The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, NOV. 10, 1887.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2393, 10 November 1887, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY , NOV. 10, 1887.

Ivuul and exact justice to ail men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religions or political.

Lakok as the proposed reductions in the cost of administration of the services of the colony appear to he in Major Atkinson’s Financial Statement, there an; evidences that the full measure of the retrenchment required by the alarming circumstances of the country has not been mastered by the Ministry, it is not only an actual curtailment of the enormous expenditure which has been permitted to overgrow, and which is wholly out of proportion to the conditions and population of New Zealand, that is expected, but also that the entire system of the public service should he remodelled on more economical lines. Drastic retrenchment alone will not satisfy the “roar” from the people. Economy, which is a distinct and didvrent measure, must also ho practised in every practicable direction. Merely cutting down salaries or such other maimer of eliecting retrenchments iu order to gratify the constituencies, without altering the extravagant system in vogue, will leave the channel clear tor a return tit a future time when the colony begins to recover its prosperity to the expensive methods temporarily made vacant. On the other hand by adopting a course based on sound economical principles, by which the business of the country can be carried on with sullicicnt ellicicncy without such an excess of olllcialism, the people would soon become accustomed to a system less pretentious perhaps, but more in accoidunce with the country's means ; that is to say, we should ohsetvo the old adage, to cut our coat according to the cloth,

\s an instance in |n in:, wc will refer to the Police D. pa tiiieut, ot will, hj we have ui imr liand a supplement,icy ivpm't presented to (lie A: .■ein'oly, which is a weak and Unsatisfactory document. The Commissioner flatters himself that good results will accrue from his personal tour of inspection through the colony, inasmuch us lie consider-' that lie will be able to ileal with alfairs in a iimhii.t n.oiv cco iO.ir.c 1 and .satisfactory to the Government. llis notions of economy, howvve. takes the shape of proposing a reduction in the numoer of noncommissioned odlcvi's to 5 i sergeants in place of till, the present .strength of that grade ; and these reductions, he says, can be etl'ected in a rt.'i/ few year .v by the retirement of the ollieers by superannuation He then recommends the immediate erection of a number of new stations, to be Guilt in brick, and the repairs of many others, together with the purchase of accommodation paddocks for troop horses. All this, instead of economy, means committing the colony to very heavy additional expense, for, on Major Gudgeons own showing, the new stations he asks for will cost as much as Tl’o,ooo.

Tin; conviction is forced upon us that we have 1111 altogether too expensive police force, mid that :nnpic room exists in licit system for very "rent economy, liy which it can he reduced to n degree more in unison with the sumnnuling.s of colonial life. The uumher of men of nil ranks in the police service appears from the return to lie •111 I .'. Many of these men are station i in country (list ricts, where ' lew have literally nothing to do. Travelling through the colony from North to .South, this fact is patent to the observer ; and moreover it must lie not only most irksome to the men themselves to he compelled to idle away tin; 1 1.Ml part of their lives, but is an unnecessary drain on the public revenue, for no purpose. We arc .such a peaceful, law-abiding people, and generally so free of crime that (lie maintenance of police constables in most, if not all of the country distrietsarc acts of supererogation, ipiite needless. The average cost of each constable, including pay, allowances, li rses and expenses of buildings cannot he luulcr THOU per annum.

I’.v -■>!t<-l i11(In- sv<(cin ii> a ninic -i:il|i! ’.VC proles! thill twelve tli i' i -till Hl’ litleell I leillSillul 11.1.ui 1 is ..mill he saved to the I--I >: iv, ainl wo jii’opose to do so ill T';i ■ way : in plaee of statioiiiuy men on full jniy ami with otlier ex|)eiiM ‘S a< ai pre.-eiil in tlio eonnliy ili.'ti’ieis, a system of rural jioli.v -.iionM lie in' rodniaai somewlial similar to the i.Ti'-s estalilished m England. .Some loeal nrm, Mieh as !.ie viiiae-" tailor or lilaeksmith, ■a- other resident of yooil eliaraeler, fould ho appointed a special runaalile for the district with pay at the rate of C 1 a or C'-!H par aiiiinm lie would, hj" provided with a hadye of otiii-., wlih-li he would show wiien any eirciiiiislances arose in which his services miylit ho repaired to represent, the majesty ol the law; and wo arc quite satisfied that, he would he as much respected and would fulfill all the requirements nceissaiy to preserve peace and order in his district, as well as any drilled man in full uniform, full pay, with ({overninent quarter s for himself and family can do now. In the event of any serious disturbance takiipe place against the peace or any capital crime being committed, the ramilications of the telegraph and rail ways are so complete that communication could be made at once with the sergeantinspector whose head quarters could bo in some central part of the whole country comprising these rural districts, who would lie on the spot himself or procure such aid from the regular police as he might think necessary. By adopting a scheme of this sort, not only would we seen re economy and retrenchment but also relieve a fine class of men from enforced idleness, whose energies and

• ; ipaLilities could bo set free to follow up other pursuits more suitable for them, and more profitable to the colony.