TIMARU TRAPS.

NZ Truth, Issue 129, 7 December 1907, Page 5

TIMARU TRAPS.

— « THE CASE OF EX-CONSTABLE INGRAM. Sergeant Bowman's Bumptiousness. A Hint to Inspector Gillies. Under the splendid regime of Police Commissioner Dinnie, promotion is easily gained by those policemen who pimp and spy on their fellow officers and thus earn the glorious appellation of smart, painstaking oiiicers. There are, and no one will doubt the statement, a lot of.crawlers m the "foore'e," and they got on amazingly well, while men who do not crawl and cringe are kept far m the background and never get a rise and are insulted or ignored if they apply for more pay. More than that, too, if a snout is" ever taken on any man by . any bumptious superior, officer it is only a matter of time when that man is worked out, or things are made so unpleasant for him as to force him to resign. Now down at Timaru there is a specimen of this sort of. superior officer m the person of one Sergeant Bowman, who, though supposed to be under the supervision of Sub-Inspector Green, seems to do' just as he likes, and . "Truth" has, before to-day, heard things concerning police doings m Timaru and wondered what sort of a' policeman Green is. Anyhow, what we are driving at just now is the case of ex-Constable A. Ingram, late of Christchurch, who seems to have been . . TREATED PRETTY SHABBILY at Timaru," to which place he was transferred a few. months back. Ingram is a 'married man, . whose wife is m delicate health. He was stationed at Christchurch and a- doctor told him that to benefit his wife's health the best thing wojald be to go and live m a seaport' town. Dr. Symes certified as. to the. woman's health, and Ingram was accordingly transferred to Timaru., He was not long at the later place when he fell foul of Bowman, who reported him for a breach of the regulations m wroug*fully working his beat. Despite Ingram 's assertion that he had been called to a row m a house m Le Cren-street, which. Bowman refused to believe, and didn't take the trouble to Verify, the policeman was duly reported and fined five shillings, and on top of it all he was ordered back to Christchurch. As . Ingrain had been transferred to a sea-board town on account of his wife's health, he refused to transfer to Christohurch and resigned, and has since sought and procured more, profitable employment where there are not so many liars, sneaks and , crawlers about. Sub-Inspector Green seems to have turned a deaf ear to Ingram's expostulations of unfair treatment and laconically replied that he could not help it. "Truth" does not know what the Inspector means by that. Surely to goodness he could have investigated Ingrain's assertion that he v had been called to the house m Le Cren-street, and if Ingram was making a wrong, statement . then it. would ■)' have 'been another matter. Now., as for Bowman, it is not so very" long ago, that it was placed m Ingram's power to report him for drinking m uniform. Bowman did not beg his subordinate TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT IT, but another individual did, and Ingram refrained from making a report. Anyhow, Bowman's " sneaking conduct m reporting Ingram on a very -technical' breach of regulations is different from Ingram's attitude when he caught his superior swankkeying m uniform. Ingram apparent--1 ly is not a sueak and, therefore, was not likely to rise rapidly m the '■'foorce." Ingram has, as we have said resigned and sought other employment, and it is to be hoped he will find it better than the task of lumbering drunks. The police force is filled with sergeants and superior officers of the Bowman type, and they are the sort that thrive. As the police authorities take a great deal of notice of what "Truth" says oh the "foorce" it is to be hoped that Bowman and his superior Green Will be asked a question or two. This paper is positive that Inspector Gillies, of Christchurch, could make vast improvements m Timaru if he set about it a business-like manner. Timaru policemen are always squabbling, and Gillies ought to Vet to the bottom of things and shaVe everybody up.' The comrmssionpr encburafres spying and pitnpinrr, hy the rotten system he hns intrortnopd. but thnt is no rpi<?nr, w hy honnst fnrt con-'C'iMil ; nnp oT'ccrs •^lifinl ! ]-o i liv H !■■-'!• :m •' b""iecl and reunrrml without just cause.