POLICE CONDITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23318, 11 April 1939, Page 10

POLICE CONDITIONS

CRITICISM OF SYSTEM FORMER DETECTIVE'S VIEWS Criticism of conditions in the police force was made yesterday by Mr. Charles P. Belton, of Auckland, who resigned recently after nearly 12 years as a member of the force. Mr. Belton was stationed in Auckland, where he was attached to the detective staff, later in Hamilton and finally in Gisborne. "The rank and file of the police in New Zealand to-day work a minimum of 48 hours a week, which is spread over 60 hours for some, and, in oneman stations, is spread over six days and six nights," Mr. Belton said. "Even if the 40-hour week were not possible of application in any other department, it is essential that the police should have it, but this is not the case." In an endeavour to draw public attention to what he claims arc weaknesses in tho police administration, Mr. Belton yesterday sent to the president of the New Zealand Labour Conference in Wellington a telegram drawing attention to some of his views. He emphasised the importance of an efficient force to deal with the law-breaker, and quoted tho long hours worked by the police. Lack of adequate transport was only one of the many difficulties under which the New Zealand police laboured, Mr. Bolton said. The result was that in spite of the individual efforts of the members of the force, tho system as it was now operated gave the offender more freedom than was desirable in the public interest. Mr. Belton was {imminently associated with tho organisation of tho New Zealand Police Association. Ho was elected the Hamilton delegate to the association, and on being transferred to Gisborno ho was later elected as delegate for that district.