"MOVE ON!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 175, 23 January 1912, Page 2

"MOVE ON!"

To the Editor. Sir, —Until I came to New Zealand, I never saw a policeman while on duty loitering on a footpath. I observed the other day in your paper that the police were moving citizens on in order that they might not .block pedestrians from passing on their way. But the intelligent constables both in this town and elsewhere not only do not keep the crowds circulating, but may at alinost any time be found earnestly conversing with little knots of young men. The constables, indeed, are just as much loiterers as the'occasional citizen they move on and may be found in every attitude" of slouch, discussing the latest football match, the last fight or the coming boatrace. This conversational loitering by constables is against the police regulations of every country known to me and should be sternly put down. A constable has no right to stop and enter into conversation with any citizen, unless in the exercise of his duty.- The constable who is hail-fellow-well-met wi,th every loiterer and spitter pn Devon street is robbed of his authority when he is called on to move these' -Joiterers. The little—p.nd large—mobs oi youngmen. who stand with their backs to hotels most of Saturday afternoon and all Saturday evening should be moved on. The constables who discuss sporting matters with these men should also be moved on. I wonder what sort of a shock a London or a Dublin police sergeant would get if he found N0.'9999 carefully propping up a telegraph post, with his hands in his pockets, talking to some boon companions wliile they prevented the pedestrians from using the sidewalk. Before you move on the people, move on the police.—l am, etc., R.I.C.