POLICE FORCE RECRUITING

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27796, 22 October 1955, Page 12

POLICE FORCE RECRUITING

500 INQUIRIES IN FORTNIGHT

MR HOLLAND PLEASED WITH RESULTS

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 21. With more than 500 inquiries in the fortnight since the drive was launched,, the success of the current police recruiting campaign had far exceded expectations, said the Prime Minister and Minister of Police (Mr Holland) today. “It is already obvious that the new facilities we are providing, particularly at the National Police School at Trentham, will be fully stretched by the largest influx of recruits the force has ever had,” Mr Holland said. “Every man or woman who meets the standards of the force will be welcome, for we must have more staff if we are to carry out the undertaking we have given to introduce further improvements in police conditions.” Mr Holland said that preliminary figures given to him showed that the largest number of applications wks in the Christchurch district (85). Other district totals were: Auckland, 83; Nelson, 50; Hamilton, 46; Wellington, 38; Dunedin, 30; Wanganui, 29; Palmerston 'North, 21; Napier, 20; New Plymouth and Invercargill, 14 each; Whangarei, 10; Gisborne, 8; and Greymouth, 6.

Inquiries into the background and general suitability of applicants and medical examinations were now being carried out, said Mr Holland. Police authorities had expressed satisfaction with the general standard of recruits offering, and so far it had been necessary to reject only 67 of the applicants on the ground of inadequate height or for medical reasons. There were 60 applications from women to become members of the force, and this was particularly gratifying because of the desire to build up this section of ooli.ee work, Mr Holland said.

Inquiries were well advanced in the cases of 148 applicants who could be regarded as having every chance of being soon accepted by the force, Mr Holland said. Apart from tae present special campaign, there were 30 recruits at present undergoing training at the Lyttelton training depot, and a further class of 30 awaiting the opportunity to enter the depot. Mr Holland congratulated the Police Department on the success of the recruiting drive. “It now looks as if we shall have the manpower we require to improve police ..services to the public, and further to improve conditions within the force itself,” he said.