POLICE OFFICERS' RELIGION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2953, 16 December 1916, Page 9

POLICE OFFICERS' RELIGION

QUESTION INTRODUCED IN • . . .. COURT. ' ' • .' By -Telegraph-Press: Association.. ; Auckland, December lo. : • Ln'_the. :course of the\ hearing : of-,a. case, in the Police Court',',-witnesses for the defence have beeii asked .liy SubInspector :M'llveney what ivas their- religion, and on - several occasions Mr. Irazer, S.M., has - expressed surprise at the question being asked. ' This -afternoon ;tli6 ■ matter was carried- further.. - Mr. F. :.G.:' Ewington, after giving inV evidence, said that uo "\vas a Protestant, a"nd lie/was then 6y."the Sub-Inspector:.if he hadheard that- t*he Protestant ■ community of: Auckland; was desirous-for the immediate removal - of Superintendent Klely or any .'other police officer. The witness. replied in the negative, and added that he liad not- heard '-'of anyrepresentations, having been; made to the Minister on the subject. Later ■when Mr. JS.: Dicksoni M.P. for Par- ■ nell, was. being cross-examined by .the-Sub-Inspector, ho said that he was not aware, that .the Protestant -community ,of Auckland. was \desirous of - Superintendent. . Kiely.'s....removal from- : .Auckland, .but it would be correct to say that the Protestant cdm-miinity desired 'a change in.the personnel oftha Auckland police .force. ....... . Sub-In'snpctor. MTlveiiey.: How"? .. . Witness: By .the removal of .Sub-In-spector M'llveney. ... ... Witness .said . that, as -a. member of Parliament. he. had - introduced two deputations, to the ..Minister, requestin'othe removal of the Sub-Inspector, owing to his activities and religious opinions. The Magistrate: What is all this questioning" abb'utr' religion? ' The Sub-Inspector' theii read abetter from- Mr. Harinan to the Hon. Dr M'Nab.. The Sub-Inspector then' asked Mr. Dickson if the dissatisfaction was general, and' witness replied that:he had heard it was' from' a" religious standpoint and on other grounds that the dissatisfaction •' existed j "and' that complaints liad been made by .the piib.lie and members of tho force regarding the nuniber of Roman Catholics in liigh office in the Auckland police force An inquiry had been asked for. and Witness understood ..that! one was beintr held. Tho Sub-Inspector said ho knew nothing of tho .complaints, and- hoped the Court would accept .his assurance that ihe-had not been in church for E ?v%fal years. : He was.not of a reli-. gious turn cf mind, and liis wife was a member of, the Church of England. Ho added that: he did-not take any part in religious - questions, and so far as he knew enjoyed the confidence and-respect of every member of the'force , a rid "the Auckland public. .His Worship said that it. was a pity, to .introduce tho orange and green question, and lie was ! t had been introduced,- The matter then dropped. -