Truth THE ART OF BACKSCRATCHING.

NZ Truth, Issue 117, 14 September 1907, Page 4

Truth

THE ART OF BACKSCRATCHING.

Published Eveky satueday MornmG at Luke's Lane (off Manneessteeet), Wellington, N.Z. SUBSORIPTION (IN ADVANCE), 13S, PEE ANNUM. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1907.

' . ♦ The art. of back-scratohin'p; seems not to have been lost or forgotten i-n New Zealand, and the fact that a "returned" detective has been saying pleasant things concerning Boss Bobby Dinnie indicates rather forcibly to "Truth's" mind that the policy of "you scratch mv back nnd I'll scratch! yours" is ra.tber too. pronounced m the upper circles of Yew Zealand police oflidialGoro. anfl wfo' fr/f t d° es nQt makc-.ibr inw~ .■*•-"•-"'•. l«t alone encc'7 ra^p •■ • — -- •* . th r ir duty foJth J -i«v . ■'•••! 'h3 hope r' 'V .^iv- 1 -f m;.. ,-v mfr tion i« v wt.nu-ftiW >. .rfniy Mwve

kas been published a lot of .^ush; real rig>ht-down fulsome il&ttery ' concerning Police Commissioner ' Walter Dinnie. Perhaps Dinnie likes it. Mayhe it tickles Mm and makes him feel a proper sort of popular cuss. Whatever its effect may he, ''Truth" is' going to strike out m another direction, and if there is going to be any hack-scratching— well a rake will he employed. It is curious, considering the .fact that ' Chief Detective Mcllveney, who has just returned -from a globe-trot after m'esser Mclntyre, should no sooner set foot in 'Wellington than he should' at onee 'begin to gush concerning his chief, the said, chief, he it remembered, ' from whom all blessings flow, particularly blessings m tine shape of promotion. And now that we are discussing promotion, "Truth" wants to know what Mcllveney will receive this time for catching Exhibition Mac ? Is he to he made a Sufof-Inspector, or what ? It is not so very long ago that Ilveney was made a Chief Detective, a sort of special sleuth-hound who was to investigate serious crime, as if the demons m the various centres could not he depended on to do anything m that shape. Now 1 , Mcllveney seems to be one of the clique. He's a grip boy or has influence, for whatever did he do m the way of thieftaking to warrant 'him being hoisted head and shoulders above his fellowofficers all over New Zealand ? He has done ' nothing, absolutely nothing, if we except the fact that once or twice he was successful in- .- securing the conviction of sly-grog sellers —more often he failed. Therefore, it only looks natural that after Mcllyeroey has been touring the world he should return and say "Dinnie is the best 'bloke 1 m the world." He cannot he beaten as a Police Commissioner and is a bUgger favorite , In Scotland Yard than he is m Wellington. .* • • Now,- Dinnie is not very popular m New Zealand, for the best' reason that he is hand 'm glove with a clique that see that others sink while they, swim: They scratch each other's back, andas Mcllveney is m the cltq;ue it looked quite the proper thing that -the scratching policy would be pursued, and this is the shape it took.. A New Zealand detective, just back from the Old Lands, tells of the siege to which he was subjected by the many police officials isvho emevudred after- Commissioner Dinnie, and the fact that the Viisitkie detective belonged to Commissioner Dinnie's staff was a passport 'arou>nd the London police systems under t'he able- pilotage of the metropolitan: officers. Now, this is strange, because we happen 4o know 'quite a number : of New Zealahders who have ', visited London, who made enquiries at Scotland Yard regarding Walter . Dinnie. and the result was that he was altogether unknown.,. And if Dinnie did happen, which we doubt, to bs popular at 1 .Scotland Yard, t-hat does not m the least alter whe fact that out here m New Zealand he has 'been' a frost ; that under his regime there have been more police scandals .tliao ever ; that ivnder his present rule the police force everywhere is a seethfoi-ic mass of 'discontent. Din»ie has bis favorites, and he is not slow to .visit his mark of favor on those who have caught his eye. Mcllveney is one of these lucky dogs, and m the circumstances the "demon" can -hardly be blamed if he attempts to -hackscr&tC'ti m tie way shown. Now, more appeared m this puff paper regarding what Dinnie has and has not bee© m Scotland Yard"; but the fact that he served, only m the record branch is shifted. More, a great deal more than necessary was made out of the fact that Dinnie has effected notable improvements m. the finger-print system of prison record and identification, and "it was officially claimed that, m oonseJqiuence of his elaboration of the system, New Zealand is m the fore-front m the development of this science. .'. '. Commissioner Dinnie observes the eternal- fitness of things m unfailing progression m his department, and every new achievement to cope with criminology is incorporated by him into New Zealand methods." It reads very much like Dinnie's opinion of Dinnie, and no doubt that one of the new achievements to cope with .criminology is to rather around him a lot of . pimps and spies who are called ' Sergeants, who. never did a day's, hard .toil m their lives and who sit m , easyTCushioned chairs m comfortable, offices coping with the .progress of.. Bill Sykes.and Co outside. • ' .'"*'•■ ' *.'•■ .' .". ..*■'.. It was stated m. the N Hou3e. v ,the' other evening that Dinnie has not been engaged for a term of years ; that he was a full-fledged- Civil; Servant, who could resign -it he ; felt'dissatisfied! with affairs. Now,- Dinnde is said to he a finger-print : expert,, and it seems very '. funny that his son and' another beardless youth should run the -joint: How is that for new achievements ? Doesn't it mean that Dinnie is not only feathering his own nest, but that of bis family m addition ? If Dinnie had any manliness x about him he would give up his official gbost. As a boss policeman he is a frost. As an administrator . his record is rotten. The reform .or good effected by him during his term has bee<n nil- It's all very well for Mcllveney to scratch the;' back of his boss. The back must be ■hard-up when a sly-grog catching Chief Detective has to take up the scratching. The most serious of Dinnie's rotten administration is 'his failure to appreciate the work of thorough and conscientious officers m various parts of New Zealand. These men, with honorable amd clean records, are growing old m the service. They have been faithful to their trusts. Their ■ deeds m overtaking criminals and preventing crime have been published from one end of New Zealand to ■, the other ; but, because they have no back-stair influence, no grip influence, no friend at court, Dinnie seems determined that only the crawlers, the spies, the back-scratchers and the wretched wasters shall prosper. It is to be hoT>ed m conclusion that when the time does come. to fill Dinnie's shoes, a man shall be appointed from within the Dominion. We havo several capable men (it is these men to whom every credit is due far what espirit de corps exists m the force), who can be safely, depended upon to he, dead to all feelings of "You scratch my i back and I'll scratch yours/"