POLICE AGGRIEVED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1928, Page 7

POLICE AGGRIEVED

* CHARGE OF ABORIGINES.

BRISBANE, September 14. The Home Secretary’s Department and the Police Union have come into serious conflict over the question of police work in connection with aborigines.

The present trouble is largely the outcome of what is known as the Doyle case. Constable Doyle, at Maytown, was charged with ill-treating aborigines and supplying liquor to aboriginal girls, and with improper conduct.

Inspector Mann inquired into the charges, and found Doyle guilty on all three, but the Commissioner of Police gave Doyle the benefit of what he considered a grave doubt.

The Police Union has asked the Home Secretary that the police be relieved of all duties in connection with aborigines. The union also suggested that the present Chief Protector of Aborigines (Mr. J. W. Bleakley) he dismissed, and the position filled by the Commissioner of Police, who should be paid an extra £5OO.

In a letter to the Home Secretary, the Police Union secretary Mr Talty) declared that the police were subjected to much unnecessary pinpricking and annoyance from the Aborigines Department. They had borne with patience the insults of their tormentors, but they could not bear more than flesh and blood could stand. By the request of Mr. Godfrey Morgan the papers relating to the whole question were laid on the table of the Assembly to-day.