THE POLICE ENQUIRY.

NZ Truth, Issue 215, 7 August 1909, Page 4

THE POLICE ENQUIRY.

THE COMMISSION CONCLUDES ITS CHRISTCHURCH SITTING.

More About Promotions.

MASONIC INFLUENCE NOT RAMPANT.

The Case of Constable Hammond.

At the sittings of the Police Commission, held m Christchurch, Constable Davia Jackson, of Aldington, appeared m support of a grievance that he had not receive I promotion. Recalled V. G-. Day, S.M., who spoke highly of Jackson's service at Akaroa and other places. With regard to prosecutions for ' sly grog-selling m Ashburton, cross-question-ed by Mr Bishop, Mr Day believed that the constable who received the reward for detection should not appear for the prosecution, as there was a possibility of the constables having a tendency to strain the case. He suggested that the Crown Prosecutor should conduct all cases under the Licensing Law. Mr Day said that having "no-license" districts m his circuit, he probably had more sly grog cases before him than any other Magistrate m New Zealand. The S.M. said that there were men m out-stations who were liable to be overlooked m the matter of promotion. Constable Leahy, of Oxford, was an officer m point. In reply to Inspector Gillies, Mr Day said that -there were rumors of unprosecuted sly grog-selling m Ashburton, but it was VERY DIFFICULT TO DETECT ACASES. Constable Jackson their called Solicitor Donnelly, who had known Jadkson for" eighteen years. The lawyer gave Jackson a very high character, , and said that his" conduct and intelligence was above that of the average constable. - Ex-Sergeant Rutledge, now -retired, said that when under him at Afearoa, Jackson was a fit subject f of promotion. Lawyer Hunt also testified to Constable Jackson's competency at Akaroa. Maurice Roache, ex-constable, of 25 years' expeiieride", gave Jackson a good character. He would not mention him from a literary point of view, but they couldn't' get an Oxford graduate for 7s a day. Station-Sergea"nt Johnston stated that Jackson was a loyal and energetic officer, and suitable for promotion. Sergeant Reiner said that Jackson was a steady, energetic and efficient officer, and had always, done his best thoroughly while under him at Addington. Inspector Gillies expressed his satisfaction with Jackson r whom he had first recommended for promotion last year. ' In reply to Dinnie, Gillies said that he hadn't recommended Jackson previously for promotion, as there were better men. Mr Bishop passed a name down to Gillies, who said that he had not recommended that man- fot promotion. Mr Bishop said he wanted to know for purposes .of comparison. To Dinnie : He had subsequently recommended the man for promotion when- he applied, and he thought there was no comparison between him and Jackson. Jackson skid he joined the Force m April, 1892, and he detailed his service m i various places. He had always prosecut.ed m his own cases. When he first api plied for promotion he was told that he ; hadn't passed the police examination. He entered for that exam, later, and passed successfully. He' got 59 marks ouM of a possible 60. He was innis 49th jyear. Jackson said that he ; Was as old a mason t ;as there was m the room,, but his want !of promotion disproved ' the statement that Masonic influence had been used by : him. ; Mr Bishop said he didn't believe Masonic membership made any difference. ; To, Dinnie, Jackson complained tha? ■there were some men promoted' who had not passed their exams. To Gillies r He had never heard that the Inspector was" m the habit of receiving confidential reports^ from' sergeants. * To' Dinnie: : He had; known- one instance where a police candidate had b«en- wrongfully admitted, but the constable who recommended the man had been severely dealt with. Constable' Moloney, Alaarda;, complained that m 1905 the witness and another constable had apprehended Wo escaped prisoners, and two defectives from Wellington received a reward of £5 for the work. * In repfy to Dinnie, the constable saitf that he was aware that the reward wag not paid 1 by tfte- 'Police Department but by the Prisons Department?. This' witness confirmed Fitzgerald's statement that there were rumors m the district that Constable Wade had WRITTEN ANONYMOUS LETTERS TO HIS SUPERIORS, backbiting '-different constables. Inspector Gillies assured the Commission that he had never seen stfch statements. Sergeant Ryan, Lyttelton, said h& entered the force m October, .1877, and was promoted m 1907. He expressed the opinion that the service was not attractive and' increased pay would be *an advantage. He had heard- a good deal of talk about dissatisfaction m the force on this account. The Sergeant com-, plained of juniors being passed over .tne heads of their seniors, although not more capable. He had known juniors to be promoted out of their turn, but who were qualified for promotidn. In reply to Inspector Gillies, the witness said he had never known of the Inspector receiving confidential reports. Constables charged with offences had every right to cross-examine witnesses agair.st them. To Dinnie : He had no reason to believe that the Commissioner had special men appointed m each district to spy upon . the police. The witness expressed his belief that no constable had been shifted from Lyttelton by Masonic influence. Sergeants Remer and Miller also gave evidence.Speaking as a member of Parliament, G. W. Russell said he had never under any circumstances attempted to use influence with a Minister or the Commissioner of Police with regard to any policeman who had misconducted himself. The educational standard of the force was not high, and only a small minority of applicants would succeed m passing the fifth standard. With a higher standard the chances of promotion of good men would be greater. He thought the Police Force should be the recruiting, ground for other pubMc service branches, like factory inspectors, landing and tide waiters m the Customs, and municipal inspectors, such men to act as a reserve public force. There should be a standard knowledge of law and of the higher classes of police work. There should be prepared for use a small compendium of criminal law work, containing a synopsis of the law of evidence, with careful definitions of criminal offences, the volume to be used as a texfrboolc on which members of the force could be examined. Special series of law lectures suitable for the police should be given by the university colleges, and could be "arranged for at small cost. The defective force should be improved to attract the best class of man, who should bo put through A COURSE OF "SHERLOCK HOLMES," then: was, the detectives Plight study uu- '

; der a university college teacner works on criminology. To Dinnie : He didn't know that probationers were instructed by a sergeant who had passed a solicitor's exam. Ex-Sergeant Rutledge complained that three months' sick leave granted to him before he left the force had been counted as three months' leave due to him on leaving the service, fie had afterwards got one month's leave extra. Dinnie remarked that he had forgotten the details of the case, and Mr Bishop said he would have the files produced. Constable James O'Connor, who enrolled on May Ist, 1907, lodged a complaint that on Thursday he had been severely cautioned and reprimanded for reporting that junior men were given watch-house duty instead of senior men. I The caution and reprimand had afterwards been, withdrawn. Inspector Gillies said that during hia absence at the Commission the caution and reprimand had been conveyed to £>'- Connor by means of a draffc memo, and this Gillies had withdrawn when he learnt the facts. Afterwards^ however, he found that the caution had been deserved, as the constable's report was impertinent. } A local tradesman produced an eleci trie lamp, cost 11s, refills 2s 3d, the life \ of which was 1000 hours. Dinnie said that similar lamps had been tested, and showed a marked deterioration of the light after use. Sergeant William ' Miller said that the pay was not high en6ugh to attract the best class of men. Sergeant Burrows, who has twenty-four years' service, said that the reason why young men. wouldn't join was that they didn't like the discipline. Acting-Tec. Gibson, who enrolled m 1902, said that Peeler Quartermain, m 1 young Dinnie's finger-print office, had been . promoted over his (Gibson's} head, and the circumstance had caused dissatisfaction m the force. ! Dinnie asked Gibson if he thought he could fill Quartermain's place, and Gibson replied, yes, if he got the opportunity. , Constable Evenden, enrolled m 1893, said he had been compelled to spend nine years m the fast and furious centre of Rangiora, and he had never been offered a t station, although there were only two minor offences against his name on the defaulters' list. In reply to Dinnie, the witness said ho knew of no reason why he should not get a, station. Inspector Gillies said that Evenden's position at Rangiora was similar to being m ' charge of a station, and Dinniesaid he would look into the matter. Chief 'Tec. Bishop, who joined m 189Z, believed that chief 'tecs, should have the same rank as sub-inspectors." The travelling allowances of detectives shoufd be increased, they should be given saloon passages on steamers, and the hike allowance should be increased from 2s a j week to 3s. .Station-Sergeant Johnston joined the force itt 1876 and he recommended an increase of pay for station-sergeants from 13s 6d to 14s 6d per day. He was quite satisfied with the promotion he had already received. He knew of ho reason why Constable Leahy, of Oxford, should not have been promoted. Sergeant Reiner mentioned two cases of immorality that had taken . place amon& constables m the Christcburch district, but not- m the city. THE MEN HAD" BEEN DISMISSED. He knew of no immoral bobby at present m the force. The case of Constable Hammond was again brought up by Solicitor Alpers, who was given permission- to speak, lie had been a resident m South Canterbury at the time, and , knew the details of the Pleasant Point case. He agreed, with Mr Bishop that the constable had committed' technical perjury m swearing that he had personally served a Summons, but described it as an act of great stupidity. In the opinion of -Mr Alpers Constable Gillespio had acted m a revengeful spirit m bringing the matter up at this late hour. A number of testimonials were produced testifying to Hammond's good character. Mr Bishop said he had discouraged the bringing up of the matter, and failed- to understand why Gillespie had done so. Though different from wilful and corrupt perjury, technical perjury was a serious matter-in the case ot a constable ; but personally Constable Hammond had his sympathy, as it was hard that the matter should be raked up- after the constable had rehabilitated himself m the force, proof of which was that Hammond had since been placed m charge' of a district. He didn't desire to have any reference ,td. the matter; m Ms report, nor could he allow it to be used to the prejudice of Hammond. District Clerk Robert McClelland advised a rise m pay to obtain a better class of men, although the standard of efficiency was now higher than it had been for some years past. Sub-Inspector J. A. McGrath joined the force m 1878 ;. left m 1882 ; rejoined same year ; was appointed- detective m 1885; Chief 'Tec. 1899, and Sub-Inspect-oi? 1009. He held that detectives shouldn't be prevented > from rising to the higher ranks of the service, simply because they were detectives. The absence of promotion niiglvt keep men from joining the detective branch, which' he "■^regarded as the right arm of the service. Chief detectives m the centres should rank as sub-inspectors and have similar chances of promotion to inspectorships. Discipline m the Christciiurch force was good. In his belief the men now joining were not inferior to the applicants of days gone by. Personally, the only influences McGrath had brought to bear upon his superior officer for promotion were hard work, and strict attention to duty. Constable Hammond expressed the opinion that constables should not have to pay for their uniforms. Inspector Robert James Gillies said he joined the Royal Irish Constabulary m iB7O, and the "New Zealand Armed Constabulary m 1875. The strength of the Christ-church Force was 140", and the number of stations 47. The detection of criminal offences reported had been about 96 per cent, for some years. There were not now so many applicants for admission to the force, and he attributed the fact to a great extent to insufficient pay. Tho travelling allowance of sergeants 'was inadequate and applicants' for admission to the force should be placed upon six months' probation. There was an impression m the force that the least deserving men 'successfully used political influence to secure advancement, but the Iflspßctor would express no opinion as to whether such influence was used. To Dinnie : Sin** 18S3, of men now m the Chris tchurch district, eleven _ had been convicted of being under the influence, of licuor, seven i>) 1 h.'se being within the last six years. He had had __ no complaints made to him regarding Sergeant Ramsay. The main reasons why men didn't apply far ad-n^ston wore th «s I

rate of pay and dislike of disctplltte ; filed 1 that the police force was from time to time held up to public opprobrium. He believed that the holding of these Commissions of Inquiry affected the discipline of the force, which usually didn't t come back to the normal again for some years. Self-respecting men felt the position keenly, and personally he would ha glad if his age of retirement arrived on 'the morrow. He had always loved the service, but be believed they were many men m the force who held aft oprnioji similar to nis own. Mr Bishop said that the unfortunate thing was that the few cases? of miscdnI duct were held as being typical of tfca whole force. The Inspector said that if these few undesirables were weeded otrb the force would be regarded m a more favorable light. Dinnie : I think you will agree with me that the whole cause of the Commission arises entirely from a few malcontents m the service and a few that have left it ? Grillies : There is not the slightest doubt m my mind that it is due to a few men who are continually agitating and disturbing the service, and. I could name a good many of them if 1 wished. To Chief 'Tec. Bishop: He was thoroughly satisfied with Sub^lnspector McGrath. In his opinion the four chief detectives m the cities should rank as sub-inspectors. In reply to Dinnie, Chief 'Tec. Bishop said m connection with the Papakaio murder, inquiries made by the Dunedin detectives were unsatisfactory, and a detective was sent down from Christcfiurch —although it was the practice of detectives m a district m which a crime had been committed to make the necessary inquiries. Sub-Inspector MdGrath infoTSned _the Commission that when a detedrive' he had always found the travelling allowance insufficient. Alfred New-berry complained that the police had jnot prosecuted a man who had assaulted him, but Mr Bishop held that THE POLICE COULDN'T BE BLASIKD if they considered there Was evidence on which to base a prosecution. Dinnie said tnst the matter wouM be fully inquired into. This concluded the Chxistchu'tca. evidence, and the Commission on Saturday morning adjourned to the West; Coast. The order of itinerary will probably be : \ — Reefton, Westport, Nelson,. Klenhefm, Wanganui, Napier,. Auckland, Thames. [ and Wellington.