THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10242, 3 September 1909, Page 2

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

(Pee Press Association.) Auckland, September 2. At the sitting of the Police Commission, Inspector Gullen said he thought an increase .in the pay would have a good effect. Another point was that many young men did not realise the attractions of the force, for there are undoubted attractions. There was no man more looked up to or respected than the country constable, who is pro* vided with a good house ami has Ciany advantages. Mr Bishop _:. Do. you think an increase of pay from 7s 6d to 8s will cause more applicants to come forward ? I think so.

Have you any opinion about the standard of education? —The Fifth Standard is not too high, but I think there should be more laxity in regard to a man's literary qualifications. Where a man shows that he is keen and practical he should not be thrown out because of lack of education. Mr Bishop: Yes, I know several men who are excellent constables, and I doubt if they can spell some words of three or four letters. that I__do not think there is a need for maintaining a height of sft 9in. Men of sft Bin_ with a normal chest expansion of 38in are just as good. Mr Bishop: Do you think the station sergeants have justified their creation? —Yes", I do; and if the work goes on mounting up we will need two station sergeants here. Mr Bishop: You seem to have had an abnormal amount of drunkenness here?— Yes, more in the last 12 months than in the previous three years. To what do you attribute that?— The men must come into the force with the liquor. A good many of the cases were amongst men from South Africa and elsewhere. Very few are young New Zealanders. Are there special temptations in Auckland?— Well, Auckland is a big place, and there is always more temptation in a big town. A man may get on friendly terms with barmaids and bring liquor home with him. You have had cases of bringing liquor into the barracks? —Oh, yes. You could not go upstairs at one time without stumbling oyer bottles in the passage. Sometimes there would be a dozen and a-half empty bottles brought down next morning. And was that free liquor?— The inference is that the men received it gratuitously. We set a watch, and found it on the persons of two young men. Their excuse was that friends had given it to them in the streets. W 7 hat was done with them? —They were both called ilpon to resign. Is that kind of thing now stamped out? —Yes, pretty well, though I still think a little of it goes on. However, speaking of the men generally, T must say I think that they are very good constables and a fine body of men. Inspector Cullen went on to sry that he thought the Domir'.m should be divided into four di visit "s under the control of four division; 1 ] superintendents, who would control !, e inspector s and sub-inspectors in theu- districts. It would only be necessary to-have subinspectoTS at Napier, Wanganui. Palmerston North, Timaru, Greymouth, and Invercargill. Referring to recent promotions in the Commissioner's office, Inspector Cullen said discontent had been created by these appointments. On being questioned by Mr" Bishop as to whether any attempts had been made to bring political influence to bear, Inspector Cullen said that when he was first at Auckland he was waited upon and asked to do a great many things outside of the ordinary course, but as henever did these things these people had ceased to trouble him. He could not remember the particulars of a case in which Mr Kettle, S.M., was stated to have directed that a man should he prosecuted for perjury, but in which the warrant was not issued for a month, with the result that the man got clear away'from the country. He believed that the case had been referred to the Crown Solicitor, but he could not remember exactly, as the file of papers was now away from Auckland. , "The Commission has concluded its Auckland sittings. •:, The next sitting will be at Rotorua on Monday.