Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd., 1934. POLICE RESERVE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 September 1934, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd., 1934. POLICE RESERVE.

MISUNDERSTANDINGS appear to have arisen over the purpose of the new Police Reserve Force, and for this, the manner in which the news leaked, out was partly responsible. If the new organisation is as innocuous as the Minister of. Justice claims, —and there is no serious reason to doubt his word, meanwhile, —he would have been wiser to have taken the nation into his confidence from the outset, and not wait until Press enterprise revealed Ci secret circulars,” and other tit-bits inferring that the Minister and Commission-

er were moving in mysterious way their policy to perform. Tn these days of ever-increasing State control and. multitude of regulations threatening liberty of action and speech, it is understandable that the public are apt to be nervous of proposals to increase the police, military, and other guardians of authority. Realisation of the growth of dictatorship in Europe, U.S.A., and elsewhere is prompting New Zealanders to be wary of any attempts in their own land at similar bureaucratic control. It is this nervousness that explains any general suspicion of the new Police Reserve, and which keeps the popularity of “specials” at a discount, although it is admitted their aid might often be of great value to the community. The Minister declares that the augmentation of the police strength is due to needs of occasions like a Royal visit, when city crowds assemble and meet together. That explanation makes the decision perfectly acceptable, and it is a pity the official announcement was not J made earlier.

Whatever opinions may be held as to the advisability of instituting a Police Reserve, there should be

I no support for personal attacks on the Commissioner, as were made by Mr. Parry, a Labour Member, in the House on Friday. It may have ' been a coincidence that the constituency which Mr. Parry represents, was the place in the Do- * minion where the most serious riot of late years in this country took place, mob-law prevailing until the police were reinforced. The measures taken then by the Commissioner were justified as well as successful, since when there has been no attempt by the lawless to take charge. Mr. Parry at the time joined in the general denunciations of the rioters, but has not been fair to the police who suppressed the outbreak. This may explain the bitterness of his comment in the House, last week, .against .the Commissioner, who is unable to reply in like manner. Some of Mr. Parry s remarks were “soap-box” oratory, and, generally, his was a. speech in which his Party could take no pride. The nation must realise that the police, permanent or temporary, are employed for public protection, and those seeking to promote ill-will between police and public should be given no encouragement.