FAVOURITISM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 87, 6 January 1908, Page 9

FAVOURITISM.

Sir. —In to-day's issuo of your paper tho administration of - tlio Detcctivo force is brought undor. royjcw by your correspondent "One-of the Public," who statos that special. roward should bo given, to I)etectivc3 Al'Grath ancl .Cassells for. sterlingwork do'no in connection with .the'rccent burglary cases; Might J suggest that Commissioner Dinnio and the Minister for Justice aro possibly suffering .from' "Embarras do richossos," and, that owing. to:-, the hiph ' state. of cffioiency of the service, thoy find difficulty: in singling 'put men. for doing , their duty, We have gopd, reason; to bo proud of our : Detective Forco in Now Zealand without its morits being blazoned forth in t-ho Press, Some threo' or four years ago. a case of conspicuous bravery and indomitablo courage ,camo under general notice when Ellis, the, 1 murderer, 1 was brought to justice., [ A reign of had beon brought to an end, and the Wairarapa sat-,; ■tiers were anxious to mark. their' appreci'a- ! tion > of those services, but were informed by the Minister that the regulations would noij permit it. This brought back to our rccpl-i lection the famous -reply .from the: British Minister when he was' asked what reward wns..to bo (i'ivon to Captain Kano (now -Admiral) of the Calliopo: "It-was not necessary 1,0 :-yoward Di'itisii soam«y for doing their duty." ' 1 '• While not wishing to underrate the 1 work of Lho dotcctives. mentioned by your correspondent, I am writing this to recall to. tho public mind the various incidents in connection with.tho pursuit and arrest of-Ellis,'-which would not have been made but-for ..tlio- mfm who. carried his ,lifo in his- hand!) for.imontlis in tho- liacki. blocks and; proved, 'that the -Dotectivc forco had at' least ono irian who.could do. his duty.—l aiu, etc., ' - J. MARTIN. - | Wellington, January 3. [From what wo can loarn a Toward of £100 . was offered in tho first instance for tho : capture of Ellis, and ovontually this amount was. incroased to £400. It is stated that only about £200 of the reward offered was divided amongst those concerncd in tho capturo of Ellis, but at least some of the police officers, including Detectivo'Brobcrg, had thoir salaries advanqed." 'It was understood at tho : timo tho' reward' was' increased that £100 of, tho incroaso had been voluntarily ojYored by a gentleman who was especially, anxious that tho murdoror of Collinson should be ; captured. Up to date that part of the reward has not boon forthcoming,]