THE POLICE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 613, 16 September 1909, Page 4

THE POLICE FORCE.

! ■■ STRONG COMPI<AINTS, i' "AGITATORS" AT THE JBAERACKS, : Tho:inquiry-into the police force, which is jsv being, conductod' by Mr.; H. W. Bishop, S.M., /■?, . under tho ,a Koyal. Commission, f.v.wns'xcontinuW yesterday Yat'the" Dominion #yifu's6um..;,T»" A'A;' 1-. ; it'sl";;';;' ■: i Mr-. Dinnio"fCommissioner of Polico)-said ho |.\( v Wished to ohje^,to Wnght, M.P., examin:,>ig ; witnesscs. Jfr. Wright was- making no p.';'; charge..against ; tlie. Dopartmont. v,;,v ;• Mr. Bishop sai<£%hiit Mr. Dinnio had already -.i:iraised this objection;, tho- day before,•'and it f on rccord. vlfehad no donbt.ifcwus.ofli. ) ... cially, reported. : V. ■ Dmnie: I was not aware of that. ' i>. ~, iV , ... Educational Tests. £«<.«>•• Goorge Hogben, Inspector-General of Schools, fc.v tfayo ■ ovidenco, as .;to tho system ■ of granting ; ;.of : connGctidn P& withj .the public'schools... In roply 'to . Mr. fyV- 'Biahijp,' ie sdtd v .thai; tho 'JJ'opartmont . did hot I';', recognise certificates 'of'.ctfelpelcncy ' 'granted r:"; Bolely by .a'schoolmaster. ••• '. . . • s.' j.,-Ipijop'y toi Mr. Bishop, lV r was stated -by - ths cortifichtes iusnajly. ..pro|,jo W O6 ?, by candidates for enrolnjont wore- merely f^i-SJBhed-.by^.schoolmastors'..'V : /' x cpnjtinping,;; said Education sv I ' - -/' Department also gave certificates 'H'competency of private schools,' ; nfto'r Mvostigation ;tho-: Education .. Board's inspectors Ho fu»-understood,that, some.,schoolmasters 1 charged a £;/;■ Bmall ; fee . for ;granting.. certificates, iMtV thoy |rfe had -no 'authority' to do.'so.;;,He did -Sot think if would fco;.desirable to have-.'a'- rcgiilatfcn that fcvjj certificates.. of;.Vcompetencyshould -only - .: be psgranted: '.on^application::.toV.the:- head'?#:•the ,j- - because; the'teachors-'v^and^'in-Bpectors .were employed by the boards. -All!the schools jwera subject- to inspection, and »;; tho same .rules as: to, certificates of competency obtained;-i.-;','"-> : -*t • StTS'-^Mr.^Diniuo I !stated. that.'.-irrespectiTo "of. the a,- newly-enrolled - constable was si;;; always, examined; by,; the' Police. Department. r ; U:/f TM.',witness'siud. tho;.training'.>of Standard IV was;only tiquivalerit to.'that-.required of a boy .'of eleven years,' and .would be insufficient a "police...constable. Ho emphasised the fact |ij;that,. the.'.certificates'-.indicated "a standard of K-'.y intelligence rather 'jthan. a'-!qu'antity .of; knowledge, and said it would be .a great mistake' to g&'M; satjsfied with. a lower: degree of. intelligence. toj'Eather. ithan .; that., they; have r ft '. fawor '• constables,' : .if ■that:''were';possible.v'-. Kv.viJlr.Bishop: No, that is impossible, • Thero {i ;;' is '.tho; physical side to consider. ■ .. . -: r feiii-v.Th^'.witness^'thenAsUggostedi that ; .the .'only be/to, raiso .thenpay;, so that tho tyi. k Tittraotivd <asvVa'-skilled \ trade. f Not a "Handy Man." tet ; .Cfiok;.(gav6, ; eTideijco." inirebuttalvof'. allegations |v : . r,;n l ado. ! uy l .. ; previo)is :.witnesses - in..' regard- to His ip/.. .promotion : ':ovef;itll6' ; other ; : mcn', p;i:'aftcrftheV.had- resigned from '-'the service 'nnd 2-l f d: : .rpujetl,'it.<4Ho' \vuS,.a sergeant • before'liis'.-ire-fei;||Bigflano'niv:but:vTej'oiited |;;;;..:;Btablo; 4 and ; had> since,ibeen-. made-aii'l'actinE-detective. ' said' l it;' had '-beeav'alleged reports of,i'evidehcO'.thafc, ho. : had ; tried- to |i C.HAuckliind). r ;and-, bail . riiado%-report;' to ' the p 'ilchiOf ■ cferk (S üb-Trisiieotor;.! AVrightj Svi th' .- that P^bject4,^lp^emphatioally?d&ied /; .th?so''statei |v (, /;' | ne , »»;'VHo;--hMr.new-:^t'J^^tb.-:sa'pjp" _ ib : ..i;;Mpqrt ton .any.'>man.Ho:;!haa nfever; acted -as SW^syon6s;pinipjor;bandy?:ibahi:^^(^/ ; .:^U¥';; kr,v^ ; M r .^-? liil op:;,An~articlo. -appeared diniiit;corfe Avas.'sent r to'Cohimissiouer pij,iJ>nni.e, ,;and, hoheld/, aii and, decided practicallytha^ ; ijei'geaut'i blieenan. had : doue K.-::.'.ins.- duty - andi -no- more- . ilH'V 1 " 3 , said ..ho iurther ilshed -to deny ps^ at i%L^-^ l 3 l,s^us^(l . his. ago .with.'ber./goant Sneehan/:;: ( (He.:vas-uud6r;lOi^wlien":'he fcvDK"?,■tot rejoin. ;tho "forib^! : Ho ■ absa-;®;-"tfJX.;donied,pending informatioh-Jtb-Wel-fe'&Ungtonv^-:.?t/.;that b.ub-Inspector:\\r]ghi : y-- i ;Ho. morely' : lciiovv '1/irb fii ???^v far 9 ni v him,; or approached him in b??,;;*ny. .wayKwhatcVeiv:;;;« f h n t7l^ fS3 "fH whether ho might csplam $ .u?"J 3 ;SJidehan; : ;3v!' ; -' r rlidlf i js' th,nk so ' -.'lbat;has- : been 'tbo..;Commissioner.'of. Police; and i exohbr a ted; SergeiiHt 7. Bheoh «n L ? r ? m b i am6 , Jt 37>U \vero boiv to gi\e auv - &l»«ehMVi'-l slioillS - l l ; Bly< ? ni ' ?W j'. 'bably , bring; him down /from- : : -ono-vsergeant - dnd refeSnce. ° c . onio ..; wlthi n' wy order of i andlrwa^blithed 11 ' 9 endCnC ° about mo ' , U.%^; P „ro^nTdoTorfo^ a , ad , Why He Resigned. tion'taw WJ?" to os P hm thlt his resigna ■ ..■ tITO trfltil .waa iiot due to his dp ' ? iinto. busmes!!/ but to; the' wav in ' by subsequently -produced IliilillilpS: f v tll^i^ : {o\Why ? h6 1-^'th?n'g."°' f lnaD th#t • 8h0 3 1 .. d • | [i "So.netfiing VVronj,'' Says Mr r ß?shop.' : .' 'V f ¥. r ' shop: .'Yon 'i:now: how. : ho was rooko'i; I® ■ &"igs?baek f: ; Bood' t Wn?V''¥fft 0r (:,,lle n - i':>va S 'ddiiig b '5; 1 u? ,' °?NV".bii6 . lt© niouienb'i feD • : wifi; feifc>; :^®.--.f 0 ?} m^?'pner-^fqp o rting h ; ,unstable ■■ t - Strong Complaints i •> r * . '+V, ° W Ihe ton S6fttli;Viia j<| ■ M .a posihon At.'lnvercurgiU 'liad been : ers in-<dittei-e'u or N/WM''^as^nfoi'table;^^ut- ; tlnvcircari 5 .promotion, W'-»'-fi;S-""S -?« s , e .H ,o F^'^! l( l''booh : 'disposed;i)f/. , |j'fft . that none ofjhis juuioif «oul ( l-.| )0 Piomoted "SCtraa 3f ji'C.v ! re^9 r £#^?'£f : o;>hi3^tond'Ufct<fr6rh? l -luversargill s.'> : 'Harassed and Anndyed ,' '* [S^A^.Weljlugtffi.^ntiidsS;,^ KV'V. ul; ¥'$■ :; S?l 1 -'W "-'v ;'.. V\:^ w . 0 ? ) 1< ' ?h°sv ivt. compdrnigjfavoiirably the fl rriiidiihl'cbnhebtioi) y m ;his;success. in ;casesio{'tbOft.,;;He; Jmd senate , Inspector Dllison what ho, thought', was a comV: P«l 6 '.™pjy.fo s.omo educational inquiries; -but, ?.i - • ' vlt | lout :f"'her reterence to hiinself, a Mouril Wrn 0l)k (SonS , t . a . ble vas sept to opinpUte'. the inquiry ?-S° t ™P ort F d oii .-«"8-'-t>Vhon; 11.iwas-announced I:. ' that tlio was (0 sit; • Inspector Elli- !«■ ;;. fon'suddeflly ceased his fa'ult-findiiig/i;"l;musi c ' A'' avo ' beeh' .brought hero : tb"',be 'h!lrassc'd..i'aii(] .■ v annoyed,(and 'probably driven out of the ser;.vr;. Yice,(leclared the. 3yitiioss,'^ " A Figure-head " Tho feeling at Invcrcargill (continued thi [... .■ wunoss). .was. that. Mr., , l)inmo.'was merelv t .Vi'i/'.nguro-heaifl, and that Mr. Wright"was the'rea i... : ', : Power. He got. confifihation 'of ir from • a constable who' ajfplied • foi a station'and-was rofusod, but afterwards ap ?e.'vv-'proached.Mr...\VrigKt;'and got-.his request. : H ( know other instances, but was boun'd'td confl deuce. A certain" constable was • transferret fioin Invercargill (where ho had: had trouble to and went with.- tho/avowed' in tontioh' of;'.making'trouble.--..Witness.associate! a-'certaihiarticlo • iri,-:"Tfuth" with' that. man ! •: : \ * That man:now,, had a good billet.. .....;.'' •.: rhe .- withess also referfed to complaint' •• . sbout sectarian • influence. . Ho- had ',servei .y : >;v;,.:6nder an '.inspector who was. d'.Eoman'Catholic S;Y:frand.whoso same:had..been mentioned.in thi; 5iV-j -Mniiectioil.;.-He(considered-that inspector oni the: in'vNew,,Zealand, .and but,..for in fj v 'he;.,irq^l_d .iipdor :him ,riow.'V, tain' previous 'witnesses for an' Appeal Boari ■/ / to deal with promotion*.' ;; ; ''.:V/;■ .. V v ,'/; — :• ;; ':.

. Bishop: Yon would make th© commi sioiier a. nonentity Jilt's tho commissioner w complain of. : Witness contended that as long as his a( vancement; deponded solelyon tno inspectc '.who was direotly over. him he would havo:.r chanco, Ho'suggested' that tho results .of ft examinations wero not sufficiently regardet nnd. there' wero ugly rumours about. ~T\v men under him at Wellington South had bee induced 'to; take the examinations, and Jtlic passed, but did not get promotion, while ai other who did not take it .'Was:promoted, -.Wi ness.did.not contend that examinations slioul be :the sole ground ,of promotion. ■ • Something Behind tho Scenes. _ To Mr. Dinnie: He was seven years in l th Invercargill district. When ho met Mr. Dlnni thero ;in 19M, the latter -said: '"Your nam .has been;, submitted, to rao for promotion." : _■Mr. Dinnie handed witness a document, ehj In ni "Does not this> show that that was ric ■SO.'" , : '.' .;."Witness: I think thereVwas something behin tho scenes. ■ Mr. pDinnio said the documents showed tha Commissioner Tunbridge had stated' that ' h could not ' recommond' witness' for proinotioi on account of misconduct. . ■ ; ; Sir. Dinnie: You see your name is hot onthi list? Would you ' then expect, mo' to pri mote you?-fI wouldn't expect- anything.'- , have merely'repeated what you; said. " Do you -want to know why you were remove from Invercargill?—Not particularly. I aslfe yon, and you gave mo no satisfaction. T-' . Witness denied air knowledge'of certain; lei ters that.appeared'in ; Dun?din and Jnvercargil paper's'criticising Mr. Dinnie, and alluding t Mr. Mitchell'being made hn ihspeotor. Withes alsodenied v allknowledge of letters froi Messrs. Thomson and 'Hanan, M.P.'s, 'to *JTi ■M'Gowaii (then' Minister for Justice), askingvfo promotion- for, witness.' , % I. Witness'(to Mr.'Dinnie): You seem to hav'o' knack of casting/suspicions <on-people. ;■llr.y Bishop asked . the witness not" to mak such 'remarks. ' ■ ' .'r .'-• 'A charge sheet wa ' minuted back-to him by-tho inspector becaus clerical error.- Witness, did .not keep: blacklist" book at the station.' ?' . A Testimonial. '\- "'i; -Constable Taylor, asked the witness's opinion about.himself. j;,V; i : r Witness«replied that he had: never had a bef -ter constable under, him, nor. a more : energeti ami ; sober one. He would give liim -a eooi -cn^wacte^.::-^. ; ":-. , .!-•- ,! -;' s ! .- . Tho Licensinn Laws..' /[. -..To Mi. .Wright, M.P., witness had. mad' himself unpopular at'Lumsden through his'ac Wi the licensing laws,' 5h di;l uut iknqv,-V«f '■ aiiy.: officers; of police"' wh had ,bsen transferred for" - such a cause. . l'h jtuegeiLmisconduct of: two probationers at Wei fington: So.uth- ocourred; bSfore ho wont there Ihe-trainingdepot was in chargo of Sergean JJarL .bufc request, "super •vised it>;pt times,, especially, between- 5 p.'m fIDiIH a.rt, vA-iugufc school would be of advan tago to recruits-,whoso'education-might not b too v V; - ; -• Ar|other&Testlrtionial. -A-,.' who had previous!' given evideuco, wuestions about liirasolf Witness; replied,, that lib had hover regardei ' ureen-.'.as; ai 'agitator,' 6'nd did not wish for: i ; wttef. comrade."; He* ha®known him/for; manyears. • 's-tilv,. '.••• * Constablo;.Satanel '.'Brdiilh.'-Mnstertbn, -' gav , evidence similar to 'provious. witnesses in iav our of,sundry,, ,■ •' "Agitatort" at Lafflbton Quay . Charles William 'Keliy/' sergeaut,' Lainbtoi Wuay, appeared,,as a delegate from tho loca TJZ&i. adopted by tho Auckland l sergeants, with; hiino aracndmeiits.v Ho know-nothing of political in ■$§ e 8&-::' Tbe . r f; was ;ii°V discontent .among :th Wellington, police, except among a few 'agita tors, wlmhad .been ivriting; letters to, tho pap era and ,tei ling • tlungs Vto'«tho reporters.. ■;I was owing to them; that ; the commission wa w • , opposed ...to";:..Sub-XnspectO: 'v'lFff' oth6rS'.in. with thei •in-diffor.entvpnrts of "the "Dominion,'and the exagSeratcd; ovcry.dialff,thing that occurred: ii •tho barracks,^^^«[?blackenocr.'the character'o :HP;| orc , e - -VConstable. Jbil; :;whb wfis ordered, oi into tbatV > JiiyXi^^so^ished/rto/irefer. to ConStabl Uood, but. wnsv.pjpve;ited.hy:-Mr: Bishop, v. .■;.yroceeding,J;witnessl' l said'it was his ddty h keep .order at.tho barracks,; hut hoiiiad neve •had occasion to do.so. The conduct of the moi mor efficient . body ,of police there than those"at pre IS' i?9 station:;- Tho. detebtives hero iver >no- best -in -the?colony. -^ tat it i, would bp, a, good .tiling if. ,tho 'ji'ien conli k *' t rp^ lll3V trn"si n s depot after, .twelv months., • There was/too,' much V"cramming" o legrtl -knowledgo {prematurely.' Constables win should go throucJ tho depot. on being enrolled. ; There should b .a. gymnasiuni .at; dach; centre..:- A' place' for drv ,ing clothes/ when men .came in. wpt.- was needci at Lambtpn X)uoy. The .accommodation iva Educational;,inquiries,i: old : a" pension weights nnd measures shouh 110t bo. imposed on tho police. ; ■ Playing Billiards. cpn«iLViisaiii"'tij at rdferenco hai .been; made to .Snb-Inspector. Wright , playini billiards with; the; men: at', Lambton, Quay. H :■ wished_ to 'say; .that ho. saw.'no'.lmrm, in thai :Mr; . Wright .was , a man , that no one could b familiaf with. ; . : ■ • 3lr. Bishop: I'think that is a' thing w t. upon.; I don't want' your opinio; •3Wness alsoj'saidl that' discipline" was '.as' gooi /it; Wellington'-.as ' at other'l'centres where ho hai ?'!s?4B.feiWe. QreenV,was one o re .troatnient ' from' : him" i pan, : gpt;a;fair.;show4if.lio .did 'his w : ork' well ir'fl,Grateful Sergeantr Sf r Swnt Jaines'Dale, i Larabttin Ouay t said h •liad-f;n?t cpmplaint-'Sgainst ■ any officer of.. th police 'force;; ;■ He; had "worked hard for hi ■-l' W^Md.-'the.-.cpinipissione. iwemcd -rather har( sergeants,- his- juniors, mos SS#^*BJ°W'-Wae"jstatiofc. ;.Ho' did no ■putitbii", forwardf as .a^complaint, l t- . ■ would ,be difficult: to: go int; .that. s; h •- good ./thing! jon'rb -so grate 'ful, as : yon,,are.;.;>lfs a change to ;find :someon ; whtf: i3^^gratoful: : .Vc f- - AVitness'said ho was pr6ud' to '-havo such . ff°M 'l.nss of /Wen-^ D dcr ;hini ,; fl t.;. lambtoi Quay. -Ha. thpught.'there-should .be an addi eionaV^ergeant; there, j -TrajningVof nonstable ;i hioro''prietical.-. They>!oaino "fron thp v dqpot;,.iful[,of '[iWj/j.bu!; not; knowing hov Jo .workja bpat-orj.how'to/speokaQ.the public piey spoke too Jiiffshly; ':. ( ' ;. ■ Trouolesome Australians 'to-candidate for ; : ;e.nrol i uent',,frero."Carefully condtictcd. - tt did';npt vkiioW,'. aboiit" -flifc-.lnquiries s'when Au« tralians were enrolled.-'-".- '■ ;■ -- 1 . our office. : ; J: H'thesspWi. have ihad ouo •or .'two Anstra iians ;_atvthd -station, apd-they gave a' lot o Irow)le,-^d , ;-#et9.>dismissßd.v... >' a 'srt.r- Vpfell^d'/'Mr!■ Arntild's allega fions.agairiSit, the .conduct'of tho men at Lamb tp^uay/r^sclplino--Was-just'-as-gdod as i .wa^; soino yearsj'pgoiv j... . 1 j ..-1i0;.Mf..-3jllisoni.->Ho -had ■ -paid- - 283 visit to ;• licensed;.-houses vslndo - March,' 1908.. AI tho ; sergeants: were'instructed 1 to"'nav and .I'lil^hep^r,,.Ellison, handed ~ Sergeant Dalo' f?l'.ra'/.9 n ''l I < ! ?nstdi-honseß to Mr. Bishon af M'i', w "ness sOtne caso by the Courts. . •• .i-The)ln3pectar!.'Have you received'fair treat ment; frfiin :nl6?-t-Y«,:-tho..fairest I'have eve had in New Zeaknd. I mll say to your faci that you aro tho, straightcst gentleman I hay. over dealt with. : Mr. Wright, M.P., asked if a certain police man had beon found drunk, nnd not dismissed Ho.showed ,witness'a name. ' Witness:/'l'm very muchisnrprlsed; X knov nothing, about it.' ';; , ; ThS;cqibmissioni/roso: iintil" 10.30; this niorn