GREETINGS!

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 149, 21 December 1926, Page 10

GREETINGS!

COMMISSIONER TO POLICE

MR. M'ILVENEY'S CHRISTMAS

MESSAGE

AN EFFICIENT AND LOYAL FOECB.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. W. B. M'Hveney, has issued the following Christmas message to the Force:-—

"Another Christmas has come, and the people of this fair land are enjoying the pleasure and pleasant pastime of Christmas buying. Buying io make their, loved ones happy, to make some friends glad. The streets are erowied. It is our duty to render the maximum of service; to see that the lines of traffic are kept moving; to see that the package laden citizens get safely along and across the street; to place service before self; and to see that nothing mars the spirit of Yuletide. It is my desire that kindnesß, courtesy, and consideration ia the exercise of authority be extended to every one in the community; and that, by your actions, you shall show that in this most important branch of Public Service everything is done to serve the public faithfully arid well; with 'such assurance as we can offer that they may expect a still higher degree of service in the, future. A loving hand for the little child, A friendly arm for the weak; ■- Protection and guidance an best you may, Pray give to all who seek. Do not forget that There is a destiny that makes us Brothers; None goes his way alone; All we send into the lives of others 'Comes back into our own. ''Looking back over the many years that I have been connected with the PoHce Force, I want to tell you that I have seen men come and I have seen men go. I have seen them fall; I have seen then rise. I have watched their separation from-the Department. The percentage of men who have brought grave discredit upon themselves and the Department has been exceedingly small; so small, indeed, that our record is one of which we may justly feel proud. A New Tear is at hand, with all it holds of good or ill, of joy or sorrow. My hope is that it may not have in store for you any misfortune, and my advice to you is: Prepare yourselves for the best that the future holds. Fortify yourselves with that knowledge which is so essential in police life. Beinember that the men who have secured appointments to the higher .ranks did not attain such ranks by spending their time idly. They achieved their positions by close application to duty, and by hard work in their chosen calling. The same holds true for yon but you can. only achieve your object by a manifestation of integrity ana strict: devotion to duty -Let me quote John Buskin— toil tJ°£ Wa^ *no, wle<Wyou must toil for it; and if pleasure, you must toil for it. Toil is the law. Pleasure comes through toil, and not by selfindulgence and indolence. When one gets to love work, his life is a happy "AVOID FALSE FIJIENDS." "I want to impress, upon you the necessity of carefully watching false friends, both within and without the department. The mischief-making slanderer is no friend of yours. The slanderer of : yonr comrades' or neighbours' reputation should be regarded as a public nuisance. His practice ia the vilest of all robberies. His deeds are baser than those of the assassin. He attacks the immortal part of man, and inflicts a stab in the hope of blighting his fame for ever. Hia practices are made up ot fraud and artful treachery. To misconstrue motives; to place trifling incidents in contemptible point of view; to insinuate by mysterious signs and broken sentences that 'more ia meant than meets the ear,' are his study and delight. They become, by the force of habit, as necessary as the food which affords him nourishment, and thia for no other purpose -than the selfish aim of depriving his acquaintance of that estimation from which he can derive no benefit," and which can scarcely be restored by the united efforts of charity and benevolence. Be assured that whilo professing friendship to your faeej, xhe defantes you in your absence. Lying and deceit are his stack-in-trade. Avoid him. He-is a false friend. Tho man who tells you that the less you do the better off yon are is not a friend of yours; He is a false friend. The man who offers you, because of yonr official position, any pecuniary consideration, or requests or incites or induce* you to act in any manner contrary to your duty, or connives at the evasion of any law or regulation in relation to the Force, is a false friend. He v a law-breaker. You will find as time goes on that he is merely trying to enmesh you in a web that he is carefully weaving. Further, he expects you in return for the amount offered or given you either large or small—to overlook his unlawful conduct. This you cannot do. WITHOXTC PEAR OE rAVOTTB. "Ton have just one thing to give as the result of your official calling, and that is faithful and efficient service in the protection of life arid property by proper, just, and humane enforcement of prescribed laws and regulations. You are paid a reasonable salary. In return for this you are expected to perform your duties as police officers in accordance with your oath of office, without favour or affection, malice or ill-will, faithfully, according to law. Outside of that salary no compensation should be accepted by you except ,in those cases where you are permitted by sanction of th» commissioner to retain rewards given for meritorious acts in the performance of public' duty. "The police force is one of the most important of public services. Its members are the protectors of the people's property; the conservators of their lives .and limbs; the preservers of peace and order; the preventers of crime; and the guardians of the innocent and the weak. Never forget that police efficiency 1s measured by and depends upon the intelligence, courage, alertness, and initiative of the members of the force. Lacking any of these qualities, the Department does not measure up to that character to ( which the people are entitled. The past history of our force has been excellent, and its future is bright and promising. But it must be remembered that a service such as ours is just so good, and no better, than we make it. Our predecessors bequeathed to us a high ideal and a lofty purpose; and it is for us to do our part in maintaining that ideal and that purpose. A YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT. ' "You are entitled to commendation for your many accomplishments and achievements during the year 1926. The passing year has witnessed not only marked efficiency and excellence in the manner in which you have Tendered police service, but likewise an unparalleled devotion •to the interests of the Dominion and its people; a keen conception of the traditions of the force; unswerving loyalty to the Department and its membership; and the exercise 'of an intelligent discretion in the performance of police duties. Because of the reasons ihun assigned, as well as because of the high character of the members of Jhj.Depaitmen^ fh§jggbUc,

should be, and no-doubt are, indeed thankful. . Our <work >. requires men of high character, courage, and intelligence, and I am sure the community is equally concerned in the high, efficiency of the Department, and the welfare of tho officers and men. I am grateful. because of the co-operation which I have received from tho cominiusioned officers and the rank and file of the Department, without which the present standing and attainments would have been impossible. Most sincerely do I thank you. May the. advent of the New Year urge, us on to a still higher standard of accomplishment, a greater devotion to the interests of our Dominion, and a clearer conception of our obligations to each other and to our fellow-men, so that the citizens of this beloved outpost of the British Empire may expect to, and will, receive from us that character of service and that degree of loyalty that have given the New Zealand Police Force recognition as one of the beat police services in the civilised world., I hope and wish that you and your wives and families will enjoy all the blessings oi: which Yuletide is symbolical, and that the forthcoming year and those that foll<rw it will bring to each and all oi: you in full measure, good health, contentment, and happiness. Kia ora."