A CANDID DETECTIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 145, 16 July 1909, Page 3

A CANDID DETECTIVE.

SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST TEE COMMISSIONER. ll A SYSTEM MAKING FOR INEFFICIENCY. \ tomce COIIfIiISSIOX ,PROCEEDJ 3 i*y Telegraph.— Press Association. f At- i.-u • J)uaedin J L «st Night. m-L Police Commission to-ila y 3 ■ thief-Detective Herbert said he ihoiwiil tiie Victorian system might be adopted , Failing for a detective-constable, do. - tective-sergeant, and so on. Mr.' MeF < -: 0^ 111 ' lild reused to recognise the ■right of a detective to higher promotion • unless lie reverted to the lower grade | with lower pay. The present Minister departed from that rule, and promoted Uuef-Detectivo McGrath to sub-in&peet- • or. A junior man to McGrath and him- » sen was appointed sub-inspector over ■ their heads, and was now senior to McGrata. He now suffered an injustice by • itfeing junior to a man who should 1) (> .junior to him. Witness referred to the D.1.0. scandal hero in IM3. in order to <»ia\v a comparison of tlio Commissioners treatment of those concerned with bunging the ease to a conclusion, and those concerned in the I'apakaio case after its conclusion. If they were entitled to be complimented, he was entitled to receive tiro same treatment, in connection with the ipolice scandal, v. lion Commissioner Dinuie arrived, he said the arrest of the third man who was convicted and punished subsequently was a (blunder, and that he should pot have l.een arrested. The Commissioner s intention was the reverse ot' witness', as was the Inspector's intention as: to how the men should be dealt with. Witness, and the Inspector felt the only safe course, for themselves particularly, was to lay the cases in their fullest seriousness before the pub* lie. On the other hand, the Commissioners intention—perhaps' the Commissioner did not understand the gravity of the position—wag to minimise the cases as much as possible for the general credit of the force. In the Papakaio case the detective in> charge of it was called on to give the history or a summary of the case, and the Commissioner noted the work of the two detectives in Hattering terms. After the man was acquitted on the murder charge, Detective Hunt Jiad to maike enquiries nere a>l>out a revolver which the man wag supposed to have purchased. The Commissioner was. not-satisfied that the enquiries were properly made, because he promised ,he would deal with us for neglect in the way we conducted business down here," hut he had not dealt with them. The fact that the Papakaio case was not entrusted to the Dunedin detectivei? showed that in the Commissioners opinion Dunedin was under a ban.

Witness criticised the action of the Commissioner in regard to the transfer of detectives, and contended that the frequent changes impaired efficiency and cost a* enormous amount of money. it lies s described the finger-;print department as one of the Commissioner's hobbies, and said.the success of that department was more important to the Commissioner than the success of the detective department, as far as Dunedin was concerned, at any rate. Witness went on to say that a successful Commissioner must have influence over his men; that he must have then* respect and must be incapable of dealing unfairly with any man, however little that man might destervc sympathy, and he knew of 71a man in New Zealand who possessed those qualifications in a higher degree than Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop: "Do you know the emoluments of my office and emoluments of ih'e Commissioner's office? Would it

be promotion for me?" Witness: I think the country will discover before the Commission is' over fiat it would be worth while to give no consideration to emoluments and that the running of the police force by some one who understood it as you do would l)e a great saving. He trusted .Mr. Bishop would «e - e his way to review the past promotions to the extent of placing men who. without sufficient ground, had .been promoted over their seniors. Several sergeants gave evidence, the [ main contention being that increase in [ pay would induce a good class of men to join the force.