THE AUCKLAND POLICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2237, 14 January 1897, Page 10

THE AUCKLAND POLICE.

THE MiNISrEU FOB. JUSTICE ON THE ■ SOUTH CASE. _Vdce7,ant> January 6. A? tho outcome of the utvjuai/iiiable arre»fc of Mr South,- eharebroker, the ilicieToi' few Ju»tico has decided on the following punishments :— That Sergeants Gamble aud M'M&hon ha requested to send in their resignations; that Constables M' Cut thy and Qairke be dismissed the force ; that Ouohtablo Clarke be reduced to a> second-class •aotislvtrc, *nd ■ .fcrannf tared -to another dtetriav. Inspector Kiqliaon Jim been requested to give offset .to this decision at once. Sergeants Gamble and M'Mahon have ten- . dered their resignations. (Fhom Oun Own Cobresfoxdext.) AtjceukdJ January ]B. TLe Sfcnr e»vr< re'tlur eieoisjim pf the, Minister for 'Justice in the'ejjse .of palico officers -concerned in the Sooib, "" episode.;?-** We bslieve the general- feeling will be "ths-t the Minister haa erred on the -sido--of undue severity. Sergeants Gamble and* M'Mahon are officers of long servioa and unbleusiabed record. - Sergeant Gaiablt, . has been in thfc police ■ service for ovey 30 yews. The Wander he commitlet't in thf. pseaeii'i. crsi- was undoubtedly a very serious ,oue, but SH* South stated in his own evidence he wais, satisfied that the sergeant v?ao • not actuated by roaiice, bnfc rather by hastiness and error,' and there are few men who - have not in gome unguarded moment (it tbeir lives anndfc come g^ave misj take. V v v pre'.ume the Minister lias been i influenced in his decision by a tr-elitsg tb*t tbe ! error in the preseut oatc is oue which ends all chance of the two sergeants <vt er rendering similar service in the police force again, and in this view we believe he is right. They coald never hope to regain the confidence they have forfeited, and their retirement from ihe force seems the easiest ending to the difficulty. It is also necessary in order to mait.ts.in discipline ai)d efEcipnoy in aa organisation like the police force to adopt a SracouiKn code of punishment!. The blow which has fallen upon two of the moßfc experienced and trusted eergeants in the force will act as a warning to other officers. We hope, however, that, th* Minister will consider that the pecuniary lobs apd mental suffering which they have undergone is purj?hment enough, and will not seek to enrich the Treasury by withholding the allowance which their long service entitles tbem to under the regulations. The punishment meted out to Constable McCarthy i«, we think, none too severe. It was his plain duty to have taken charge of the lost child at first. That duty he deliberately neglected. The case will not be without its uieful fruits if- -it serves to bring more clearly before the mind of every constable ia the ranks that the police ara not tha wasters i'Ufc the secFnnts of tha pablfc, and that if fch^ey h&ve considerable powers they tnnsb use them with pruderies, moderation, tnd juatice. A little more onurtoay than is sometime* dis« played by officers when discharging their duties' would alßo conduce to the cultivation of a more friendly feeling on the part of the public! towards the force than now exists."

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