POLICEMEN AND THE WAR

TABLET UNVEILED AT THE POLICE STATION. There was a largo muster of police officers at the Central Police Station yesterday afternoon, tho occasion being the unveiling of a handsomo tablet, which has been placed in tho vestibule of the station to perpetuato the memory of those members of the force who answered the oall for servico in the great war. Addressing thoso assembled, which included tho wives of many of the police otneers, Superintendent M'Grath said they had met for the purpose of unveiling a memorial tablet erected by the Otago Police Force in honour of their gallant comrades who fought for freedom in tho great war. It was fitting that they should honour them, and not allow their names to bo soon forgotten. No monument was necessary in order to keep their memory green in the minds of thoso now living. In futuro years the tablet ho was about to unveil would servo to remind those who camo after that in tho day of danger the Police Force did. its duty, and the names on that roll'"would long be remembered with pride. There were 47 names, and of that number three had' made the supreme sacrifice in defence of civilisation. For men who died thus there rhould be "no sadness of farewell," because for them death was surely an entrance to a higher, -grander, and happier life. They could all understand the sorrow of the parents and relatives of the young men who fell in battle, and they sincerely sympathised with them; but even their grief would bo made lighter by the memory that their dear ones died nobly in a great cause. It was a glorious death to die for liberty, and the man who was not willing to risk his lifo for *the liberty of his country was not only a coward, but a slave in- his heart. Thank God, they had no such men in the Police Force. He was proud to bo able to say that every fit man in the service would have gone to the front as willingly as the men they were honouring that dr,y, but, as everyone knew, the Government would _ not lst them go. Early in the war the Minister in charge of the department stated that the police could not be spared from the dominion, where they were always at war fighting the enemies of society in order that law-abiding citizens might live in peace. He would like to say that the casualties among the police were by no means as few as many people thought. The police were accustomed to danger and discipline, so that when the war broke out they were ready and willing to take the field as soldiers, and thousands of policemen _ from all over the Empire served in the British army during the war. It should also be remembered that the men who were kept back did valuable work in connection with military matters. He the men on being the first division to raise a monument to the members of the force who were killed in the war, and ho trusted that their good example would bo followed by other dis tricts. He regretted very much that the Commissioner of Police (Mr o'Donovan) was not with them that day. He knew that it would have given Mr O'Donovan much pleasure to come down to unveil the memorial, but, finding it impossible to come, he had requested the speaker to represent him at tho function. Superintendent M'Grath then unveiled the tablet.

Senior Sergeant Murray said that the opinion generally entertained among the police was that those who answered the call should not be deprived of their superannuation, and that those who rejoined should bo reinstated in their former status. It would h<> a gracious act on the part of the Government if it paid the superannuation dues during the men's absenco. The speaker said that of the three men who had made the sacrifice—Constables Butler, Eokford, and Cavan—he" was only personally acquainted with Constable Patrick Butler. He thought' he was much too modest' a man to undertake police duties when he first .joined, but on the battlefield he proved himself a soldier and a man. Sergeant Thomson said he was. personally acquainted with all three of the fallen men. He proceeded to eulogiso them; and concluded by expressing the hope that peace would rest with their ashes and eternal bliss with their brave spirits. ( _ Constable M'Culloch t.aid he had been requested bv the. meiubers of the force to ask Superintendent M'Grath to take charge of the tablet on behalf of the subscribers. Superintendent M'Grath said he would have much pleasure in complving with Constable M'Cullocli's request. With regard to the question of superannuation mentioned by Senior. Sergeant Murray, the Government had the matter in hand, and he had no doubt that it would bo satisfactorily adjusted.