High Degree

NZ Truth, Issue 1186, 23 August 1928, Page 6

High Degree

AMONG the officers m the detective division of the CriminaMnyestlgation Branch of New Zealand, who, of late years have redoubled their en-, deavors to dispel the suggestion that the principal weapon of crime-suppres-sion shall be a strong element of "third degree" principles, is Detective-ser-geant Tom Holmes, now billeted m Wellington. ■' Holmes has acquired the reputation for sedulous fairness m his associations with criminals, proved or supposed, and if he has attained a remarkable degree of success as a detective it might well be attributed to that alone, even if personal charm were discounted. Apart from his innate ability as a police officer, Holmes has a distinct streak of likeableness running .through his character, an element of good nature, which, m co-ordination with a somewhat subtle faculty for eliciting information, has built him a structure of undoubted popularity and official success. A good fellow, Tom, and everyone's friend. ,