AT PALMERSTON NORTH.

NZ Truth, Issue 217, 21 August 1909, Page 9

AT PALMERSTON NORTH.

On Saturday morning last Mr Hishop sat at Palmersion North. The first witness called was JScr&cant Stagpoolc, who." ventured to say that the chief cause, of complaint among i;hc men was the s-.kiall' j;ay. He went on to say that \'r.c. men should be taught boxing and other athletic exercise, so that they. could take care both of themselves and any prisoner they might have to deal with. As to travelling expenses, wuiicss said he considered it a disgrace fd¥ men aud their families to have to travel steerage on steameis. Questioned -L\y Diumc, Stugpoole declared . the police probationers' class useless. The men who * came to him from that class were ignorant, and imagined they knew a lot. , 'Sergeant Eowdcn, Fcilcling, considered that tho inspectors were responsible for the dissatisfaction m the promotions. He had only had one cause for dissatisfaction, when Kuh-lnspcctor Black was promoted over his hrad. He wrote about the matter, anti was told it was an oversight. The district clerks v.ere THE. CAUSE OF A LOT OF DISSATISFACTION, and dictated impertinently to their seniors. He would like to sec country inspectors done away with, and only those m the four centres; retained. Sergeant Beattie, of Taihapc, knew nothing of political influence m tiie lorce. Commissioner Dinnie pointed, out that there would be a very small stafr of detectives to select from. Evidence was also given by Constable F. Woods (Foxton), Constable Russell (Palmorston North), Alexander Crozicr (a police pensioner), Robert Edwards, J.P. (an architect), Albert Graham (farmer), and Sub-Inspector O'Donovan. The last-named considered that m future no man should be promoted to sergeant after he had reached the age of 45 years. The senior sergeants of the cities should be drafted to country statious. It seemed to him that the promotion of district clerks created dissatisfaction. There should be a clerical staff, who should be subject to a test. He agreed with Sergeant; Stagpoole that there should be a period of, athletic training, and men should be m the depot four months. With regard to the promotion of detectives, they should be placed m the same position as anyone else. The position of detective? should be clearly defined, and he did not see any objection to the creation of a separate clas^ The chief detective should be subject? to the Sub-In-spector m charge of a" district. Further evidence was taken at Napier, but nothing of an exceptional nature was adduced..