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Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 89, 15 April 1913, Page 8

I (To the Editor.) Sir, —I read with pleasure the proposal of the local police to form a. union for tlie purpose of securing fair play and full justice, a boon thai never existed' in the service. As the force is at present I constituted, the best men have a poor chance of rising to the higher ranks of the service, as the public well know. Here is a case in point: A Southern constable, 28 years old, 6ft. high, 14st. ■weight, well educated, and good tempered, applied, as is allowed under clause 01 of the New Zealand Police Regulations,' for special promotion to second class rank (prior to the abolition of Tanks). The red-ink official reply •from the Commissioner was this—think of it, my masters, after those exceptionally strong recommendations:—"lf the constable again distinguishes himself his j claims to promotion will not be lost j sight of." At this time the applicant! for promotion had' eight years' service ! put in, and two records of merit on hie good conduct sheet.and a blank defaulter sheet. Later the late Hon. K. J. Seddon ordered 40 men in the junior rank, who had a clean record for seven years, to be raised to second-class rank, which carries 'the munificent sum of 6d. per extra; and yet, you keen discerning public, would you believe this highly-recommended, constable was not included in the select '40 in God's Own Country? Feeling aggrieved, he applied again for promotion, and quoted a speech by ex-Premier Seddon, referring! to justice to the service. It was thenj and then only, after nine years' service, this constable was promoted. His next treament was to'send him to a station where the constable in charge -had thiTdclass rank (lie having been reduced from second-class sergeant to'constable) while flic man under him was a rank 'higher, and was in this position, that he need not obey an order from a junior, •but order the junior who was an charge to obey Jus ordera—a most exfcraordin,arj st»te of affairs, geatk jeader s. Afte^.

I eighteen.years' service, the constable I 'refer to, left the service,like many more, disgusted. With regard to time off for attending Court, this should certainly- be granted: How can a constable who has attended Court perhaps five days in a week, be in a fit condition to perform night duty? There is room here for immediate alteration. We boast of advanced civilisation and freedom under the good old flag. I ask you, gentle readers, is this justice? In the late ex-Inspector Brohani's time the sergeants, sub-TOsa, allowed the night duty man, who had Court to attend, to-go off duty an hour earlier; ' but when it came to the inspector's ears, i via the espionage channel, he - ordered ■it to be discontinued. As for the conI stables obtaining redress for a genuine ' grievance, I leave those in the service to answer this. —I am, etc., DEMOSTHENES.