POLICE CONDITIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 132, 1 December 1945, Page 11

POLICE CONDITIONS

CRITICISM IN AUCKLAND

P A AUCKLAND, Nov. 30. About 150 members of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Police Association attended a special meeting tonight when grievances of the rank and file in the force concerning conditions were freely ventilated. The president of the association, Mr. J. Pointon. and the general secretary, Mr. J. Meltzer, oi Wellington, were present. In a statement after a meeting which lasted four hours, the Press was told that the Prime Minister's contention that men who were resigning from the force were temporary constables was resented, as figures announced at the meeting showed that the majority of men retiring were of lengthy service and men of promise and experience. These men were leaving the force with a feeling of frustration, it was stated, and they considered the Police Force did not offer sufficient inducement for young men to commit themselves for a lifetime. ANTIQUATED REGULATIONS. The quarters in which single men were compelled to live were criticised in very forceful language. Antiquated regulations governing the private lives of these single men were felt to be unjustifiable. Discontent among the police could never justifiably be taken as disloyalty, it was stated, as the men were as loyal today to their officers and the Government as at any other stage of their service. The figues produced at the meeting showed that since the beginning of 1939 a total of 482 men had left the force and only 341 joined. The lack of suitable equipment was also discussed at the meeting.