MERITED PRAISE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 365, 28 October 1932, Page 4

MERITED PRAISE

High praise of the work of the police was offered by the Grand Jury at the opening of the criniinal sessions at the Supreme Court in Wellington this week. Citizens generally will approve the compliment and endorse it. It should also be recalled that the verdict of the National Expenditure Commission on the Police Department was favourable. "This department appears to be economically administered," concluded the commission in a review whose brevity was itself a compliment, "and we have no recommendation to make in regard to the vote." In 15 years the staff had increased from 980 to 1205 but I this was only a normal increase ; corresponding to the ihcrease in .population. The contrast betweeri Ithis modest record and the disproportionate expansion of some social services is arresting. The

question is whether, considering the new duties that are constantly being laid on the police,' this department has not -been prejudiced in favour of others offering more scope for politieal window-dressing. Public order and the ptotection of property are two of the primary functions bf the State. The Government should consider police efficiency an essential and give pfeference to its reasonable requirements.