THE POLICE FORGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 558, 13 July 1909, Page 5

THE POLICE FORGE.

EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COMMISSION. MR, DINNIE'S STATUS AT THE INQUIRY. ; ' STATEMENT BY MR. ARNOLD, M.P. THE QUESTION OF POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. ' . ...j i (Br Telegraph.—Press Association.)■ , . ■- ,■ Ouncdln, July 12. Tho Potico Commission opened its sittinga . hero to-day.- At the outset, Mr. Bishop said , \ ho would ask Mr. J. I'., Arnold to giva evidence /on oath. ■ prefacing,it with any, statement hp wished _to make. • ; In. tho courso of his remarks, Mr. Arnold ; said, that during .tho past week ho hod re- , . ceived scores and scores, of. anonymous. letters, oither, signed with a noni 1 do, plumo or "with no signature at all. . During his travels recently ho had como to the oonclu« sion that tho police force had not tho con-. fidence of the public, and that confidenco, lit the force was gradually becoming less; Thera v was aii under-currcnt of-; unrest among members of' the foroo. It was difficult to got members of the force to prove tins, but the public knew it. Ho himself said on oath it was so. , _• * • Commissioner Dinnio: Wo will soo how : many more say so. : • . > . Mr. Bishop requested Commissioner Dmnm s , not to interrupt. I • . i . ■ ■, ' ! i After referring to recent events, in another. .! i centrVMr. Arnold said it had been suggested' ] i that in'consequent of laxity in respect to ' j inquiries made, individuals who were not 1 .... | , properly qualified had been received Into th«' •. j I lorco. ; ■ ■ ! ' ■' ■. ' ■■ : . : ; v ' ■ ,1 i!■ Mr. Dlnn|Q's Position. ■■■■.. >.. •\ | : ' Commissioner Dinnio -jnado somo remark! . - J [ inaudible at the- reporters' table, and wasv'l '• clieckccl by, ,Mr. Bishop, whereupon Coin-.' •; ] ' missioner Dinnio rose and said':' "I don't ■ -.> any reason, for this opening/ speech at all. 1 j , Mr. Bishop: That is fori me. .1 do not ro*. 1 '• cogniso- your : status'at all oxcept in respect'; . j . to charges niade/against'yourself personally......■j It is for'mo to call Mr. Arnold to ordOr if .1 ho'travels outside (h<*'record. .. ■_ « | ■ Mr. Arnold said ho would mention th» : j i cases ho referred to in his speech >in Par. v : : hament. t , ... i f Commissioner Dinnio said ho would like ta,. ?•. hav©' names. Ho might have to refute what ■ , was said. ■ .■> , ■, • \ ■... - ...Mr. Bishop replied that no would givo, j. twenty-four hours for, stliat purpose, and if . s that wore not- sufficient ho would, allow a .. ? week, but ho did■ not know Commissioner\ :?■:; I Dinnio m this> matter, at aIL r < , ■ s Mr. Arnold said he- did not understand 0 Commissioner Dinnie was present to cross- ... t examine witnesses. If he were, to cross-,; , . - .examine, it soomed to him (Mr. Arnold) that , thfcre should be counsel on the other side... . '■'< Mr.. Bishop-said-that raised an important • ■ - question,v Clearly tho Police Department war. .;. 1 on trial. V Therefore the Minister.-, as head ot»- ■ t. tho Department, was on his trial politically, . and it seemed to him (Mr. Bishop) that ai the permanent head of the Department, must*, v::,:; necessarily have some reflections cast, upoi r 'him, it would'bo only oommon justioo that v- ■. a hoi should have the opportunity; to clear uj' ; / . . any matter as tho inquiry went on, by put- ' ting, questions from, material -in; his possession. He ■ would require tovhavo .somothing stronger than\ was before him>iust then ,to , dony Commissioner,Dinnie tho. right to,pul.. proper questions, . '■i,-- .-■'■■■ ' -. :• "■ . Commissioner, Dinnio: It is a question whether I should not ask for a solicitor to . represent me.' ;. • . '. '; • ■ . Mr. Bishop said- that the Minister, asked.i; ~ l s him if ho thought it would b« necessary to - ,i \ have tho Crown represented by counsel, and; . i II ho (Mr. Bishop) said he did not think-no.! n Ho thouglit ho could do it himself. . & ■ - v ■.. ■ . ■ ■. . s ," .v . f Inqulrlcs as to Gharactar. , [' ' Mr.- Arnold stated that it had- been-. Baif j) that mon had been received into-the'fore* n without duo inquiry into their character.\ , , j. would mention,cases by number. l . ~;v - 1. 1. No. 1 was a man concerned in,-%• fitraot st- - sault wspi in tho streets of "Wellington ro- ~ • o '. ceiitly.', '.',-i'- " I , 8 No.-2 left England in company with hu 10 -Wife's.'" sister, . camo to New Zealand, -antf > joined'.'the/force; How much, inqyiry thor« wak in' this? base remained' to do proved. The: deserted wife mado inquiries, and it - ii, was discovered that he was living with hej , , , lf ; by.-him 1 she had 'two children. * - , JJ; Ho found 'at Lower Hutt. No; 3 came from joined the force, arid went to Auckland/ Ho.was-trans«, > ' es forrea for-fighting, and then cleared out with ■ °" a married woman. 'Ho had been boarding . ™. witli a certain person, and although tho. polico 'did not know; others did know : that rB ; thirigs.woro not as they should have been. . / u " , No. 4 was a man .who had been working. ' f e in" tho ,trdm ! service.; He' was dismissed from' . ® the ! tramway .pervico' in one of tho: cities foi , i making 'an: immoral.'suggestion .to a lady* passenger, : and he joined tho polsoe f«no. . .. i ; :> No: o-had boon in the Glasgow;Polico Forooi , and ,was' dismissed for assault oi a » > \ geant. Ho came to Now Zealand and ! tho foroe. ) . No. 6 was represented to him'.as being %' ! most extraordinary case. Ho was -an Ans-» tralian,' and a notorious thief; .His photof ~ 'and liis finger-prints were in the possessioni. p" of the Polico-Department-in: New Zealand. 11 ', Commissioner'Dinnie: No. a , .. . „ ' Mr. Arnold: "Well, so much the > bettcrj ijj; In'any caso he was a notorious thief, and-. : , ; he joined, th? polico.. his photo and , u. firiger-prints'fwere in ' the office. when' ho. , r_ . jpined, : they ,were afterwards. ' , -i ' Commissibner Dinnie: was '. j ' :Mr." ArrioM: Well his: photo, and somo-' , .j one,'l "understand, it wais Detective ; . , was at the Window , looking, at this photo \ ■ when lie reoognised the 'person trn tho beat m,.; , opposite tho station.,;So far, as lam awaro .. i I have never; spoken to Detective Cassells, : , ;. Hp nor has he to mo, and I never rcccived any, ? ■i 'communication,from him. " , . No. 7 was a man who camo from Austra-, lia. "While an; assault .was being committedx „ ' on other membWs of the force m . Wellington j .; , , this constable (in plain clothes) was amongst ■'. .i the crowd urging on the civilians'as against ' °y the force. * , . , ' ■ - - lor Sir Joseph ; Ward, thinking ho was replyan irig to cases quoted by him (Mr. Arnold) in , "J Parliament.hiidiquoted other cases. If only; le ? 50 per cent, of. those cases „wore correct:' . . c " thero was ,sufficient causo for. unrest. !, •ro' : f : fi;o Wellington Barracks. fe ! :In 'Parliament he also : mentioned ■ scc.ncfl L; that, took. 1 place in Wellington Barracks. Ho ■ : J would leave: tho. Commission to find out , : i-i whether these scencs .took place. This hap- i polled within tho last few mortliß. He would ' ;lie -leave, ' tlio Commission to Investigato tlw m „ sanitary arrangements of these .barracks. , , Therewas- a circular forbidding members - of.tiio foroo to'apply-for outside situations, ■ • . . without first obtaining tho MinctiOn, of tho - c O . Commissioner. That caused, great feeling. : er . Ho suggested that. Commissioner Dinnio' ] y) would clear this matter up. - i ■ ' ted Loavo of Absonce. If Then there' was tho-case of Constable '•to Patton, who applied for,thirty-six days' leave.! : - •„to' of"absonce"tb"gd,to Australia tb get married. iat Hp was only .entitled to-29 days' leave,.and ... ' : cot the cxtrA " seven days .yrcije refused. It Tas If then poiriied out'thaf . special provision bad m been made forUhose desiring to go to Australia, 'h'nd thirty-six days' • leave was'granted but sbvt i n;days' , pa I y ; W)3is stopped. Cominissioiier 'Dinnie: Twelve days for, -. us. ,-enoh of threo consecutive years' service, and ■ ion ho was not entitled to twelve dayß. , , , sh* 1 Mr> Arnold :Ho was seten days short of it '•' did and they were stopped from his ■ pay. ort I doii't say a point should •en liavo been stretched, and .that tho man should , as have been paid. Members of tho force" cor- . tainly believed another person whom Sir , rits Joseph Ward had named, bad been granted ito six months' leave.on full pay to go to Great , 1 so Britain to get,married.;; Sir Joseph had", lo.v. said this member had been given one month's 1 l.m pay. Members of the force were of tho opin- v* .. It ion that.six months'-leave had been granted ays on full pay. Ho (Mr. Arnold) understood .■ : •a that in consequence of tertain criticisms pub- ' rlit lished in a newspaper,' authority for leavo ich of ahsenco to this mombor had been nltercd. licr from six months' leave on full pay to six- . months' leavo with ono month on full: pay,, . Examinations. Then there waßStho question of ex&mmnriH tions. ' A oirctilnr was! issued in October last. . 3 stating that the nest annual examination \ >

would be held at district headquarters Hi January, 1909, and included among subjects specified was that of coroners' inquests. The Legislature had'just passed a new Coroners 'Act, a moat important, alteration of the law. Tho circular, however, stated that any amendment made in the law.need not be considered as the questions would bo based on the law ss< it stood in 1907.' Tho only explanation feasible was that at the time of examination tho Consolidated Statutes had not been P1 Mr. Bishop: The Act was supplied before Parliament rose, if I remember right. A Charge and an Inquiry. ' Mr. Arnold wont on to 'deal with the case ef a constablo stationed up north. Hβ was charged by'anothor constable of robbing a drunken man. An inquiry was held, and whatever the commissioner thought, constables behaved the case, had been proved up to-the hilt, but the person supposed to have , committed the robbery was promoted and transferred to a more "»P ortant ,P 05 down south. He preferrd not to come Eouih, and he was sent further north, while the constable who made tho charge was sent i 'into the back-blocks on the Main Trunk lino, »nd on his protesting was leverely fined. , ' promotions. ' i The system of , promotions caused as much feeling in tho force as' perhaps W ihin % ' else One regulation was considered very unfair. It was, that'clerks in tho Police 1 Department, having ten years', service, might • ,be promoted to be', sergeants on application 'It gavo rise to much feeling that I thT clerical staff, should be placed,™ re different footing from the men doing the , ective; practical work of the force, and f that'there a regulation under L which, axman doing clerical work, and not f sotting" practical experience, should be en- ( titled to piomotion over those doing harder i anymore practical work, t Mr. Arnold handed to J Mr. Bishop a list ' civing'the ,natnes and particulars of cases V E which men had been promoted over the • heads of seniors. , , I "A" was promoted to sergeant on Marcn I I, 1905, when in a/certain district up north I te had been transferred on'account of being f mixed up m a drunken row. in which a " yotfng man lost,his life. He ( was transX f erred 'to, Auckland, and had "since been prof mpted to the position of sergeant, over 118 r r® Sfrforce July 1, 1909 <?5), end was promoted'on October 1, 1906, Fhen there were 273 men senior to him. '{ "C" joined on April '1, 1903, and was I promoted on ifpnl 1.M909, to sergeant Another "man/who joined,'a voar before "C," had been passed over, although he lad done extraordinarily good work. S "D" joined m' 1897, and was promoted t on ApnlM, 1906, over the heads of 182 1 "EV joined on January 16, 1898, 'was promoted in 1908, over 221 seniors, { "F" joined on Jannary 16, 1896, and was \ • promoted on April 1, 1909. over 140 seniors 5 f "G" jomea on June 15,' 1896, and was L promoted on March 16,' 1900, over ,13E r seniors/ > I '"H"'joined on September 13/1890, anc \ ■wad" promoted on February 15, l? 09, oven j > JOO seniors < > i"I" joined on November 14, 1895, -am t was promoted on February 15| 1909, 'ovei i 36 seniors. / "J , , , 'joined on October 10, 1891, and waf f promoted on July I, 1908, over 108 seniors , "K" joined on April,lß, 1896, and_,waf promoted on June 10,1908, over 154 seniors "L" joined in December, 1898, and wai promoted in December, 1907, over more thai 200 seniors. , ' , . There was an examination tho passing o which was enpposed to help constables h promotion. Numbers of those promote< never passed the examination, .and other I who passed it never'had been promoted. Somo Suggestions. Mr. Arnold went on to outline what should ' bo done to rehabilitate the force. First, the ' larrikin element must be removed, the right r slass of men must be induced to join, and to Jo this the conditions must be made euoh 'us to attract such men. He thought the i * men were insufficiently paid, and tnatwtho pay of constables joining, should be increased by Is. per day, and there should be a nso all round. Hβ thought the standard , of edu- \ cation was too high. * ~,,.■ \ Commissioner. Dmme said he would like his f cross-examination ,pnt back a little until he \ had certain information. [ t Politicians and Police. The question of political interference then t propped up, and in reply to tho Commis- ' sioner, Mr. Arnold said if a complaint was made to him about a constable he would see i his superior officer. , { 'Mr. Bishop , Would you communicate direct with tho Minister? In,going through the t file tho other >day! I found no less than'three letters from a member of Parliament addressed to the Minister forwarding cpmj plaints ,to him by constituents, with regard to individual constables It seems to\me by ' going to the Minister vdirect it almost wU trodnces the political aspect of the matter, ' whereas by going to the head of the Departy menfit would bo just a Departmental ques- '< tion. v. , , I Commissioner Dinnie: I am not supposed r to ' answer a member of Parliament. Ime answer must go through the Minister. J Mr Bishop Iβ that so p i' Mr Arnold That is quite true, not only as to the police, but all the Departments ' If a complaint was made to me I would probably see the Inspector but I would not f write to the Inspector. If I" did it would go ,' to the Minister. \ Mr Bishop stated that 'three constables had given him notice that they wished, to < l givo evidence, but it appeared they were not ! ql Chief-Detective Herbert said he considered * ho bad a' gnovance with regard to past promotions, and the present system as to tho r claims of/ detectives compared with thoso of i , i tho uniformed police. '. i Mr Bishop said as no one was ready ne \ would adjourn until to-morrow. He intended to start with a witness from Invercargill, and after that he to go on with the 1 ' local ( Mr. Dlnnle's Lotter to tha Minister. Detailed reports of the proceedings in connection with tho Police Commission show that Mr. D'inmo (Commissioner of Police) in-, tim'ated in Invorcargill that he wished to keep -nothing secret with regard to his administration He desired it to be clearly understood that ho had asked for tho com- , nussion of mquirj. ■• ~..-. The following is the full text of Mr. Dinnie's letter to the Minister for Justice (Dr. ; Findlay) on tho subject.— ' Wellington, 17th Juno, 1909. Hon. Minister for Justice,— \ In view of tho serious and .reckless charges which hove been .brought against myself and the, Pqlice Department (over which I have had tho honour to preside for the last six years) by certain members of Parliament, and which charges 1 have not had tho opportunity of refuting, in interests of the Department, the public, and myself, I respcctfullj bog to request \ 1 That those ohargos be. at once dcnnitejJ i ' framed by those members who made v v ■the" l - ' * •. l ' i i 2. That a copy be supplied to me in order i that I ha\e a fair opportunity of defending myself and tho Department „ 8 That an independent tribunal be appointed to investigate the charges and report tho result thereof ' ' 4. That tho result be made public throngn tho press., t '. 6. That in justice to, roe a'copy of, tnis application bo furnished ,to too proes without delay. mmm> Having received Mr. Dinnie's assurance that ho was prepared to take the responsi bilrfcy of handing over tho document to the press, Mr. Bishop, S.M., went on to saj I that thoro was nothing in his possession ir any way personal to Mr. Dinmo. Mr Biehm then explained m detail the procedure h< ' proposed to follow, the effect of which hu already been published The Commissioi ' was so wide, he said, that he could got evi dence in any way he thought proper, and h< expected to be helped in his inquiry by th dcodlo of.tho Dominion, No specific allega tions had so far come into his possession Mr Dinmo would be given the opportunity if ho Eo desired, of asking any questions h ' thought propor. Mr. Bishop pointed ou that this would covor all the clauses in Mi Djnjjie's application to the Minister.