POLICE COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11557, 19 April 1898, Page 3

POLICE COMMISSION.

SITTINGS IN CHEISTCHUECH,

The Police Commission opened its sittings in Christchurch, at the Provincial Council Chambers, at 10.15 a.m. yesterday ; present—Messrs H. S. Ward ell (chairman), J. W. Poynton and Colonel Pitt. Mr Tunbridge, Chief Commissioner of Police, and Colonel Hume, Chief Inspector of Prisons, were in attendance, and half a dozen other people were present. The proceedings opened with the examition, on oath, of Mr Inspector Brobam, who stated that he had boon in charge of the Christchurch police district for five years. The strength of the force in the district was 103, of whom forty were in Christchurch proper. There were thirtysix stations in the district. _ The sub - districts were . Oamaru, Timaru and Ashburton. He gave a list of the various stations in the district. The subdivisions wore not sufficient for the efficient working of the district. Ho had already recommended to the Commissioner that a new northern sub-district should be made,. with head-quarters at Eangiora , that Lyttelton should bo united with Aka-’ roa and Little River, and formed into a subdistrict, under the charge of a sergeant; and that the stations at Sheffield and Coalgate should bo added to tho Ashburton sub-district. The numerical strength of the force was totally insufficient, for its efficient working. The police force of this district had been starved for years. Twenty-one years ago when he came to Christchurch there were fifty constables in Christchurch, and tho population was only half what it was now. He could not say that the fifty men were too many then. Six of the forty men in Christchurch had been added within tho last eighteen mouths. To deal effectually with crime and disorder the force in Christchurch should bo fifty men. There were five police officers twenty years ago in the district he now had charge of, and at tho present time there was one himself. During tho five years ho had a large number of meu physically weak, who often Lad to go on the sick list, a large number of not sufficiently high intelligence to satisfy him, and a large number in no way fit for tho work they were performing—men who had no sense of duty themselves, and in whom there was no spirit of obedience The powers of inspectors had been very much curtailed of late years. Formerly they had authority to remove,sergeants and constables from station to station within their district, but it had been taken from them, and they were never consulted as to promotions or transfers. They know nothing of transfers till these occurred. The constables knew that ■ the inspectors’ powers had been curtailed, and that it was not by steady attention to duty that promotion and advancement were gained, and they sought promotion and advancement through political influence. Tho system directly bred insubordination m the force, and the men ceased to look to their officers for advancement. The Commissioner knew nothing of the men appointed to the force. Ho did not see them, and no inquiry was made about them by anyone connected with tho force. It was absolutely requisite that candidates should be seen by the Commissioner, or by some officer of the police force. He believed that retrenchment had been carried out in the police force more than in any other branch of the Government service. Eighteen years ago, cut of 23 officers 12 were retired, or reduced to the rank of sergeant. Tho superintendents, the senior officers, were reduced to inspectors, and .£IOO a year taken off their salaries. Sergeant-majors were reduced to first class sergeants, first class sergeants to second class, and so on throughout the force, and a large number of constables were discharged. One or two large reductions had taken place since. The colony had gone in for the cheapest police force in the colonies, and had got it. Victoria had 33 officers, 49 first class sergeants, 50 second class sergeants, 141 senior constables, making a total of 1414. New Zealand had 7 inspectors, 23 first class sergeants, 12 second class sergeants, 9 third class sergeants, and a total strength of 740. Now Zealand had one policeman to 1461 of the population, Victoria one to 832, New South Wales one to 692, South Australia one to 1041, Queensland one to 579. New Zealand was the only colony where the police had no pension system. What was wanted was that the Commissioner or some police officer should see candidates, that the Commissioner should have complete control, and that there should he no ministerial or political influence. Districts were far too large. His own district was about 250 miles long. When the five inspectors were in the Canterbury district, the railway service was the same as it is now. Tho officers were four sub-inspectors and an inspector. There should be sub-inspectors at the large centres and in charge of sub-districts. He looked on the reward system in force as most demoralising to the men. He believed that New Zealand was the only colony which had such a system. It induced the men to go for the money and bred jealousy and dissension. Men for doing tho most trifling things were continually asking for rewards. The pay of the men was far too low. He would be glad to see pensions, the establishment of which would have a very excellent effect on the force. Men should be allowed to remain in the force until sixty years of age. A central depot for training was absolutely needed. At present the men were sent to duty without any instruction. The new men in Christchurch were under the charge of a sergeant while on the streets, and there was a weekly school. Mr T. E. Taylor, M.H.E., entered and took a seat at the table at this stage. Examination by the Commissioners continued -.—Witness was very much opposed to the continual removal of men, for_ it tended to cause the force to lose touch with the public. A detective should never he transferred unless there was absolute need for it. The information a detective acquired in one district was virtually lost when he went to a new one. He thought the fewer duties constables had outside their police duty, the better it was for the force. Men were apt to forget that they were policemen if their time was taken up with other duties. A constable acting as Clerk of the Court was apt to think himself above police duties. The old rate of pay, starting at 7s a day, with a pension, should he restored. Ho would like to see married men have house allowance, if it could be done. He believed in advancement in rank, and not in pay alone. There should be at least two ranks of constables. He would give the same pay to all members of the same rank, and no long service pay. It would not interfere with efficiency if the men were allowed to let their leave accumulate for a few years till, say, a couple of months’ maximum had been reached. The minimum standard of height should he sft 9in,and the minimum age for admission thirty. It was a woful mistake to admit men at forty. The present training was utterly unsuitable. Recruiting should be from the whole colony. He did not see his way to recommend rcduc-

tion of the hours of night duty. Many of the men wore too weak for tho present duty. It was very important that there should be a medical officer to tho force in each centre, as there formerly had been. He thought the extension of the franchise to the force was highly injurious; it made politicians of the men. Colonel Pitt: But if you took the vote from tho men would not you have to take it from their wives too ? Witness said that was a new question on which ho had not thought. the men a vote was injurious to the force in averv wa.v. The New Zealand licensing laws' should be made tho same as tho English in regard to persons found in licensed houses on Suuday, and after hours. It was a practice to listen to voluntary statements from accused persons after arrest, but he did not consider it r irrht for a police officer to make a false suggestion to’a’ suspected or accused person. The accommodation at the local stations was good. Colonel Hume said he' would ask Mr Broham some questions later on. Mr Kippenborgec stated that he appeared on behalf "of two° constables against whom charges had been made. The Chairman said that tho Commission would not hear complaints the first day. The evidence would be of a general character. ■”* ~ , . Mr 'J'. E. Taylor said he would bring forward the complaints which had been made about two constables next day. In reply to Mr Tunbridge: Inspector Broham said there should be a sub- | inspector at towns like. Invercargill, an.d f 1 at each largo centre. The appointment of one here would lighten his duties very materially. He looked upon the present system of recommendation of candidates for the force by “ responsible persons” as utterly worthless. Ho did not think tho beats in Christchurch were too large; they were laid out for ton men a night, hut often there were only five on them. An augmentation of five men was absolutely necessary. He had hoard that there had been complaints made of the arbitrary action of inspectors in years gone by iu removing men, but ho had no doubt similar complaints were made now. •Within the last six; months he had been consulted as io promotions and transfers. What ho had previously said applied to the state of things prevailing until lately. A constable should be able to attain to maximum pay in fourteen years. It was a most unfortunate thing for tho police that men were transferred to the force from the Permanent Artillery. Rewards should go to the pension fund, as should the emoluments for outside offices In other colonies tho Government gave largo grants towards a pension fund. To the Commission; There was no need of the office of chief detective. There were not sufficient detectives. There were six in Christchurch twenty-one years ago; now there were three. The grades of detectives, four, were right as they were. In the absence of the inspector the chief detective was responsible to the sergeantmajor iu charge of the station. He did not think there was much Sunday trading in Christchurch hotels or iu shops. To Mr Tunbridge: He would put a first class detective in charge of other detectives. Plain clothes constables should receive an extra allowance. He did not know that there was much street betting here. In places where “ tote ”, betting in the streets did exist, the present law was not strong enough to cope with it. To the Commissioners: The police here did their duty in reference to houses of illfame; since tho passing of the Summary Jurisdiction Act there had been no difficulty in that respect. There was more undetected crime in the district than there should be, but he attributed that to the police and detective branches being numerically weak. At the conclusion of Mr Broham s evidence the chairman asked if anyone present had any evidence to give. No one came forward, and the chairman announced that the Commission would' resume taking evidence at 10 a.m. next day, when the charges against Constables Barrett and M’Kenzie would be gone into. The Commission then adjourned.

The Commissioners spent the afternoon in inspecting the force on parade at the Christchurch depot, and an inspection of the depot and the suburban stations.