As faithfully -chronicled by the daily press, the annual Police examination has been held, and though the ordinary, common and vulgar herd are aware that aft examination has been held, few, if any, know, and have yet to learn, what the noliee men are annually examined on, and | what useful purpose such an p flair | can possibly serve, excepting that it | might tickle the vanity of this inordinately vain slop Dinnie. whose fertile brain or "thinker" created the idea. Being an. idea hatched m such a mind, it should be stored m the public achives to amuse or to nuzzle the Philosophic historian m p.^es to come. It looks very much though as

[if this coralling of cops is to discover if any of them have any tendency towards legal distinction. Instead of being plain, unvarnished j policemen on the beat, Dinnie wants them to be lawyers, and the few paltry miestions asked of them could be easily answered by any brislit boy m the fourth standard. Roughly speaking, there are something like 700 policemen m New Zealand, a fact which shows what A POLICE-RIDDEN COMMUNITY we are, nevertheless, though this ex- [ animation was held, only about 30 were put through their alphabetical bearings, and what might sound, strange, if not really alarming, not half of the 30 brilliant and erudite bobbies, came out with flying colors. More m regret than anything else is this fact mentioned, and if Dinnie himself cannot. see what- a farce the annual exams are, and/ what a goat of the he variety he appears— well, this publicity will do all that is necessary. What makes matters all the worse, the average policeman m New Zealand regards the examination as a farce, an 4 doesn't •hesitate to say what he thinks. If he did pass any scholastic test, no matter bis knowledge, book or men, he knows write well that to answer Dinnie's ridiculous questions does not tend to his advancement m the Force. The policeman knows, "Truth" knows, and the

world should know, that under the present Commissioner, the only Qualification necessary for promotion is an aptitude for pimping and crawling. If a man has • political influence at his back then all will be, plain sailing for him. It is, however, chiefly due to a man's sacrifice 'of principle, afrid even honor, by spying on his fellow-officers, by carrying tales, and by other adventitious and unmanly means of, currying favor with his superiors, can a police officer ever hope to wear the coveted stripes. It is a mean and contemptible policy that Dinnie nursues. He knows, none better, and the public are beginning to believe., how honest, painstaking men are kept under, and when Parliament next assembles, the public will probably hear more of DINNIE'S WRETCHED ADMINISTRATION. It has always been the same when an imported policeman is at the head of things, and the solution of the whcle difficulty lies m a change being made. A change for the better would be the appointment to the post of Commissioner of some New officer, whose experience, and sympathy would be with New Zealand. The unpopularity of the police is not, as frequently attributed, to a public sympathy with evil-doers. The men are effected by the system, Dinnie's system, and it is this system that the public find no favor with , and the method adopted of expressing that disregard, unfortunately visits on the policeman.