THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7828, 22 June 1909, Page 4

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Per Press Association. i WELLINGTON, Julie 61. ; .During the time that Mr H. W. Bishop, SvM, s is,engaged in the work of the Police Commission, his magisterial dutiea at Christchureh will be carried out by District Judge Haselden. The terms of the Commission have not yet been decided upon,., but it is understood that they will 'afford the Commissioner every facility for making .the enquiry as full and comprehensive as possible. It seems likely that the enquiry will be open to the! Press, and be officially rep.ort&d, . There is one phase 'or the subject which will probably receive a good deal of attention during the enquiry, and thai is :the principle, of staffing followed in connection with the Commissioners office. The present system is that th.c. staff consists of men holding the rtfnk> v or sub-inspector, chief detective, alid: so>on down the scale. Some members: of ;the f police force engaged on what may. be; called the more V active >york of the foi'^e', "and specially the "street" and detective work,, urge that iiien engaged in a purely clerical capacity under the Commissioner should rank in the Civil Service,, not as~'inembers of the force, but as Civil Servants. The force-, they argue, consists of a certain :humber of men of each- class,; from inspectors downwards, but if some of any par.ticiilar.rftuk are engaged on purely office'work, that must necessarily throw more work on ; to the shoulders of the men who are. engaged /in the actual ■' law. and order.*' portion of .ihe business. It,is urged that by stich\a system; Unnecessary and sometimes uripleasa-nt questions of seniority arise 'which cptildcbe avoided if rank was not a consideration 1-'-in regard to the head office'staff. ..-.-.