THE ARMED CONSTABULARY.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1623, 28 April 1875, Page 2

THE ARMED CONSTABULARY.

(To the Editor of the EVENING Star.) Sir, —I have no desire to enter here into the important question, as to whether it would be more beneficial for public interests to have one strong, undivided, and efficient police force for the whole colony (subject to one central control, and with the police of each district anxious and ready at all times and seasons to co-operate heartily with those" of other districts); or whether some should be split up, as at present, into numerous small forces, acting indepsndently of each other, and acting, (more or less) without concert or co-operation. But, I beg to be permitted to correct a wildly erroneous statement, made by one of your correspondents in a letter in your Saturday's issue, signed " A Settler." He therein states that—"the officers of the Armed Constabulary Force are selected from the South, etc."; whereas I assert, in reply (and do so advisedly, and without fear of contradiction) that of the 34 officers holding commissions in the Colonial Constabulary, only four were ever connected with the South in any shape or way, viz,, Inspectors Broham and Thompson, Sub-Inspectors Bullen and Naden. • ' Tis clear to me that " A Settler " either knows nothing of the subject on which he has rushed into print; or else, trusting to the chance that no person will take the trouble to contradict him, has knowingly and with malicious motive penned a deliberate falsehood (in this instance just such as might be expected from a dismissed constable) and the, whole tenor of his note would lead to the latter conclusion. —I am, &c, A. B. [It is only right to say that our correspondent " Settler " was never in any way connected with the Constabulary, but is a large landed proprietor who should know something of the working of the Constabulary in outdistricts.—Ed. E. 8.1