A BOGUS BUSHRANGER.

NZ Truth, Issue 132, 28 December 1907, Page 6

A BOGUS BUSHRANGER.

MATENGA MAN-HUNT. , And Other Police Matters. Commissioner Dinnie's, Scandalous ' 1 Unfairness* . ~ Matenga, the Maori busliranger, lias^ been captured after a bloodless cam- v paign, and Detective Broblerg and party have been given all the credit that the daily press can legitimately give. 'Now, it appears to "Truth," as no .doubeit will appear to . sensible individuals, that the capture . of this saffron-colored desperado, isn't any particularly big ostrich plume m "the capturing party's cap. It looks as if led, by a civilian to "Mat's" camping ground, /the police 'pinched the; sinner, and the rest' was easy ., So simple was it that the daily papers couldn't say much m anybody's favor, ,so it. did the next 'best thing, and congratulated Commissioner Dinnie and -buttered up Broberg and party. It wasn't, a smart capture by any stretch of the imagination. "Matty" was evidently awaiting developments, and perhaps got tired of dodging traps, and t cliucked up the sponge. . Now, w-hen-V-we come to think of it, Matenga isn't a particularly blood-thirsty sort of individual. It is alleged that . sixyears~ or so ago he borrowed ' a horse without the permission of the owner/ and a warrant was issued for ■ his arrest. Anyhow, he was far too smart 1 for the jpolicc, so the daily press MADE KIM ATSgfSHiRANGER, and judgine froui a-^'ew paltry camp roljberies, principally food,' Matenga Jiasn't bushranged worth a cent. He never Stuck up any hanks". He. never bailed up any coaches and warnedv unoffending individuals , to throw" up ■their hands or chew lead. . It's just a big pity that "Matty ,„ didn't see the Kelly Gang idnama or the "Robbery Under Arms" moving pictures, he might have stirred things up a bit. Great opportunities never come- to some men, even poor dagoes * of the. Matenga type. It's unfortunate for "Mat," however, that the expedition for his. capture should have set out at this festive season of the year, when everybody kids himself he is on good terms with everybotfyi tiecause even policemen /want to Xmas with, their families. Had ' it not been Xmas, the odds are Matenga JWOIIKI not have' 'been so "smartly" captured. It would have been another glorious man-hunt after the outlaw and outlaws, according to tho Law, can* be shot on sight. Now that the poor devil 'of a dago, the. daily press bushranger that never ranged a copper cent, is captured without the loss of one drop of blood or the firing of a bullet, is caged - at last, everybody on that expedition bar Matenga will have had a big bellyful of goose and plum dufi. It mig-ht be interesting to learn what Matenga's capture cost the country.* Somebody has had a glorious outing, and no doubt there will be promotions galore over this "smart" capture. Some member of Parliament ought to ask what the capture of Matenga :has cost the public Treasury. "Truth" thinks the figures will be very interesting: read-' ing for the taxpayers.; On THE SUBJECT OF PROMOTIONS, no •doubt Broberg's success m walking into a pah and snaring Matenga. will earn him a Chief Detectiveship or' 'Sub-Inspectorship, and, '"Truth"' >wamts to say a few words on a rather question m the "foorce,*' at-; •anyrate m Wellington. The latest' ds that of Constable M 4 Gaffney, of the 'Commissioner's staffs •Now, the easiest way to become a"jsergeant is to, be. attached to the s staff, but; it is not the easiest thing m the world to become attached to that st<aff unless tiiere isrMasonic or club influence •m . the irearground. "Nearly, everybody, on the Commissioner's staff is a sergeant. To be more plain, since Constable M. Graff ney got promoted, there is only oncvplain copper left, . arid his-; songis, ''Now, We shan't -be ; Long." It is, of course, only, a ihattefoi time ere.tte.goas .up/ one,, arid the rest' ofyshe'^foorce" very, naturally ;Watit' ,to know the reason . why^ ; ''Truth" wants tovgi've this-matter ttie publicity, it'deserves. Last jweelt we-shpwe'S* that Commissioner Dinnie's, policy. is • to : debar New. 2/ealanders froni, ttiqforce altogether. He has his. pets, T and'aibxight lot of pimps aiiii crawlers thcy^are, too. • It is too apparent '^altogether that under Dinnie's rule the honest, hard-toiling,, and gener-; ally; efficient officer, unless he turns f spy. fan his brothers and crawls, and" cringes, will, not rise a step m the "foorce. ' ' The promotions of the past twelve months have not;: been' based" on all-round painstaking- arid useful work. The- "Sergeants" Of the staff . do clerical work and rise rapidly, but men who tramp the streets from one year's end to another, who have fifteen and twenty years' clean . service to their credit, can, as , far; 'as the Commissioner is concerned, go on. for another fifteen or twenty years. Promotion is not their lot.. .-T-hejpe' .-is a GREAT DEAL 1 OF. FAVORITISM existent, that is altogether too, plain, and it is • 0n1y. .". -natural ; that there should be. a. great deal of" grumbling amongst ''the rank and file. Men have actually' been recommended for promotion, and Com- • missioner Dinnie has consigned; or seemingly consigned, = the recommendations to the waste paper basket, because the men have not been- ' advanced, and have no. pull. All over the Dominion there arc deserving and . conscientious officers whose claims for promotion are' based on good and • faithful, and m many cases, very clever, services. Why have- these- men been kepfr back? In some cases it is because they are Roman Catholics'. In others it is because they lack Masonic ahd club' influence, and "Truth," for its part, which might oc might not be worth anything at allj will keep pen-prick-ing the Commissioner until some shadow of justice is done these men. Some of the promotions m the past have been scandalous. The last one,' of Gaffney, is outrageous, though Gaff ney naturally does not think so. There will be a. big split up m .the police ranks one of these days, and then the public will see how far this paper has been from the truth.