"SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FORCE."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 153, 24 July 1909, Page 2

"SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FORCE."

XkMAIISSIONEIi SPEAKS HIS AIiND. THE WELLINGTON POLICJS DENOUNCED. By Telegfaph.—Press Association, Unistchurch, Lust Night. A parade oi tile city and suburuaii lolice was held at We ponce station .his afternoon ior inspection by Air. H. V. Bishop, wlio is conducting die com-1 iii<ssiun ot inquiry. Air. Bishop referred to flie reasons for lolding the commission, and said it was lot entirely lor the purpose ol uinug ;rievanccs. That lie did not encourage, inlessitwas a grievance thoroughly cog:ate to the enquiry. He invited every man viio could honestly and bona-llde give ividenuc which would assist /inn, to come orward freely and without reserve and ;ive that evidence on oath. As to the irocedurc he would adopt, lie intended o call every inspector, every sub-inspec-;or, and every station sergeant, iind, is far us possible, every sergeant in the orce, and compel them to give evidence, le would not compel any constable to oine forward, but would leave tlieei lerfectly free agents, unless he had reaon to believe that they could say someKing which should be said before the Joniuiission. He regarded this as a'l deal and exceptional opportunity 10 raiue a report which would benefit the orce, if he had material on which to rork. Air. Bishop then went on to reer to the meeting of the police which vas held _ recently in Wellington, at vhich the police commissioner was disussed and certain resolutions passed, le thought it probable that the resoluions passed were based on a mis&pprclension or a misconception of what had nken place. There was nothing whatver which had taken place which offered ,ny justification or excuse for what was ontained in the resolutions. He was tot going to say that every man who cent to the meeting was responsible or what he (Air. Bishop) regarded -as ■he most serious breach of diseiplhe fhich had ever taken place in New Zeannd. They would probably find, if they ;o,t to bedrock, that one or two men uaneeuvred the whole thing, and drag;ed others in. In the eyes of the Govmnient, the public, and himself, this ,ct of the police showed that if there fas a single act on the part of any nemher of the police which, pointed uorc than any other to the fact that he police failed to realise their duty at least in Wellington) it was the eating of that meeting and the framing of hose resolutions. He was not going o apologise for anything he had done n connection with the commission. With cgard to the reference to the former ommission, of which he was a memier, it had been stated that the report if the commission liad, unfortunately, o be framed to a great extent on'newslaper references which contained very ull statements. Tile reason for that vas that the reporter who was engaged ly the commission to assist the comnission was not quite up to the mark if a modern Hansard reporter, and tip vork got ahead of him. It was absurd o say that two men like Mr. Poynton md himself should have lost count of .nything in connection with the evidence hat in any way would prejudice the ■nine of the report. He had no hesitaion in saying that the action of the ommission at that time resulted in 'ery materially improving the position if affairs in the force. Not only that, mt it strengthened the hands of the oiiMiiissioner in. getting authority to ncrease the number of officers and to lecure the efficiency of the force, lie ■eg.tnled tho reference by members of ;he force in Wellington as simply an let of impertinence, and one made withlut any regard to the true facts of die case. The action of the Wellington men had been accepted as proof that there was something wrong in the force, and, in his opinion, they had shown their ignorance and displayed absolute disloyalty |to other members, of the force.