The Police Commission.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7213, 18 May 1898, Page 3

The Police Commission.

INSPECTOR TUNBREDGE'S SUGGESTIONS. (by telegraph.) Wellington, May 18. The Police Commission were occupied all morning hearing Inspector Tunbridge detail the alterations and reforms he considered necessary. All classes should be abolished, and recruits taken from all classes of the community and undergo a physical and mental examination. The Government should provide uniforms. The appointment, of oonstables and sergeants should be left in the hands of a commission. The men should begin at 6s and rise to 9a, according to their years of service; sergeants from 9s 6d to 10a 6d ; inspectors from L3OO to L4OO ; detectives should be paid as sergeants. Lodging allowance of Is per day should be granted to men without quarters after three years' service. It was impossible to get an efficient force without pensions. The maximum should be three-fifths salary. He would deduct 4 per cent, from salaries, and all fines under the Licensing, Gamin?, and Police Offences Acts should be paid into the pension fund. Government departments receiving gratuitous services from the police should pay in an annual grant to the fund. He did not consider that the colony should be called on to pay much more than it now paid as retiring allowances. Police surgeons should be appointed in every important centre ab least. The force was now undermanned, and required 50 more men. A new rank of sub-inspector should be created, to enable Inspectors to devote more time to thoroughly Inspecting station?, which ou»ht to be done at least once every quarter. Sergeant-majors should be abolished. Leave should be allowed to accumulate to 28 days, or, if a man desired to go outside - the colony, to six weeks. The licensing law should be amended to make persons found on licensed premises during prohibited hours punishable. He believed that this would enable the police to check illegal trading and do away with a good deal of t he present outcry.