THE POLICE FORCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 302, 10 September 1918, Page 7

THE POLICE FORCE

——♦ BETTER CONDITIONS DESIRED ] NO INCREASE IN PAY RECEIVE!) DURING WAR ' ~~~ , i For some time past tho question of pay has been exercising the minds ot the members of the New Zealand polico force, and owing to the fact that the i cost of living continues to riso it is j felt that' an increase in remuneration * is urgently needed. In addition to pay, - a number of other matters in conuec- . tion with the administration ot the re- ( gulations have given rise to discontent, i and an adjustment in this respect is 1 also desired. ■' Recently the Minister or i Justice (tho Hon. T. M. Wilford) stated i that for some time he had been con- ~i sidering a set of proposals for the con- ] trol of the force, and these were ccr- < tainly far reaching. Ho had 'nadp a number of recommendations to Cabinet, and until those had been considered by Cabinet ha, could make no further remark oil the matter. The Minister added that.he-had found in oxistenco a number of anomalies, and the task of 1 righting them all had proved to bo one of>the most difficult that ho had yet. i undertaken. '. ■ I In view of tho Minister s statement it is interesting to'consider tile posi- , tion of the police. No increases liave , been grantee! to the police since before , the war, and, with the exception or a , small bonus to certain grades, the ratis are .what they were early in 1914. , The New, Zealand police pay is as follows: — ' Superintendents, £460, rising to £520 ( per annum. . Inspectors, £380, rising to £440 per annum. . „„„„ Sub-inspectors, £330, rising to £360 ■ per annum. . . ; Senior-sergeants, 14s. 6d., rising to 16s. a day. , Sergeants. 125., rising to 13s. 6d. a day. "Constables (under three years' service), 9.3.; over three and under fix . year;;, 9s. (3d.; over six years and ■ under nine years, 10s.; ovor nine years and .under fourteen years, . 10s. od.; over fourteen years and under twenty years, lis.; over twenty.years,,lis. Gd. a day. Probationary constables, 7s. a day. '• Chief detectives, 16s. 6d.;to 17s. bd. Detective-sergeants, ,15s. to 16s. • Detectives, lis. Gd. to 14s. 6d. .Matrons, £100 to £120 a year. These rates have been ruling since April .1, 1914, and the only increase has been the Civil Service bonus for men, not receiving more_ than £310 per annum. This boniiSj in the cflse oi married men, is £lo a yoar, and in the case of single men £7 10s. a year. However, it must be remembered that married men receive Is. 6d. a day house allowance, sergeants getting 2s. a day.; The rate of pay has been a long-, standing grievance' in the • police, and it is ■ contended that a-body of men such as the members of the force, Wlu> have remained so loyal to the authorities in all times of industrial' trouble and stress, are entitled to some better recognition of their .services than is provided under the present scale of pay and allowances. • • The police also maintain, that their association, should 'v; officially niseci as a branch of the Public Service Association. At present they have no concrete organisation through which to ventilate any apparent grievances, as the regulations provide that "all combinations of men will, be severely dealt with." This,- it is considered, is an undue restriction, and one. that might be '•''modified' -without in'any'way being calculated' to. undermine the discipline of the force. . ' __ •