POLICE INTERVIEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 123, 24 April 1936, Page 14

POLICE INTERVIEWS.

INQUIRIES AT SCHOOLS.

EDUCATION BOARD’S VIEW

Recently the Wanganui Education Board received a resolution of piot'est from the committee of the Halcombe School regarding the interviewing of pupils by a police officer during school hours. The board sent a copy of the resolution to. the Inspector of Police at Palmerston North, who forwarded it to the Commissioner of Police. At the meeting of the board on Wednesday a reply Was received -from the Commissioner, who said that from eiiquiries it appeared that the police and the P. and T. Department received complaints regarding the breaking of insulators in the Halcbmbe district. A constable made enquiries and visited the school iii plain clothes. Obtaining the beadmaster’s permission, lie interviewed certain boys. The headmaster Was present during part of the interview With each boy and could have remained throughout the interview if lie had so desired, hut he left at intervals to attend to his class. The boys admitted breaking insulators and this fact Was communicated to their parents as, soon as possible. It Would be seen that the constable Carried out Ills dlity in accordance With departmental instructions regarding the interviewing of school children and that tlie Halcombe School Committee’s resolution- did not .represent the true position. Mr J. K. Hornblow did not coilsider that the reply was satisfactory. The home, and not the school, was tlie right place for the police to interview pupils, ho said. The board decided tb inform the Commissioner that it was of the opinion that pupils should be interviewed at theit hollies by the police and not at schools.