POLICE OFFICER DISRATED

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 29 September 1927, Page 7

POLICE OFFICER DISRATED

POSITION IN ASHBURTON. REPEAL OF SENTENCE URGED. Considering that the treatment meted out to Senior-Sergeant I. H. Mathieson, who has been disrate’d to constable and transferred from Ashburton to the North Island, for alleged breaches of the police regulations business men of Ashburton have circulated a petition which they will forward to the Minister for Justice, the Hon. Mr Rolleston, asking for a review of the sentence (states Ute Christchurch “Press”). The Borough Council passed a resolution in support of the petition on Monday evening. The matter was introduced by the Mayor, Mr R. Galbraith, who said a large section of the community considered the punishfhent was too severe, and a very largely signed petition had been circulated, with a view to a deputation waiting on the Minister for Justice praying for a review of the sentence. The petition had been signed by all the influential men of the town. The Mayor said he thought prehaps the Council would likq to pass a resolution. He had also had in mind the calling of a public meeting. The Mayor then read a letter written to the promoters of the petition by the Hon. Mr Nosworthy, the member for the Ashburton district, which was as follows:— “I am in receipt of your letter asking that a deputation to the Minister for Justice be arranged, with a view to presenting to him a petition praying for a review of the sentence of disratement, passed on Senior-Sergeant Mathieson recently. I have discussed the matter with the Hon. Mr Rollestqn, and he informs me that he has given his decision, and does not feel disposed to reopen the question. In view of the Minister’s attitude, therefore, I am unable to do anything in the way of arranging for the deputation to wait upon him.” In the petition was set uot the six charges against Senior-Sergeant Mathieson. The petitioners claimed: (1) That the punishment is too severe and out of proportion to the offence committed; (2) that the circumstances under which the charges were brought about should be taken into consideration; (3) that the decisions of the Appeal Board do not warrant the severe punishment inflicted.” After a short discussion ,the following mbtion, moved by the Mayor and seconded by Cr W. H. Woods, was carried :■ — “That this Council, in supporting the prayer of the petitioners, views, with concern the severe punishment inflicted on Senior-Sergeant Mathieson for breaches of the police regulations, and front the knowledge of the circumstances which led to the charges preferred against him and from the nature of the charges, is strongly of the opinion that the punishment is out of all proportion to the charges sustained against him, and respectfully requests that the Minister for Justice may review his decision.”