THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 13 September 1909, Page 2

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

SITTING AT WELLINGTON. "CLIMB DOWN'"' BY'THE LAMBTON QUAY STAIT. (United Pbess Assocuraow^jr ". WELLINGTON, Monday. '.A The Police Commission opened. Its inquiry at Wellington to-day. X Mr Alexander Gray, solicitor, . applied for leave to represent . the " Lamb-ton Quay police. He said thai . while the Commission was sitting at Dunedin, the Lambton Quay police. . held a meeting. They were -nqt'ac- X tuated by any antagonism to ithe " in- " quiry,and wished to withdraw the sug- .;, gesticm of any want of -confidenceXin A ~ the Commission. The men, upon reflection, cbhsider that- their action . was unwise, and-Hf any excuse could be offered the men said it was- ; the? .■■'.■ more or,' less shdrt Jeiporfs telegraph.' : ed.-f rom rKinediri.- ; They Xhad '•' .beeuX' :'■ -■ ■'■. under a.^ mistaken - impression. / tb«t :.'■•'-• -some .individuals-, in .- r p^ediß." -ireiff: ■■'.' being offered an opportunity Ip? ?ea* . • tilat'ing.petscmal grievances* Mr. Bi|Ko^:,Tbat Is vat the- oplnloa ..- of ths Wellington police. • ' .'■■ Mr-Giai! They entirely--Witfectanr,-;*W '?un!(rgestiQ]i oi - laislojalty or--kWant (rf confidence.- la the Coramia- » I'sion., ''A- '.{• ," '; '„■■'.- ''• M» Bishop expressed pleasure^ * at finding that tho 'police here had acknowledged the error of their ways. ■Reading'th'e resolution they had passed,- there was no -doubt aa to what actuated the people who. were responsible for it. The Commissioner Characterised the resolution as absolutely improper, and he should "he sorry to -think that a body of 40 men belonging to the police force should meet, together and .speak about matters of which they' knew nothing. A s the result of ; a . haphazard meeting the men had carried, -•■. a resolution tantamount to a v'oite -of '. -■"■' want of . confidence in tha person'ap-pointed-to hold the Commission, 1 and an expression of confidence -in their." own head. Personally, hV (M* Bishop) had treated the watte*- with absolute contempt. He had hoped, that the meetfcig was not the out* - '- ' OAma oi the views of the Wellington, police as a body. To him It appear- -' ed to. have been engineered by _ one. or two individuals. He certainly: took exception to 'being personally held X responsible for a great deal of what . had been described as irrelevant cvi- ; dence. .'His desire had been" to obtain evidence wbich would place the ' police force on the soundest possible . footing, and enable it to be' spokes • of with credit anywhere. .' - J. Meikle came, 'forward and asked leave to give evidence concerning a constable' who he alleged had com- -. : mitted perjury at his (Meikle's) . -trial, .'•" • -„ ... The Commissioner ruled that . he-".-* could not hear the evidence. Constable J. R. Thompson attended as a delegate' for the Buay police, and; &sHfA ; f os Is a day more, frial^g by : <3dX every- three. y«A.¥» - to a maximum of 10s for. eoostaible» that 18. days'- leavo bo gi^nt^d; .-%%-- '-. -.-.. nunally; that the house allowance for ' married men -bo increased; that the ' accommodation of 'the Lambton Quay station be improved. Witness said^ that the conduct of the Wellington:.' police was excellent. Liquor waß not taken into the barracks, and he "" knew nothing about two" 'sergeants having to go to the barracks to make " peace; nor did he know of a larrikin" element in the force. He had heard' nothing about a "handy or a': "special" man, and did not bellev» such a person existed. Referring to the crowded state of X'X the bedrooms ,at the Lamhton-quay, barracks, Mr Bishop said he thought X the state of affairs absolutely Inde- : cent. '.''•.' ' - '-' X Constable Jf: '& Qallagher endorsed 'Z. Constable Thompson's evidence. '■ Constable Doyle, representing" Mount Cook staff, argued that the' pay should : be 8s- a day for eoji- -. stables, and a free pass on railways when on holidays. Ho also' ventilated grievances regarding emoluments.