Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1895. POLICE SCANDALS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5211, 21 December 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1895. POLICE SCANDALS.

Pomck scandals are unlikely to die out in Masterton, and it is not difficult to assign a direct cause for this. On two occasions tho conduct or the misconduct of tho Masterton police has been, dragged before the House of Representatives, and Mr Hogg, M.H.R., strained his political influence to tho very utmost to save the police at tho expense of the public, In vain have the more respectable householders of the town memorialised tho Commissioner as to tho incapacity of his staff here, It is true that the Commissioner came in person to Masterton, and made certain enquiries which satisfied him that, with respect to the liquor traffic, the police occupied an equivocal position, It is true that the Commissioner promised, before leaving Mastorton, either a change in the staff or a public inquiry, and it is true that this pledgo has been broken. Wo do not blame the Commissioner, who is doubtless honest and well-meaning, but political influences are too strong for him. His department is shamed and disgraced by a political pressure which bnrks all enquiry, and defies all honest administration. If we were asked who is responsible for this deplorable state of things, we should be compelled to answer, Mr Hogg, JI.H.R. We had no troubles like this in tho time, of Sergeant Price, bnt Sergeant Price did not suit Mr Hogg's political platform and so lie drove liini away and brought Sergeant McArdle to Masterton in his placo, The peace, harmony, morality, and Efood government of the town are ruthlessly sacrificed by the member for Masterton for the sake of securing certain political support, The position now seems to be' thatl Sergeant McArdle rules tho Commissioner. In this arrangement the 'interests of tho publio tire nowhere,'

' Although Mr HutchiTUB police fion, S.M., hold that censured, in the case Nops v. Constable Stewart, there was flo evidence of disorderly conduct on the part of the plaintiff; he decided that Constable Stewart, on the request of Host Tucker, had a right to turn this admittedly orderly person, MrNops, out of his house. Mr Hutchison, S.M., may be right in his law, but if bo, there exists no liberty for the subject, and a splendid license for the police. Every innocent and inoffensive person in tho community can be assaulted by Constable Stewart, provided a publican tells him to do so. It is satisfactory to find that Mr Hutchison censured the police for the manner in which tliey laid thoir informations against Mr Nops, and that he unhesitatingly dismissed these preposterous charges,