THE DETECTIVE FORCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9096, 15 July 1915, Page 3

THE DETECTIVE FORCE

MAY DISAPPEAR SHORTLY STATEMENT BY MINISTER IN PARLIAMENT. When the Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdmau) presented the annual report of the Police Department in the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) asked if it was the intention of the Minister to abolish the detective branch of the police force. Many reports were in circulation on the point. His own impression was that the detectives had done very good work for the Dominion, and were in a better position to trace criminals than the uniformed men could be. Mr J. Hanan (Invercargill) suggested that the Police Department should face the task of providing dwelling-houses for the members of the police force- The department was already paying rents, and there would be an actual saving if houses were built. He hoped the Minister would clear away the doubt that existed with regard to the status of the detective force. A great deal of feeling had been aroused on the ppint and an official statement was nequired. The Minister had already done a good deal towards improving conditions in the force. The Minister for Justice said he realised the 'need for police dwellings and had considered the matter. The department was spending JEII.OUO annually for house allowance, and there would be an actual saving if houses could be built. But the money at the disposal of the Government was required tor other purposes. Regarding the detective force, it was an unfortunate fact that for many years there had been friction between the detective force and the uniformed force. The detective branch considered that it was entitled to more consideration in the way of pay and promotion than the uniform brunch, while the uniform branch held an opinion that its work was more important than that of the detectives. “I hold strongly that stops should be taken to make the police force homogeneous. 1 There should be no difference between the detective branch and the police branch. The two forces should be working together in perfect -harmony. That will not mean the abolition of the investigation branch, since it will always be necessary in this country as elsewhere to have men who will condtict investigations, whether they be called detectives, plain clothes constables, senior sergeants, or something else. In Victoria’ and New South Wales the custom is to employ" plain clothes men on investigation work. I have not given any instructions up to the present, but 1 propose, when these war matters are over and normal limes have been restored, to go into tho whole matter of the relations between the two branches. I shall finally settle the matter as far as it lies in my power. I will try to deal justly and fairly with all the men who have acquired rights under, the present system.”