THE GISBORNE POLICE.

NZ Truth, Issue 143, 14 March 1908, Page 5

THE GISBORNE POLICE.

WHOLESALE CHANGES MADE.

What About Mr. Muckdonnell ?

THE RESULT OF THE RECENT ENQUIRY.

Matters with the Gisborne Police Force have been rather rocky for some considerable time past now. and the fact that the other day SubInspector Dwyer of Christohuroh was delegated to hold a police enquiry m the district of Police Inspector McDonnell, whose headquarters is at Napier, caused more than ordinary comment. In the first place, the fafct: that Dwyer is Senior Sub-Inspector, and therefore, the first of that rank liable to promotion to the rank of Inspector,, should be. given., the 1 opportunity of reporting" and advisinf- on matters arising from what, after all, is due only to McDonnell's shockingly lax administration of his district was something that certainly caused more than ordinary comment. This police Inspector McDonnell, of Napier, is, as "Truth" recently, dubbed him, a sort of old police scamp and "Truth" knows that his name was mentioned m the recent enquiry, and it desires now to know if, m the light of SubInspector Dwyer 's recent report, and recommendations it , would not be advisable for'Muckdbnnell's position to be seriously considered by Commisrioner Dinniei Muckdonnell was deepl-* concerned m the evidence given at Gisborne. Why ? Just this, it reflected on his administration. Moreover, he ANXIOUSLY AWAITED DWYER'S RETURN to Wellington via Napier. Why? More than anything else, he wanted to personally peruse the evidence and thus see for himself how splendid his administration had been. Did he see that evidence ? Not much. He got a nasty knock on the nob by Dwver's reported refusal. How does "Truth" know this ? Well, it simply knows, and there it ends. However lax and rotten police matters m Gisborne may have been. '''Truth" charges this state of affairs to the Muckmah's almost senile supervision. Seldom is he seen m Crisborne , he exercised no influence whatever and things drifted along m a good, old go-as-you-please style. Certainly the officers into fahose conduct the enauiry was held have been punished _ but the fountain-head. McDonnell goes without one word of comment. Why ? Simply because SubInspector Dwyer funked his duty by fearing the charge that as a Sub^lnspector he adversely , reported on the best ' hated 'and most contemptible of Police-Inspectors m the Dominion who is his superior. Naturally, it would have been declared had Dwyer reported as "Truth" submits he should have done, that Dwver was influenced only by low ambition, viz... to knock McDonnell off his police perch and thereafter pave the, • way .. for his (Dwyer 's) promotion. f Subtle are the ways of the police m New Zealand. Why did Dinriie himself not hold the enquiry?' Let us anyhow get back TO THE GISBORNE TROUBLE. We find that the officer m change of Gisborne, Sergeant Williams, ha|s been transferred to Auckland, and Sergeant Hutton, of Wellington, succeeds hiift. Detective Maddtfrn, of Gisborne^ is reduced to the rank of , constable, Constable Irwin has beetti dismissed, while Constable Tait is transferred to Wellington. When m; Gisborne recently a representative •of this paper was very quickly apprised of most of the matters into which the enquiry . was being held. Against Williams, the sergeant, a charge of general laxity was preferred, and . ; 'Truth" cannot get away from the fact that more than one Gisborne tran seemed to do as he darned well pleased. Notwithstanding, it will not be denied for one moment that law and order has been vigilantly and rigorously maintained m Gisborne as local hotel-keepers and Sunday snifter-seekers know full well. Owinn- however, to the pernicious, unmanly, and cowardly system of pimping so apparently encouraged by Commissioner Dinnie, sneaks and spies have been ever keen when Williams was concerned and part of the general laxity alleged a ; sergeant whose service, of 25 years is entitled to consideration, was m that on a certaii. occasion he failed to report that his own son had attempted to commit suicide. Making every allowance for a, father's outraged feelinfes at the doings OF A SCAPEGRAOE SON, this paper wishes to record that the charge against Williams was not [founded on trustworthy evidence, bei cause it seems (that the escapade) was (due m the main to drink. Nevertheless, and notwithstanding any direct evidence of dereliction of duty, the | charge of attempted suicide was not Capable of being proven, and apart from the moral aspect of a police sergeant's duty, this paper wants to j ask any father m Jfchis Dominion, whether policemen or not, if he would [give publicity, perhaps, to the fact [that his own son had 'm a drunken freak attempted the taking of his life. That i$ one of the chief charges against Williams, who is now an. old man. He goes to Auckland, and the effect of night duty will be of course to hurry him beyond the age of usefulness. ' So far as Detective Maddern is concerned, this paper, last week told what it knevy of .the little things he was up against. His kind and fatherly interest m the barmaids, Watson and. 'DunlPp,,; gav^i local publican Burke' a chance; and the fact of Maddern'vS reduction to the ranks and his transference to Dimedin completes the tale. It must not, however, be forgotten that pimps and spies had their eyes on Maddern. It i was a case of kite smelling carrion ; they waited till they knew he was practically settled. Then they kicked him. ; I To Constable Irwin's INGLORIOUS AND IGNOMINIOUS DISMISSAL "Truth" can only say hear, hear, J and is surprised that he did not resign. He simply stayed m the force after his conviction of assault, to be | kicked out. He has been accordingly! kicked. i Constable Tait. however, is a cop-J v per who is to be transferred to Wr^

| ling ton, where, under more strict. I supervision, this sportive slop, who I isn't a bad sort, will be taught his proper duty as a copper. Tait s truly, [ heinous offence seebas to have , consisted of entering a' police horse at a race meeting. Not a seriojifi offence, this, but a breach^of 'discipline or the regulations or something. Anyhow, here m Wellingtoii . fie will not have any chances of acting the giddy ox, and, being a young fellow, "Truth" trusts he will profit by the lesson and eventually become a sergeant and live to a ripe old age and be. a paragon of every police-like virtue. From the foregoing 'it' iSP; easily seen that Gisborne bobbies have HAD A RARE OLD TIME of it. But to whom is all this general'laxity due? To none but McDonnell, the Inspector at Napier. If he had visited Gisborne frequently, and kept himself m touch with everything and everybody, it is unlikely, that things would have gone the way they have. As it is, others are made the scapegraces, while the real offender goes without a word of reproof.