THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 270, 5 April 1898, Page 2

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

(by telegeapii.—own correspondent). DuNKDtN, Last Night. In t giving evidence before the Police Commission at Balclutha on Saturday dfteruoou, Constable Griffiths said that he had brought 23 cases of sly-grog selling before the Balclutha Court. If the fines in the second and subsequent offences were made severe, say £IOO, as at Invercargill, it would assist to stop the traffic. In his experience the licensing laws had not been as strictly enforced as other laws because the publicans' and btewers' interests had such au influence on politics that a constable who did his duty was shifted from post to pillar. In 20 years iie had had nine shifts himself, all but one of which he attributed to political influence. The publicans of Outram had told him they would have him shifted, and shortly afterwards he was removed, At Mataura also he had been threatened by the publicans. He regarded the Balclutha Justices as sympathetic with the sly-grog sellers, aud for that reason would not go to them for search warrants, for fear of information leaking out. He suspected one Justice of the Peace of spiriting away a witness, named Hannetou, who was required to give evidence. Under "no license," Balclutha was superior to any other town of its size in the colony, as far as order and sobriety were concerned. The ruination of the police force was the political and masouic influence.