MILITARY POLICE

Evening Star, Issue 16990, 12 March 1919, Page 6

MILITARY POLICE

MORE ABOUT THE RETURNED SOLDIERS' COMPLAINTS. Some little time ago :|veral grievances were ventilated at a meeting of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers' Association regarding the military police. It was alleged that the military police, which consists almost wholly, if not altogether of men who have not seen active service, had adopted a "pin-pricking" policy towards I the returned soldiers, and several specific I cases were quoted, showing that returned . men had been arrested on very trivial charges, and had received punishment quite out of proportion to the seriousness of the offences committed. The military policemen concerned in these cases were almost invariably Corporals A. Latimer and G. S. Geddes, and the association asked the Minister to give one month's notice to these and to all other military policemen who are not returned soldiers. They also asked for the reason for the transfer of Sergeant-major Crowthor from Wellington to Christchurch, and from Christchurch to Dnnedin, the inference evidently being that this soldier had, through some reason or other, become unpopular in the northern centres, and was therefore being kept on the move. At_ ameeting of the committee of the association held last evening the following reply was received from Major OsborneLilly (Director of Personal Services): Referring to your letter of 21st January, relative to*the attitude of the military police in the Otajo district, and which has been passed to me for reply, I have to advise you that the Provost Marshal has visited Dunedin and has inquired into the matter, and as the result of his visit it is hoped that matters will be placed upon a. more satisfactory footing. In the matter of employment of returned soldiers in the military police, I have to inform you that preference is given to returned soldiers; but unfortunately they do not offer themselves for employment in these duties. Whenever they_ do so, if their records? are clean, positions are found for them. I regret that I cannot disclose the reasons for Sergeant-major Crowther's transfer to Christchurch and then to Dunedin. This is purely a matter between Ser-geant-major Crowthor and the department, as you can well understand. The department is ready and willing at all times to inquire into and sift grievances to their origin and to rectify all matters where there is any friction; but it is to be borne in mind that the military policeman's lot is not a happy one—he has many unpleasant duties to perform—and friction often arises from a. want of appreciation of the position by the soldier. However, it is hoped that matters will be on a more satisfactory footing as the result of the Provost Marshal's visit to Dunedin. It was alleged by members of the committee that some civilians whose records are none too clean have been employed in the force, some of them having been discharged from the military police, and it was resolved to reply ptatinir that tho association agree that no soldier should be employed unless his previous record is clean, but requesting an assurance that the records of civilians entering the force are inquired into as carefully as those of the returned soldiers. No action was taken with regard to the other matters mentioned in the correspondence, it evidently being considered that the publicity given to tho complaints and the investigations, made by tho department I have had the desired effect.