New Task For Police Head

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30892, 27 October 1965, Page 3

New Task For Police Head

(N.Z. Press Association) i WELLINGTON, October 26. The unusual situation of the Commissioner of Police (Mr C. L. Spencer) having been named as the official opponent of claims made by members of his own department to the new police staff tribunal was explained by the Minister of Police (Mr Allen) today. The Minister, opening the annual conference of the NewZealand Police Association, said: “I have thought it wise to bring this matter forward now so that we will all realise in the future how it isj

that the Commissioner of: Police came to be in what ap ] pears to be a rather awkward situation. “It is a position he would j not have sought himself if there had been any other acceptable person available,” ;

the Minister said. The setting up of the tri-i 1 buna) is provided for by the I Police Amendment Act. 1965.!' Until now, the question of ' police salaries and conditions; 1 has been one for the Govern] ment to decide. , H The Minister said the p parties to the proceedings be- • fore the tribunal—to be pre-' 1 sided over by a judicial per-, 1 son —would be the Police As- j sociation. the Police Guild, or both, and the Government. ’ s Agreement Reached “Considerable thought was 1 given to the naming of the I * person to represent the em-|t ployer's side as a party to < proceedings,” the Minister p

[ said. “In the end. with the ] full agreement of the association and the guild, it was decided that the CommisIsioner of Police should be named. “It is rather unusual in the case of relatively small organ- ] isations, such as the police. , for the head of the depart- | ment to be the official opponient of claims made for inI creased pay or for more favourable conditions of se’rvice. I “In the case of the other: ismaller departments, such as] the Labour Department, the; Justice Department, and the [lnternal Affairs Department.] ■ the departmental head is not a party to such proceedings. The function is performed by I the State Services Coramis-! sion. i “This places the depart-] mental head in a distinctly, better position than if he has' to be the official opponent of! claims made by members of his departments. |

“In this respect, then, the Commissioner of Police will ; not be in as favourable a position as the permanent heads • of other small departments," the Minister said. Case for Employer "He would probably prefer not to oppose claims made by members of the police. But, as it is, the commissioner will have to fulfil this role and. in liaison with the Treasury 7, put before the tribunal ithe case for the employer—iin other words the case for Ithe Government.” ; The president of the association (Detective Sergeant R. L. Butler, of Wellington) in his presidential address said: I "No-one can yet say what the 'future holds in store, but if a tribunal can function to the satisfaction of the Govem- ' ment and the members of the I police service, it will be conI sidered a notable contribution for the upbuilding of morale jand efficiency.”