THE POLICE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 138, 9 July 1909, Page 3

THE POLICE INQUIRY.

fc-r-S**' By Telegraph.—Press Association, t • Invereargill, Thursday. Ssto At the police inquiry inspector .uiicuvi-; ell expressed tile opinion tiigt the corn|k :>: petition between men aoing office duty ■ and those on uniform duty was unfair. He suggested that the clerical stall SR-vu:-. be provided with a grade of its o.vu j. distinct fiom the otlier branches. ' - Sergeant ilcKenzic deposed that tiie fc* pay was too low and pioiuotion too b* , flow. I" INVERC&RGILL SITTINGS, |..i • Invereargill, Last Xight. [V v t. ' Mr. H. W. Bishop finished taking eviij\ \ x denoe at the police enquiry here to-day, !and adjourned the cominissioa until the morning in order to give Mr. G. Laurenson, M.P., an opportunity, if he desired, : of coming from Christchureh to cross examine Constable Connell on the allegv ations made by that officer when giving : evidence on Wednesday. Mr. Lauren" •on, however, telegraphed Mr. Bishop that he will give evidence before the Commisiion in Christchureh. The Com- 1 mission will therefore sit in the morn- 1 tog, and immediately adjourn to Dune- I P din. Mr. Bishop will leave for Dunedin < • by the afternoon express and spend Sat- 1 urtay investigating police records there, t He will heat evidence on Monday. He 1 expects to be greatly assisted in the 1 enquiries by evidence to be given by 1 Mr. Arnold, M.P. Mr. Hanan, M.P. for a Invereargill, was specially invited to L give evidence here, but intimated that c he had no suggestions to offer that 1: would assist the work of the Commis- r won thig afternoon. Mr. Bishop parad- 1 ed the members of the force at the g police station afterwards and made a s thorough inspection of the station pre- u nnses. He expressed himself very pleas- ii ed with everything he saw, and was 3 favorably impressed with the bearing p and appearance of the men on parade. n " |§A ALLEGED BREACH OP THE J| MARRIAGE ACT. ,* $ CHARGE AGAINST AN INSPECTOR.

• ' Invercargill, Last Night. * Jan«s Reynolds Stuck, a retired far- ' giving evidence before the Com- ~ y mission to-day, alleged failure on the 5 & P tr ' Inspector Mitchell properly to investigate a charge made by Stuck n . ■ regard to what he . believed to be a t 'f breach of the Marriage Act. Stuck al"f leged that, against his will, his daughter ¥„.J I had been married by Dean Burke in t the Catholic Church before eight o'clock In the morning. He alleged also that * the police were all tarred with the «ame brush (Hie Catholic brush), and had sought to shield Dean Burke. » r Inspector Mitchell said that full inS 1 tpiiry had been made, and that he could not take proceedings on the evidence ' - available. Statements had been made / ; by the contracting parties and witnesses .of the marriage that the (ceremiony r had been regular. The Commissioner of '• Police also had inquired into the matter by direction of the Minister of Justice. Inspector Mitchell had advised '■ J , Stuck to see a solicitor, and he had ■ r--*.v: seen the late Crown Prosecutor, who advised that the evidence was not autfi- ' cient to sustain a charge. i< Mr. Bishop pointed out that the mat- ■ • ter was barred in any case by stafute ' limitations, and that the Commission j., • wuld only concern itself with the all , ' leged neglect of duty on the part ot 4' inspector. The matter would remain ><,,, t open until the examination of Detective '■ , Mcllveney l who was here at the time . *"d n»de inquiries at Mitchell's instrucfes, Evidence given by four sergeants in f-'r ' Southland police district disclosed genJF v > eral satisfaction with the methods of §j{ s' promotion, but a feeling that it would advantageous to increase the rate of in order' to induce a better class | iWX" of applicants for enrolment. m