POLICE METHODS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10719, 12 October 1912, Page 4

POLICE METHODS.

Tlie difliculty experienced by tho police in securing convictions for «lygrogging in Xo-licensp areas is a very real one. And it is just'questionable whether fines and imprisonment have any manorial effect in minimising the- evil. It is surely not a function of tho police, however, to Induce a breach of the law with the idea of entering a prosecution. The case lieal'd in Master-ton yesterday revealed a state of affairs which is a disgrace to the police force. A young constable comes to tho town in plain clothes, enters a private lodginghouse, asks for -and obtains liquor, coin-snme.s a portion of the liquor himsolf, and then gives information which leads to a ooariction. 'iuoso method a

have been condemned over and over •again by Judges of the 'Supreme Court. They are prostituting the cause of justice by abetting crime, lliere could, be ( no objection whatever to the constable playing the part of a "pimp," or a spy, provided he had reasonable grounds to suppose that the law was being broken. But when an officer distinctly encourages -n breach of the law, participates in that oreach, and afterwards, as we are informed, receives a portion of the fine, the position becomes intolerable. We are satisfied that the Io:\t1 police were in no way responsible for 'the methods adopted by the youthful officer from Wellington. We should like to know, however, upon whose authority he Was acting, and whether the degrading and objectionable practise >'■ to He continued.