TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9117, 16 May 1891, Page 6 (Supplement)

TO THE EDITOR.

Bin,—On perusing a sub-leader in your issue of this date, I was somewhat surprised to learn that the members of the police had agreed or wero willing to consent to give a small amount from their daily pittance, as you rightly described it, towards creating a pension fund for men retiring after a long term of service, or meeting with any disabling calamity. This is all very nioo and pleasant, Sir, but there is one little item in the bill that I strenuously warn tho men not to aooede to on any account. If they do they will get badly loft; that is the condition that any man who is dismissed for misoonduot will forfeit bII claim to superannuation. Now I know every officer in the New Zealand police force, every sergeant-major, every detective, and nearly all the constables, and I know one officer, who, to please the Commissioner of Police or the Government of the day, would have every constable under him dismissed for misconduct. But how, if tho constable does not misconduct himself? Well, I will tell you how. This officer makes his own bye-laws quite regardless of police regulations sr colonial statutes, and if one of his bye-laws promulgated to-day be infringed to-morrow by a constable who was 50 miles away and never heard of the ukase, he will have him up, and, in the triple character of witness, prosecutor, and judge, pass sentence upon him of gross misconduct, and make out a defaulter's sheet against him for the information of head office. Hoping you will not delay the publication of this timely caution to the rank and file, —I arr, to,, John M. Walkeb, ex-Detective. Dunedin, May 13.