THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 3, 4 July 1898, Page 5

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

♦ ACCOMMODATION AT THE POLICE STATION. Before the Police Commission on Satur* da3 r afternoon Dr. Cahill, Police Surgeon for Wellington, called by the Commissioners, was examined primarily upon his experience with regard to cells and cell accommodation. Those <on Lambton-quay, said the Doctor, were badly designed in every way, but he did not blame the police for the present state of things, as he had always found them kind and attentive to the persons under their charge.* As regards the objection of the police to having windows in a cell, the violent cases of drunkenness aud lunacy might be kept in a separate room, under the eye of the watchhousekeeper. What he was principally desirous of preventing was the incarceration of persons who might possibly be innocent for a number of hours in the same cell as drunkards and the worst class of criminals. A person arrested should have at least as good accommodation as a prisoner committed to gaol. A small yard, if only 10ft square, might be attached to the cell, so as to allow the detained person to go out into the fresh air when he chose to dd so. In such yards there could be sanitary arrangements. Dr. Cahill added that he received no remuneration for services rendered at the station, and answered every call made, but he emphatically objected to the watchhouse-keeper being allowed discretion in the use of simple remedies in cases of delirium tremens, because some of these might be cases of heart disease, when certain drugs might cause grave complications. Dr Cahill also had decided opinions upon certain furniture which should be attached to cells. Hammocks and seats should be provided, and blankets also in cold weather. Certainly those suspected persons Bent to the police cells should be as well treated as were convicted prisoners. Separate cells should be provided for lunatics, and power given to some person to at once commit persons suspected to be insane to the casual ward of an asylum pending enquiry. Where there was no asylum a special cell would be useful. jThe Commissioners are now considering the details of cases which have come before them. Lieut.-Col. Hume may be called to clear up points in these cases from the Departmental records. As practically all the evidence has now been taken, the Commission should be able to render an account of its doings to the Governor by the end of this month, always provided that nothing intervenes to suspend the deliberations of the Commissioners, .