MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1901. OUT OF EVIL—GOOD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7066, 27 July 1901, Page 2

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1901. OUT OF EVIL—GOOD.

GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT.

mo oetter instance ot the truth ot the old axiom that out of evil good may come could be imagined than the result of the motion proposed in the House yesterday afternoon by Mr Geo. Fisher, the junior member for Wellington as an attack on the administration of Mr Tunbridge, as Commissioner of the Police Force. There has been no such scathing criticism of the force in the House since the cebbrated speeoh of Mr T. E. Taylor in 1897, and there is ample food for comparison between the two. Both men had a full House to speak to, both men had carefully prepared speeches, diverging not one iota from-fhe question at issue, both men had marshalled their facts so that even the exasperating time limit should not lessen the strength of their case or affect the force of their conclusions, and both mpn are masters of the art of public speaking—logical rhetoricians and impressive speakers. But there, unfortunately, the resemblance ends. 'Mr T. E. Taylor's name; is synonymous with everything that is honourable and straightforward in political life, a politician without guile or equivocation, while Mr \iecrge Fisher's politicalcaieerisof such an extraordinary ■character that it would need the pen of a gifted writer to do full justice to it. Mr Taylor was actuated by a desire to see the police force removed from political influence, improved in morale, efficiency and general conditions; Mr Fisher merely wished to serve the interests of his particular friends in the force, regardless of the consequences of any other individual. In result the two attacks are strangely similar, Mr Taylor's action did more to assist Mr Tunbridge's magnificent work' of reform than anything else—it made.the lot of the delinquent harder and recovered a great deal of the:reproach 0 f political interference. Mr Fisher's attack strengthened the opinions generally held as to the Commissioner's efficiency, by eliciting tributes of appreciation without ex-, ception from members of all shades of political, belief, and accentuating .the necessity of the politicians leaving the department' alone. - A refreshing incident of the derate .was the admirable defence of the'Hon J. McGowan and his ''determined ,1 declaration that'-che

_would. allow of no interference inimical to the well-being of the force, which drew expressions of approval from all sides of the House. While we regret the - incident, which was degrading to Parliament, the result should be to strengthen the satisfaction with which Mr Tunbridge's work is viewed from one end of the colony to the other by all who admire the maintenance of law.: and order, the inculcation of, discipline and good conduct in the force, and the relegation of intrigue and conspiracy to the obscurity from which they should never have been allowed to emerge. Those who are responsible for Mr Fisher's action—and the source of his inspiration is well known—will repent in sackcloth and ashes the attempt they have made to exalt themselves above their more efficient confreres by the use of the most baneful of all the forces utilised by disappointed members of the force.