MR BRANNIGAN'S POLICE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 107, 26 February 1870, Page 7

MR BRANNIGAN'S POLICE.

(From the " Wellington Post.") The wonders and mysteries of that sublime institution — the demilitarized Constabulary — are only slowly beginning to dawn on our vision. The general public are perfectly unaware what a transcendent genius burst upon the colony when Mr Brannigan emerged from the obscurity of a provincial policeman, and stood forth in all. the glory of chief of the armed forces of the Colony — military and engineering skill, knowledge of the country, the native character, and their mode of warfare — all coming on him by a flash of inspiration, "We thought it not amiss when we heard of his demand that the amount of £168,000, voted for defence purposes, should be placed in a lump sum to his credit at the bank to spend as he chose ; aud when some one mentioned the auditor's possibly objecting, replying "Pooh! I'll soon sweep away the auditor;" but this is nothing ; he has actually on his sole authority, without the consent of the Government, the Legislature or any one else, or even the formula of the Gazette, issued " A Manual of Eules and Regulations for the guidance of the Armed Constabulary Force of New Zealand, " which bears the following preface : — " All orders, rules and regulations, which have been promulgated from time to time for the guidance of the Armed Constabulary Force of New Zealand prior to this date, and which are contrary to, or inconsistent with the regulations contained herein, are to be considered no longer in force." The rules themselves, though strict enough to be more appropriate to Bussian serfs than to Englishmen, are ridiculously inapplicable to a fighting foree — especially one employed in the guerilla warfare we are obliged to wage — and evidently framed on a prophetic view of starched "bobbis?," with polished bootsand white gloves, stalking through th'o streets of a town. They smell of the station house and the reformatory, the general tenor being to inculcate the doctrine that the Commissioner is a wooden idol or a golden calf, whom all must bow clown and worship. The Commissioner may dismiss any mart without a reason. The officers are enjoined to pry into, the men's private affairs, and see what debts they coutract, &». ; they are not allowed when off duty to play a game of cards ; no officer is allowed to enter a public house, except on necessary duty-— to preserve his character and respectability ! A sort of Jesuitical espionage is enjoined on sergeants over persous in their districts j- perfect neatness and cleanliness is a sifie qua non. (Howneat Whitmore's men looked after- - Ngatapa !) One rule is so remarkable that we give it in full — " 235. On no pretence shall a constable enter any public house except in the executioa of his duty. Such a breach of positive orders will not be excused. The publican himself is subject to a ssvere fine for allowing him to re- ! main in his house." Now who is this Brannigan 1 Is he King of the Colony, or what is he, that he sweeps away Acts of parliament, Orders in Council, and established laws, like cobwebs, and substitutes his sovereign commands? "Will the free colonists of New Zealand who chafe impatiently at the slightest interference with their affairs by a long-descended English Earl, submit to bo ridden rough-shod by an Inspector of Police, pitchforked into a billet to purchase political support for the G-overnment ? Or will they, with their dearly bought experience to guide them, leave their lives and property in the keeping of a man who could not take a company into action, even were the battle-field the reclaimed land? Brannigan is seeking " a greatness which will overwhelm him," and the Ministry who support him are, like Frankenstein, creating a monster which will destroy them.

The inhabitants of a village situatei within a few miles of Airdrie were considerably startled by the rumour that • a man, about fifty year 3of age, who was well known in the place, had suddenly left the village, taking with him a young girl, whose parents were also well known and much respected, and whose age is stated to be 13 years last Patrick's Day. It was soon discovered that the rumour was unhappily but too well-founded. It would appear that the man in question had been smitten with the charms of the girl, young as she was, and he came about the house courting her. Her parents, however, very naturally, considering the extreme youth of their daughter, objected to his continuing his attentions, and the wo aid-be Benedict was forbidden the house. The visits were thereafter discontinued, but the loving pair would seem to have had opportunities for "holding sweet converse," for the next thing the unhappy parents discovered was that their daughter was non est, and the man had also left the village. After some days absence, during which all attempts to find their whereabouts proved in vain, the illsorted couple returned to the village man and wife, having had the nuptial knot legally tied during their absence. Seeing that they could not mend matters, we understand the parents have made a virtue of necessity, and become reconciled to their precipitate, though by no means youthful, son-in-law ; but, as was to be expected, the affair has caused considerable scandal in the place,—" North British MjjaL"