THE POLICE COMMISSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 158, 29 July 1909, Page 2

THE POLICE COMMISSION

THE OHIUSTCHURCH SITi'INtiS. by Tclegrapli.—Press Association. Christchurcii, Wednesday. At the Police Commission to-day evidence was mostly given by constables dealing with mutters affecting the sc vice, pay, accommodation, promotion, the physique of men, the standard of living and the general intelligence, etc., of the men. One man said the physique and the intelligence of the force were deteriorating, but ho could not say the moral standard was lower. Another said the reasons for the deterioration were because the conditions inf life were not attractive. Tile 'younger men hardly had | the same energy as in former years, but the discipline if anything had'improved I and good conduct was well intiintai-icu. Witness liad susnectod undue politici influence in some cases but had Mover been able to get anything definite, lie knew of mi general dissatisfaction except with pay. improvements in the administration of police all'airs ha I taken place since .Mr. Diiime look charge. He did not believe Mr. Dinnic had a private scout in each d,sir;;t. Witness favoured six months' prolntionury periods. SOMK NTHAKIIIT TALKING.

r.-i' ri C'liristchurcli, Last Night, as The Police Commission resumed to lie tlay. Sergeant Edward Jlackav, o k. Kangiorn, said that lie was enrolled it ,„ jhu and promoted fo sergeant in IBD4 Li, He considered that the pay was nof ill sullii'ient to enable sergeants to keen t- up the ,4amla'd of living that thev -,1 were supposed to keep up. The .position ,g of ii sergeant in cliarge of a country sta ton was n„t much better than that »f he „„,„ „i, the heat, as the former find to dp longer hours and was liable ".' ,'»' '■••""' J. ""I at all times of the .eight. He did not think that the same | ciass ot men physically „r intellectually were coming into the force now He could not say that the moral standard was lower, lie Vomplained in regard to promotion. || lilt „ n]ivu j, miol . (o hjm had been put over his head. Patrick .lames Filzgornhi constable t »t Lyttelton, said that he'joined'the e force m law ,1,. thought that the .1 giantiug ot the franchise was directly r against the interests of the polk'"a, a s My of men. influence was • ""I 1 /" 11 "*'"' l"W".v. If it steppe, , . there were other in/lncnecs which wore i more pernicious. He would have to reL en honest .MasO;, woubl admit that lie ' was a number „f men admitted to ho outskirts of Masonry who were exploiting it for all they were worth ■there was more dissatisfaction j„ the I'O.Hee loreo „ow ~,,„„ Qrn J.J' )"".ed. He complained that promotions e.e made,„ some cases without regard ,en!onfv or |, ~,'ss. H,, condemned he special examination instituted by Cnmnmsioner nmnic. Out n f 21] „ro...oHms made recently, only six or eight nan passed fin. examination. The examination was spoken about as hoimr j„ stituted to block certain men " Tie 'witness) VIU looked upon as a ",lan--icrous • ~„„,. aiul was n "marked" man in the district. He objected to the ei" 1 nilar issued by the Police Commissioner setting out that application!) for situations outside the police service were not to be made without the sanction of , Hi" Commissioner. K Wi , s ue m>ri ,]|,. '■ said that the reason of the circular was that a constable came into competition ? with the nresent Commissioner's son for an outside situation. The Coimnirtion will sit again to-1 morrow, I