NEW PLYMOUTH.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3753, 7 January 1881, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH.

Wednesday.

Letters are appearing in the local papers here, calling attention to the present working of the Constabulary force. A letter in the Herald this evening seys; —First, I object to the number of servants the officers monopolise at the public expense. The majority of them have town and camp servants, and some of the men, I believe, rank above an ordinary constable, which, of course, entitles them to more. pay. Second, you will find that one doctor will be sufficient for the number of.men they have, and, sir, I think it a sliarae that we should have to pay a postillion at the rate of 6s or 7s a day to accompany a doctor while going his rounds on private practice. Thirdly, they will find that even sergeants are allowed servants. In my daily walk for the past ten months I have noticed on an average two constables working at a sergeant's residence. There is also another sergeant in charge of Marsland Hill, who, it is supposed, has another servant. Fourthly, sir, the Constabulary pay is 5s lOd per day for a third class constable, and lOd a day extra for road work: They are also allowed 6s a day travelling expenses. If a member of the force only leaves his station for a day on duty his pay is at once more than doubled. Sir, if the Constabulary was totalled up to-morrow, they would find that more than one-half our army are composed of officers, sergeants, second class and first class constables, and flunkeys. '