POLICE COMMISSION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6870, 14 July 1909, Page 9

POLICE COMMISSION

POLITICAL INFLUENCE ALLEGED. ADMINISTRATION OF THE SERVICE CRITICISED. EX-MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE FORGE SPEAK. PRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, July 13. The Police Commission resumed its sittings to-day. William Walker, an ex-constable irom Invercargill, said he waa in the New Zealand force from. 1878 till 1893. Irom what he had heard, political and private influence was greatly on the increase, and was particularly made use of in Auckland and Wellington. He did not know how to prove one case, but ho knew men thought unless they had a political pull on the Commissioner they would be passed over for promotion. Witness suggested that the office of Police Commissioner bo removed from the control of the Minister of Justice and placed under a strong man. Ho knew two men either of whom would fill the office to the satisfaction of the x>ublic and with the conhdenco of the wen— Mr J. W. Poynton (Public Trustee) and Police Inspector Mitchell, Invercargill. He would suggest that Commisioner Tunbridge be recalled it possible. He had not a word to say against the present Commissioner. 'The police were not sufficiently paid, especiaUy married men. Witness also urged, greater concessions to the force, and criticised methods and the men employed to detect sly grog-sell-ing. In the selection of candidates more reliance should bo placed on the report of the officer in charge of the district the candidate camo from. Witness's opinions were based on observations ail over New Zealand. Political and private influence had been exercised as long as he could remember, but. he thought discontent was much more serious now than formerly. Witness remembered a candidate being sent by a Cabinet. Minister to the Commissioner for admission to the force some years ago. The Commissioner refused, and a few days afterwards back came the candidate .with an order from the Minister to tak& him on, and he was put on. That was in Commissioner Tunbridge’s time. In reply to Commissioner Dinnie, witness said he did not know any case where political influence had taken effect since the present Commissioner took office, AN EX-INSPECTOR. Frederick Mallard, of police, expressed the opinion that when a man joined the plain-clothes branch he should remain in it. There were political pulls in all police forces, and he himself had been retired owing to such a pull. Another witness, who was recently released from gaol, complained that two detectives, though not having an iota of tangible evidence to connect him with certain robberies, went to his mother's house (in his absence) and to his place of employment. There they questioned Kim, and finally took him into custody. Ho interviewed Inspector O'Brien, who did not seen? disposed to entertain his complaint. Witness threatened to lay a complaint before a superior official, and Inspector O'Brien told him to put his complaint in writing. Witness had not done so. After examination by Mr Bishop, witness promised to hand bis Worship the names of three or four people who had seen the' "arrest," with a view to their being called as witnesses. Sergeant Higgins, stationed at Lawrence, expressed the opinion that constables should receive higher wages. He did not think there was much m the cry of political influence. He could not see why a chief detective should not be promoted to the rank of sub-inspector.

THE "TJSKFXJIi MAN” SERVICE, inspector O'Brien thought every member of the force had confidence in. the present Minister of Justice. There was a general impression, amounting to a feeling of unrest, amongst members of the force, he might say from the extreme north to the extreme touth, that the Commissioner had stationed in each centre some member of what was known as -the "useful man” service. That man's chief function was to convey to the Commissioner through some ohanno lor another names of members of the force who spoke in praise or dispraise of him. Witness knew nothing of such appointments himself. He would not say there was a word of truth in it, but it was only fair to the Commissioner that he should have an opportimity to deny it oh oath. Ji there should be anything in that opinion he was afraid some constables stationed in his district had not been speaking very favourably of the Commissioner, nor some reason or other there had been little or no promotion amongst constables in this district for some years. He had recommended constables for promotion, but they had not been promoted. Mr Bishop: I shall get their names from you. , , , . ~ Inspector O'Brien said he thought it desirable that the Commissioner should take more notice of, and give more effect to, recommendations of district inspectors. He had made recommendations ’which,- to his surprise, had not been acted upon. Transfers in an inspector's own district should be made if the inspector recommended them, and in making appointments of constables to nolicense districts inspectors should have absolute choice- In the matter of. recruiting inspectors should be allowed to enrol a good man in their«districtc.when they saw one, without there being any necessity for the recruit to go to Wellington to present himself for enrolment. He thought it highly necessary to offer more inducements to a better class of young tnbn to join the service. The pay of a constable joining the service was too low. Constables should commence at not I«SS than 8s a day, and instead of increments of 6d a day every four years, increments should come about every three years. House allowance of 7e a week was far too little for constables who had to reside in a city. It should be at least IQs a week. A constable should have added to the free list of uniform he was now receiving one pair of boots per annum. Sergeants should have equal advance in .pay, and house allowance increased to 14s per week. A •chief detective should attain the rank of sub-injector. He did hot think that would entail any, increase in. pay. A chief detective should receive the saine house allowance as a sub-inspector. It would be -druel to say that because a man chose to join thh detective branch he should not get higher than chief detective. . A man was. selected for de-■ tective work because he showed more tact, intelligence, and ability .than an ordinary constable, ,ed why .should he ‘ be debarred from attaining the highest rank in the service? The number, of defaulters from other districts in the Dominion sent to this d:Ftri6t in Dte last four or five years had occasioned. witness great surprise, eo much so that 1 be had begun to look upon the Dunedin district as a common dumping ground for defaulters. On the other, hand, he, had his defaulters, but his defaulters in 1 about nine ..cases out of ton were left with him. He had had; Constables sent, him not long ago .whose defaulters' sheet gave witness much' concern: Tt was anything but creditable to a man, and the thought this man not tfiicharged from the .service in the district whence he came?” iECRumNO met Sods; As to the ptosehi mgd£ of recruiting constables. he was-ndbib agreemen.t- witij it He bad Bad. constable febnt tp him from the depot Whom he could not have conscientionsly recommended to master a chimney sweep. The men's physique

and degree of intelligence were deplorable. They possessed neither one nor the other. Another matter that had given dissatisfaction was the apportioning of awards for special convection, such as for sly grog-selling. In one case a person convicted was a notnons sly grogseller and had given: a great dead ot trouble. For over a year he had a zealous constable in the district who had worked hard day and night for months to bring the offender to justice. Finally he succeeded, and a penalty or ,£SO and costs was imposed. He recommended Hi at four-fifths of the reward should go to the constable stationed in the town. The other constable. merely executed a search warrant, which did not occupy twenty minutes. But tho reward was apportioned in this way:—-Ai 10s to the constable who did the major part of the work, and «£1 10s to stable wbo did practically nothing. A LITTLE GRIEVANCE P

In cross-examination by Commissioner Dinnie; Inspector O'Brien said he was not aware that he had a little grievance. The Commissioner: What was th© recommendation of the previous Commission us regards youieeli? . Mr Bisnou: \V© have that on record. Inspector O’Brien: Whatever recommendation was mad© by the Commission was brought'about, I think, by the evidence Mr Dinnie gave in Wellington at trie last moment before the curtain dropped on that inquiry. Mr Dinnie; Do you- think the Commission would not take into consideration the evidence it obtained here? Witness: I don't think any evidence was obtained here to justify .the_ Commission in making a recommendation to my detriment. Mr Dinnie: I should be sorry that any , Commission did not take into consideration all the evidence placed before it. Such Commission would be a farce. Witness: I should be sorry that any Commissioner of Police should think it proper to make a charge behind an in-apec-tor’fa back that he dared not make co his face. You refrained from giving

evidence in Dunedin, while I had the opportunity of asking questions and calling evidence to dispose of any allegations you might make, but you went to Wellington, when neither Sub-Inspector Green nor myself were present, and, according to a newspaper account, made a sweeping statement which neither Green nor myself were given an opportunity to contradict. "Why didn't you give evidence in Dunedin, so that the subinspector and myself could reply? The Commissioner; I had not the opportunity, and was not asked. WAS IT FAIR? Witness; Do you think it fair that you .should make a sweeping .charge behind the backs of your officer?, and that they should have no opportunity to reply? AD Dinnie: I was bouua to give my general evidence at headquarters when j. was asked to do so. Witness; You could have given what evidence you chose in Dunedin. Mr Dinnie said it had been arranged by the Commission that his evidence be given in Wellington. Mr Bishop said if the Commission had been aware that the Commisclouer would make statements rebooting on officers* those statements would have been heard in tne districts where the officers were. Possibly it was a mistake. Inspector O jL»rien • did not heai tne evidence and was not given an opportunity to reply. Be would take care nothing of the kind occurred on . this occasionIn reply to inco>eotor O'Brien, Mr Bisnop said Mr Dinnie could have given evidence in Dunedin, but the Commissioner thought he should close the proceedings by giving evidence in Wellington. Of course, the Commission did not anticipate what the evidence would be. Inspector O'Brien: He did not tender evidence in Dunedin, and I am satisfied there is no other Commissioner of PolUce in the British dominions who would have done what he did then. Mr Dinnie: That is a matter of opinion. Witness; Yes, and I put if forward boldly. THE ALLEGED SPIES. In reply to furtner questions by Commissioner Dinnie, witness taki he wouid not mention tne name of ally officer who told him of the rumour that the Commissioner had in each centre a man who was a sort of spy. In consequence of the liiilure to promote in this tustiict there was a tendency on the part of men to apply for transfer to neighbouring districts.

A discussion then took place regarding men who bad been recommended by Inspector O'liiien tor promotion, but who bad not been promoted. Reference was made to the case of a man who was promoted hj the Minister of Justice contrary to air Tunbridge's wishes and in spite of Mr Diimie's protest. The question of promotion of district clerks after ten years' service also cropped up. Mr Bishop remarked: We shall touch oix tha/t aspect very seriously during thb Commission.

In further cross-examination Inspector O'Brien said he recommended three men for promotion last year—one over fifty years of age, another with eleven years' service, and a third with, ten or twelve years. Mr Dinnie: Barring district clerks, is not the service of men promoted about fourteen years? Witness said he thought some had been promoted with less service, and whose appointments were not special appointments. Witness went on to refer to the case of Sergeant Muggridge, of Wellington, who had been promoted.

Mr Bishop said Muggridgo was promoted over 200 others after seven years 1 service.

Commissioner Dinnie said Muggridge held a responsible position, that of departmental storekeeper. Inspector O'Brien replied that constables acting as clerks of Court in towns >f importance had greater responsibilities generally than Muggridge. Witness did not know the man referred to, but he contended he had no right to be promoted before others, equally as good and with longer service. After further discussion Mr Bishop said he would ask Inspector O'Brien some questions at another time, and the Commission adjourned.