Broth of A Boy

NZ Truth, Issue 1199, 22 November 1928, Page 6

Broth of A Boy

TO look at Police-sergeant Hogan, officer m charge of Rotorua, is to see a real O.S.in men; m fact, he mssrht be classified among men by the number on his collar — that is, number one. His figure-head during the course of his many years' service has been buffeted by wind arid rain, and tanned by the sun of many summers, but like a sound fruit this has but mellowed it, and to-day it is still that" of a handsome man, displaying a kindly tolerance of the shortcomings of his fellowcreatures, whom it has been his duty for many years to watch over, or even restrict m their various exuberances and peccadilloes. Of no man. could it be more truly said that justice has been tempered with mercy or common sense, and though it behoves him at times to be stern, it would be hard to believe that he could be unjust or malicious. Hogan has none of the bombast or self-importance about him that is peculiar to .some men who are placed m authority over others. He is mentally and physically too big to be small, and it is to his credit that he is doing m Rotorua what he did at Hastings, where he lived for eighteen years — that is, putting down the larrikin element which is eternally a menace to the peace and rest of any community. He will always remain so while votehunting legislators restrict the use of a well-administered cane which would do more to keep New Zealand gaols empty than all the wordy homilies of magistrates and those cranks who preside over so-called welfare courts.