THE POLICE FORCE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14660, 8 May 1913, Page 4

THE POLICE FORCE.

THE MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

REPLY BY MR ROSSER

(special to "the miess.")

AUCKLAND, May 7.

The concessions to tho police force, which tho Hon. A. L. Herdman referred to in an interview in Wellington yesterday, do not appeal to any considerable extent to some of the, men. . A member of tho Police Association re- ! marked to-day that the concessions stated by the Minister to have been granted to tho force were appreciated quite at their full value—but the ; rankers of the service, what had they I been given? "Tho Government has given an increase in pay to the higher officers of tho service; they have- given us four superintendents that cost the country £2000 a year; they have given us now and harassing regulations; they have given us a more comfortable uniform for which we havo to pay more out of our own pockets to get inado up. Also tho Minister, ten months ago, gave 113 a promise that the uniforms would bo irec, but since then we i havo heard nothing of that." Tho speaker said this was the view of tho ranker in the force as to the concessions mentioned by tho Minister, and tho ranker quite failed to see where ho came within tho scope of tb.6 concessions. !Mr Itossef, the 'Labour agitator," to whom Mr Herdman referred, who has taken over the secretaryship of tho now Association, says that he has not been an agitator .among the men. Tho seeds of discontent were sown long since, and this was the reaping. It was clear that the Police Asj sociation was purely one for defence, i and was not in any way a body that .would bo concerned in industrial turmoil. It was recognised that the polico stood for law and order. All j labour officials appreciated that clearly, I and, personally, he would not lend himi self tto a movement antagonistic to such a principle. In NW South Wales there was a Police Association that was recognised by the Government, and was on the same basis as any similar Association of post and telegraph men, or of railway men. The men did j not romplain so much of the regulations as of the administration and the Commis- ; sioner had recognised the force of their contention by remedying grievances. It was true that there had been an meroaso in the expenditure on the force, but that benefit had not come tp the rank and file. Four new posit«ons at good salaries had been created, out these had .naturally gone to the j higher officers.