POLICE COMMISSION

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 602, 2 September 1909, Page 6

POLICE COMMISSION

ALLEGATIONS OF INSOBRIETY. MEN FOUND DRUNK ON THE BEATS. (By Telcgraph-Prcas Association.) ■ Auckland, September 1. Some facts as' to the trouble that.hna taken place in connection with the Auckland liolice of late; owing to the misconduct, principally insobriety,, of 'sonio of the junior members of the force, were elicited at the sittings of the Police Commission to-day

(luring the examination of Sub-Inspector Hendry. . * '

On being questioned by the commissioner (Mr.-Bishop), the Sub-Inspector said , f bat there had been a lot , of trouble during tho past few years with young men. The conduct of .some of these men iiad been-any-thing but satisfactory, and several'had been dismissed for drunkenness.

Mr. Bishop: Are-they dismissed for the first .offence of drunkenness?— Sometimes thoy are.given anotfier chance. '••. ■ Mr. Bishop: Why should there bo any distinction?—Thero have ...sometimes ; biicn previous offences of another kind, arid this may make a difference- :; ;•. *'■ Mr. Dinriie (ConiiiiiEsioner of Police), in reply 'to Mr. Bishop, said all the circumstances were taken into account. ' . . .

■Mr. Bishop: .Do you : consider that Uiero has been abnormal 'drunkenness amongst the constables in Auckland?.

Sub-Inspector Hendry. Yes. ';'■■. Mr. .Bishop: Aro there special temptatione to take to drink in Auckland?—Noue ; that I know of? , . . '

Do you attribute this abnormal condition to anything?—l-know.of no cause, except,perhaps, that;tbey cannot resist, the temptation placed before them. .

Why should'that be?—A-man may have less will-power ; than formerly. The stamp of men who have been coming into the force lately is not so gorxl as tho skimp of men who cams .in years ago. Tho ir-cji nor. - —that is a portion of them—require more constant and keener supervision.. •'

.111 the cases of drink, y-'hen have the men gotdrucl;?—Usimlly at nifdit. Wh.it hns -, happennd '—Sometimes '"hc.v have been, fo'.md drunk on their brats ■ by their sergeants, .and have been sent .back to tho barracks: On one occasion a irnivwns found to, bo dnink as he v»ns leaving'the station to go oil duty, and wr.s at'once taken back, to thn station.-: -.•■"''

Has liquor been'taken into the barracks on any occasion?— Yea. ''. ' 'How was .it -discovered?— I have, had ray suspicions. , and on the overrants 'of .wnio of the' mm-having been'searched on t-iie-ir return .from their beats .bottles of beer have been' discovered..'... ' , '.'\ .'• .. ,'

Wli.'t iiari boon done" with them?■— They have been called upon .to.resiicii.."'. .. ' ■ ' . /'Whew. did. they, get-'the. liqucr?--! suppose it was given to them by a'publican'for'some motive. '■••' ■' ■•■'.!.•■'

' Sergeant. Treaurir, said-lie h:id worked under seven commissioners, and Mr. Dinnic f ; ,f f 1 ?*:" 3 = ! '.V « 'ri::--l,',.i!;d a irreat deal bei-tcr than most of. ifee who had been at the head of tho Dcnartrcerit. ..'■. .-.■••.

f. ChiefrDetcctivo.-' Marsacl; exprersed the opinion that many good men worn prevented from entering tho force brtauM -tnc'v did not pofsess a.fifth standard certificate. ' Ho , held that the police, with the, emoluments, they received,- were bettor off than the detectives'. Ho also gave wi .emphatic, contradiction to the allegation that the police had'harassed discharged: prisoners who were striving; to earn an honest living The man alleged to have committed suicide-' for' tbo reason stated was .wanted '.by the police,- aud a warrant was out for his arrest.. ■■.-.' . '. -