Evening Post.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 111, 11 May 1889, Page 2

Evening Post.

SATUKDAY, MAY 11, 1889. A POLICE GEIEVANCE. A circulae has recently been issued by the Commissioner of Police which has caused considerable dissatisfaction amongst the members of the force throughout the colony. Its purport is to warn them against belonging to any political or religions society. Wo have applied to the Commissioner for a copy of this circular, but he refused to give it. We are unablo, therefore, to publish it in full, as we would otherwise have been glad to do. Dismissal, we may say, is the penalty threatened against members of the force giving 1 ns information on the subject. Why a circular of this kind Bhould be kept secret, when the regulations providing for the management of the force have to be actually gazetted, we are at a lobs to imagine, unless the Commissioner entertain a suspicion, probably well founded, that the new requirements would not commend themselves altogether ito publio approval. Ab shown in tho Parlia1 mentary debates on the question of police franchise, the tone of publio feeling is against men b*ing deprived of their rights as citizens because they become the sworn defenders of the publio peace. It would manifestly be incompatible with the position of a policeman that he should become a member of any political society, if the word political is used in a party sense ; and the regulations as to the exercise of the franchise sufficiently indicate and emphasise this. With regard, however, to religious societies the case is somewhat different, as the term is undefined. What is a religious sooietyp We tako it that every church and congregation is a religious society; but surely it cannot be the intention of the Commissioner to prohibit policemen from going to church or becoming members of a congregation. The men are in considerable doubt upon the point. Many of them are also members of the Masonio body or of one or other of the friendly societies. The Commissioner informs us that the restriction is not intended to apply to purely benefit societies, but he declines to say that it is not intended to apply to Masonic lodges. It is rather ludicrous that it should fall within the duties of a Commissioner of Police to decide whether a Masonic lodge should or should not be deemed a religious society. We advise j Major Gudgeon to consult the Premier and the Native Minister on the subject, as they are in a position to give advice. There is good reason to believe that Masonry is one of the societies aimed at in the oircnlar, the Orange institution being, of course, another. Bnt how about those Benefit Societies which are founded upon a religions or denominational basis — the Catholic Hibernian for instance? We suppose it is under the ban also. As the matter stands now the members of the force are in considerable doubt as to what eooieties they can or cannot belong to. In many instances it wonld be a hardship and a loss to compel them to withdraw from membership of societies they already belong to. The oiroular, as it is worded, is altogether too vague, and we think it is utterly uncalled for The reason alleged in justification of its issue is that being a member of any society tends to impair the value of a constable's evidence in the witness box, under many circumstances. This is a very far-fetched idea. Apparently Major Gudgeon's idea of a model policeman would be a man without nationality, of no religion, and without a sentiment or feeling beyond his beat. We doubt whether he will be able to get such men, and the best filing he can do in the interests of the force of. which he is the chief, iB to withdraw the circular under notice, and trust to the good son £c and discipline of tho men not to assiiuie any position incompatible with their duti'ea as guardians of the peace.