SECRET COMMISSIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1907, Page 7

SECRET COMMISSIONS.

CONDEMNED BY A GRAND JURY.' A POLICE METHOD CRITICISED. Two impoitant presentments were made to Mr. Justice Cooper yesterday afternoon by the Grand Jury empannelled to deal primarily with the cases, set down for hearing at the current criminal sittings of the court. The first presentment concerned the giving of special discount on private accounts by Wellington firms to officers of public bodies, a practice which the jury strongly condemned, as will be seen from the following text: —" We, members of the- Grand Jury now sitting, "respectfully beg to draw your Honour's attention to the system brought under our notice during the giving of evidence, and acknowledged to obtain in business ! houses, of allowing special discount on private accounts of fie officers of public bodies; in the case directly brought un- , der our notice a discount of 25 per cent. j having been allowed. We respectfully contend that such a system is. demoralising to commercial life, and in particular offers incentives to the obtaining of con-; tracts by methods which cannot be regarded as strictly honest." The method of taking police statements also met with condemnation. The jury's presentment on this head was as follows: —" In the case the King v. Arthur H. Ridd it came ont in evidence that tho statement made by the girl (who is of tender years) was taken by the constable, written out by him, and signed by the girl entirely in the presence of'the constable alone. We respectfully suggest that when the police find it necessary to proceed by such methods, the statement should be made in the presence of, and attested by, another witness." His Honour intimated that to a very Sreat extent he concurred with the Grand ury in regard to the taking of etatej ments by the police. Where a child's statement was being taken, it would bo : very much better to have another peri son present. * A \j>roper discrimination should be used in taking the statements, | and ©specially those of young children. [ j [ [