THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1897. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3262, 20 October 1897, Page 2

THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1897 . THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

With which are incorporated the Wellington Independent, established 1845, and the New Zealander,

Having consulted with Mr Tunbridge, the Right Hon the Premier has decided that an enquiry should be held into the charges which have been bandied about so long concerning the alleged evil conduct of certain members of the Police Force of the colony. Mr Seddon further stated in the House yesterday that the only proper method to adopt was to set up a Royal Commission composed of the new Commissioner of Police and one or more Stipendiary Magistrates. When the announcement was made there was a chorus of approval of bon members on all sides, and it may therefore be taken for granted that the decision of the Government meets with the entire approval of the House. Tke fact that Mr Tunbridge himself has decided that a commission of enquiry should be set up does away with any objection we may have had, as we have all along held that his wishes should first of all be consulted in the matter. The 'proposal that the Commissioner himself should be a member of the Court of enquiry will, we think* find universal favour and there can be no doubt as to the value of the investigation in his case. Few reasonable men would have been found objecting to the Commissioner himself dealing with the charges, but as he has expressed a desire that he should be assisted in the work, the Government has very properly decided to carry out his wishes. J

The Premier, in mating his statement to the House yesterday, declared it to be the intention of his Government to hand over the control ot the Police Department to Mr Tunbridge; to give the new Commissioner a free hand; and in doing this the Premier has shown his wisdom. In future, the Commissioner will be responsible to the country for the conduct of the force of which ho will be the executive head, and he will have to bear the criticism which will naturally follow upon the assumption by , him of the onerous duties of his high and responsible office. That he has some excellent material with which to work no one will deny! that he will meet with difficulties in the carrying out of necessary i oforms is certain. And here we would reiterate the statement that the House should, without delay, taka nto its earnest consideration the question of the retirement of a number ot men who, it is known and acknowledged, are past active service •, who: have given the best years of their lives to the service of the colony ■, but who, if retired with but the ordinary allowance, would find themselves in a condition which, while it would be' hard indeed upon individuals, would be discreditable to the colony. Let us take a case in point. Sergeant Fillers, who, we believe, now lies in a critical state at the 'Wellington Hospital, was some time since stabbed while in the discharge of his duties at Wanganui. He has suffered a great deal since that time, and has had a number of operations performed upon him, until at last he has been laid upon a sick bed, from which it is possible he may not rise. But we will suppose that the'Sergeant recovers sufficiently to leave the Hospital and report himself for duty. Is it reasonable that he should again be detailed for active service ? Yet, according to .the regulations as they stand at present, this faithful fellow, who has had his life shortened while in the execution of his duty, it retired would get but one year’s pay as an allowance 1 Is this either fair, reasonable or humane ? We believe we are safe in saying that ours is the only police force in the British dominions in which no provision is made for its members, A man at present joins at .610 pep mouth, and ofttimes out of that wretched pittance has to support a wife and children.* He is expected out of this small wage to pay rent and maintain himself and his family decently. Advancement is by no means sure, nor is it rapid. Even the highest pay of a police' constable is poor in comparison to that given in other parts ot the world, and yet we expect these men, the guardians of life and property, to devote their best years to our service, only to be turned adrift when they are no longer able to efficiently discharge their duties. These men run considerable risk j they have to face danger unquestioningly. At all hours of the day and night they are liable to be called upon to serve in emergencies, and yet we wonder that a percentage of them succumb to temptation and bring discredit upon themselves and the force to which they belong. It is absolutely necessary, if we are to have a force, which shall reflect the highest credit upon the colony,* that we should be generous as well as just with its members; that we should institute proper rates of pay, offer inducements to excellence of service and personal conduct by providing for their advancement by merit, and institute a fund out of which every officer —no matter of what rank—shall receive a sufficient amount to keep the wolf from the door when the time shall hate come for his retirement from the force. Of course, the payments from the superannuation fund — or whatever name it should be known by—will solely depend upon the conduct of the men themselves. This,, in itself, would be an inducement to the men so to conduct themselves that when the time came for .severance from the service, either by voluntary retirement or through old age, they would be in a position to claim the fullest amount set down under the regulations.

In the carrying out o£ the enquiry which has been arranged for by the Government we trust that justice will be done to those men who will be called upon to answer charges which have been imdo against them and that no attention will be paid to the tittle-tattle which has been encouraged by persons who expect a policeman to act as a spy and a sneak instead of an upright, self-respecting officer. We trust that the day is far distant when members of the police force will bo expected to harass and annoy the public by acts of unwarrantable interference. At the same time, it is manifest that there has been a considerable amount of laxity, which must at once and for ever cease. In deciding that Mr Commissioner Tunbridge is to have an entirely free hand in the control of the force, the Government will be • doing more to uphold the dignity of the head of the department; and to free the men from the interference of a set of busybodies than anything else that has happened ‘in the history of New Zealand. When, in the opinion of the Commissioner, it becomes necessary for changes to be made, there willi be no more of that interference from , members of the House which has occurred in the past. It is only too well established that members on both sides, of the House continually pester Ministers in this matter of the movement of constables and their officers, and that the Government is to be freed from this nuisance in the future is certainly- a good thing. JT may be that the enquiry about to be instituted will, lead to the discovery of bad conduct on the part of individual members here and there, but we hope and believe that as a' force, the police of New Zealand will pass through the ordeal satisfactorily.