THE OTAGO POLICE FORCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 206, 16 March 1877, Page 11

THE OTAGO POLICE FORCE.

The high-handed manner in which the Abolition movement was carried out seems about to be extended. The Otago Police Force is now about to vanish from the scene, and under circumstances that will entail peculiar hardships on a most deserving body of men. Amalgamation is the order of the day, and the Armed Constabulary and the other Police are to become one ; but as yet there are no symptoms manifest of steps being inaugurated for preventing the members of the Force in Otago from losing seriously bj the change. The only alternative proposed to the men *by which they may avoid reduction from a senior to a junior force is that they may, should they so desire it, retire by the 13th of Juns next, which day has been chosen for swearing them in. But, as by doing so, they would lose their title to compensation, to expect that they should regard such a permission as anything more than a vain pretence and mockery is ridiculous in the extreme.

It is to be hoped that the matter may receive some further consideration, so that it may be made clear to the parties concerned, that their interests will not suffer under the altered regulations. Justice strictly requires that such should be done ; for Governments have no more right than individuals recklessly to violate agreements, and they cannot do so without suffering consequences that will affect the well-being of the community in general. The Police Force, upon whose efficiency so much depends, especially is not to be trifled with, nor subjected to a just grievance without expectation of the worst results, for it is unreasonable to suppose that thoroughly good work may be hoped for from men who find themselves unexpectedly placed in a worse position, both as regards prospects of promotion and compensation, than that which they have hitherto occupied ; and in which, far from having done anything to forfeit consideration, they have given the best proofs of their merit. We trust, therefore, that no wrongheadedness on the part of the Government, nor blundering of Colonel Mottle's inexperience, will effect the di-persion or demoralization of a body which is rather deserving of advancement than hindrance, and amongst whom it is 'most inexpedient that rational discontent should be voluntarily introduced.