A DETECTIVE RESIGNS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3414, 19 February 1920, Page 7

A DETECTIVE RESIGNS.

AND DEMAND.\‘ EXQUIRY_ \VELLII\'GTO.\I, Momlay, .Detective M. Mason, a well-known member of the police force, has re. signed, and through his Solicitors has asked the Conmiissioner of Ponce and the Minister for Justice for an inquiry_into the alleged. causes for his resignation. EIEISOII ill10g(‘s ‘that in u rccollt. case before the Court, which he investigated, he was not satisfied of the guilt of the accused persons, yet his advice was not taken, and in the witnessa box he had to tell the ti'u'th as to his opinion on the matter. He fears this and other niatters ziffected his service, and in the ilitel‘oSfS Of justice and the public he asks £6l‘-‘ an ‘independent’ inquiry, in lieu of that provided under the Police Force Act. His resignation has been accepted. Detective Mason stated that it’ such tactics as had been resorted to in the case were allowed to be repeated in other (111505 a scandal must lll(‘\'ifa.l.)l_\' result sooner or later, and he desred not to be ir11])1l(.".1t(‘d in aiiythiiig of the. kind. He was forced to the con« clusion by what had happened in this case_ that under existing conditions in \Vellington. an of’ticel' who showed tail-n<~.<s to persons acciised was not re<,;:u'ded with faVolll‘-

Mr Mv.ls(m’s solicitors, in a letter to ihe Z\li:liS’rel' of Justice, I'efel'red to Mr Mason’s long service in the p()]i(3(»> f‘(n'ce':lnd called attenfioln to the fact :hai, the Suprexne Court judge in the trinl of the caxe had conlplimcmted Mr Mason upon thp fair nuumer in \\'hieh he had given eViden('.e. 'l.‘ho_V, ‘rhemfore, asked on Mr M'as:on's behalf for an impal't'ial and independent inqlli'l'_v before a judicial of’fi«:el' zleeus‘ronlu(l to sifting eviden_ce. Defective )lason Stat-Gs that IlaVillg tendered his I'esignaHoll, and, ‘the commissioner havill—p; accepted if, he did not feel bound by the pl'o\"ls=ion.< of .~2o(,'£il)H 16 of fhe APT.