Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1895. "SUCH JOLLY DOGS ARE WE."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5130, 14 September 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1895. "SUCH JOLLY DOGS ARE WE."

The Wellington Erenimj Pnsl, in a recent issue, published tho following inspired eulogy on the Masterton police, It will bp read with a smile 1 by those who are now enjoying the perusal of the comedy in the S.M. Court, which is reported in another column " Veritas Odium Parit" (Masterton), - Tho unfair, criticisms to which you olludo havo not appeared in our columns, and we ; cannot, therefore, publish a reply to tliem, The Masterton police, we hove every reason ; to believe, deserve the good opinion you express of tliem, and if they have beon unfairly and maliciously attacked as you say, public opinion will no doubt resent tho attack, and oause it t J recoil on tho assailants. The public in the case to which we refer, get ut peep behind the scones, and are surprised to learn that after all a policeman's life is a happy one and that ho is, even in tlio performance of his duty, cheered by exhilarating influences. The assertion of , the Sergeant that lie would not, for ' a ten pound noto, enter the Club Hotel without a witness with b|m lest it should be said he went for a 1 drink, was perhaps the richest joke of tho piece. Every well informed \ person in Masterton knows that the ' Sergeant quenches his thirst at certain bouses, and if anyone said that , he had taken a glass at the Club Hotel hewould not be believed. His I habits are well-known, and no one is likely tof al 1 into the error of supposing that lie patronises houses which are , not in his good grace, But the idea l of hit taking a witness round the ■ public houses to testify to his. own ' virtue is a little strained when we remenjbor that on Saturday j evening' last lie was at a house • in this town with his witness, and it is beyond dispute not only that he piirtook of alcoholic refresh- . ments himself but his witness also imbibed. Jtfoji, we dp think that

the public will be a little prone t< lose confidence in a witness to vir taous abstinence, who sits dowi beside his principal and joins him ii what was no doubt an innocen regulation booze. There is a rumou ili.it on this particular occasion eacl ifficer absorbed " four long beers.' fiTe have, bowevor, some doubt oi his point,and would bo f»lad of rnor .ccurate information o from the Mas erton correspondent of tho Bvenim ''est, who is in a position to suppl; t, as we aro told that he paid fo orae of the liquor. Besides wliicl re fail to see why such a quantit; f "tipple" was necessary. It ii roe that either on Saturday nigh ■r early ou Sunday morning tin Jueon-street burglar is supposed b ie about on business, and a certaii -mount of stimulant may be neces ary as an equipment for his recep ion, This burglar is said to b mull, but he may be ferocious, am t is possible that four long beers pe iiuh are nono too much if be is b aptiired, Howeyer, on this poin ve will defer to the opinion of th 3ditor of the Ureiwig Post, anyhow m these burglar nights our polic tppear to have a good tiino, and t ie extremoly jollyi But this goin| o one house for liquorand to anothe or" blood, Iago,blood" has asligli endency to impair public con idence in their administrator ii Masterton it may bo said tlia 'one publican may steal a liorsc ind another may not look over i ledge," and this system must ulti nately break do\* n. We congratu alo tho S.M. who beard the ease vitli so much patience that ho liai lot to discriminate between tho ban .nd soft swearing, the high and lo\ wearing, and the skew and cros wearing that was so obviously i: videnco, His Worship's judgmen his as luminous us the transforms ion scene in a pantonine. Th irosecuting constable had startei vitli an illegal demand and simp! lad 110 locus standi. This was ; errible snub for the police, but i uch a case had occurred a few year go, when Mr Wardellwas Residen ilagistrate,. their fate would hayi leen far worse. In those days Resi lent Magistrates were allowed t( :eep the police a little in order, am ilr Wardfill always put them ii heir place and kept them there Ve have heard him say to a contable, "if a house is apparently uiet and orderly, it is not yom msincss to go prying about it and nterforing with it, leave it alone!" 'ho police in those days did not neddlo with licensed houses in the ay they do now, but tho Resident lagistato himself as Chairman of he Licensing Committee kept them ii order. The police then were the ervants of the public, now they are ts masters.