DUTIES OF THE POLICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8295, 5 December 1912, Page 7

DUTIES OF THE POLICE

CAUSTIC COMMENTS BY JUSTICE EDWARDS.-, ■ Press Aesociation. AUOKLAND, December 4. Some comments on the duties of poke®, constables were made by Justice Ld wards during the hearing of a case at the Supreme pourt to-day. One of the witnesses, a' police constable, produced a notebook ‘‘to refresh his memory," and stated what prisoner had said when examined by the witness at the polio© elation. The constable’s .evidence revealed the fact that the prisoner had been subjected bo severe cross-examination at the station. After the witness had. concluded his evidence the judge said that though the constable had doubtless meant well he would be wise to take the advice given to constables by the speaker’s illustrious predecessor. Judge Richmond, who in a similar case had laid down the maxim that the duty of a police constable in charge of a prisoner was “to keep his ears open, his eyes open, and his mouth shut." At the conclusion of the case his Honor, in summing up, said he took strong exception to the way in which the prosecution had strained for a conviction. The manner in which the accused had been examint ed prior to his trial was not allowed under the English constitution, nor indeed under the laws ot any civilised country. It was true that in France and in Scotland a prisoner was examined before his trial, but he was examined by competent judges, and not by police constables; The judge reviewed the constable’s evidence, and said that there was no doubt in his mind that the examination had been “a sort of trap’’ foi accused. It was very improper, according to English notions, for the i police to adopt such practices. If an examination were to be made, it should be made by a responsible person, and not by a young constable burning with zeal and anxious to gain his stripes. He expressed the hope that there would be.no recurrence of such practices as long as ho was or the bench.