THE POLICE COMMISSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 13

THE POLICE COMMISSION.

j Oamahu, April 13. | The Police Commission opened here this | morning. The forenoon sitting was devoted to the examination of Sergeant O'Grady, in charge ef the sub-district, as to the conduct and efficiency o£ the local force. As an old officer \ in the force, the sergeant stated his opinion that the state of the force was due to the inefficiency of the heads of the department, who had no practical knowledge of police matters. The commission then inquired into a charge of misconduct against Constable Green. Oahabtj, April 14. The Police Commission has been sitting here for the past two days, but so far only trivial matters have come before them if the state* ment of George Dash, a coachbuilder at Waimate, is excepted. Mr Dash stated that he had occupied a window in a chop opposite a hotel in Waimate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. last Sunday, and during thut time hud seen 70 persons enter the hotel by a side door. One of j these men made five trips to the hotel, and after j the last staggered up the street. He had seen tiro prohibited persons drinking out of a black bottle in full view of the police station. The police and the publicans were too friendly. The witness said he had scon the policeman driving about in a publican's carriage, and the other kept his cow in a publican's paddock. Several of the psraons who obtained drink were prohibited persons. This subject-will be continued to-morrow. The other cases referred to a charge of drunkenness against a constable, charges of drunkenness and untruthfulness against the sergeant in charge of the station, the larrikin nuisance, and a matter in which a woman brought a charge against the police of failing to take efceps to recover a svatch. but for which pnrposs she would nob lay an information. Mr 'i. E. Taylor appeared in most of these charges. The commission site again tomorrow. April 15. The Police Commission terminated its sittings to-day. The Waimate Sunday trading matter j came up again. A number of those mentioned by Mr Dash denied that they had gonrc to Ibi? hotel for liquor or been supplied with it. Constable Parker, the officer in charge of the station, proved that he had laid twelve informations in the year for breaches of the Licensing Act, and obtained nine convictions. He had hired vehicles from publicans who kept livery stables, and the department paid for them. Hh cow had grazed in a publican's paddock, but he paid for the grazing-, and it was there with the cows of others, who also paid. The Sergeant of Police at Oamaro denied that he had been under the influence of liquor at the time 3 mentioned by witnesses, and called a number of witnesses as to character and sobriety. Timaibu, April 16. The Police Commission sat here to-day and completed their work in one day. The police officers made a few complaints about pay and promotion. Mounted Constable Crawford, 16£ years in the force, said h« was still in the second class, though he had a clean conduct sheet and a good record for meritorious service and was promised promotion years ago. The gaolkeeper, Weathered, complained that his promotion had been checked by au undeserved black mark given him by Inspector Bullen in Hawke's Bay years ago, and demanded an investigation. He submitted a long Hit of suggestions for the improvement of the conditions of service, which he was asked to put into writing. All spoke in favour of a pension scheme and giving up the long-service pay towards it if necessary. Mr Taylor investigated a charge against the constable at Fairlie of being unduly friendly with one of the publicans there, but the charge' was not sustained. The R6V. W. Gillies complained of the lax administration of the licensing law, and gave several instances in support. In the case of a raid on an/illicit still a man rode out ahead of the police and warned the parties. He must have got the information from the police. Constable Parker, Wai mite, attended the commission to deny the imputation cast upon him at a southern sitting that when stationed in the Cluth* district he gave ex-publican Simmonds information that a raid was to be made on sly grog-sellers. He gave this an emphatic denial. Colonal Pitt : Can you give us any information how the knowledge travelled about Clutha that detectives were coming from Dunedin ? Witness said he could as to the first raid. Five or six constables, the inspector, and detectives left Dunedin together by one ordinary train for three different points. That waa just i after the Dunedin races, and there were three" I publicans returning from the races by the same train. When they got to Balclutha and saw all the police they thought there was something wrong, and so they set the wires to work, and when the police got to the districts there was nothing to be found. It was common talk that that was what happened. How information got about respecting later raids he could not say. Some evidence was given about the alleged drunkenness of two officers in Timaru within a few years past. The commissioners left for Christchuroh in the | evening. Cheistchdkch, April 18. i The Police Commission opened their sittings here today. The Chairman said that no complaints would be taken to-d.ay. The inquiry would be confined to general matters. | Mr Kippsnberger appeared for two coni stables against whom charges had been made. 1 Inspector Broham, the first witness called, S*i&. *bA Ipjwfc jwfw ted of XQS wen, divided

among 30 Btatious. The subtfivistcjis wcro not sufficient for the eiScioat working of the district. Ha had recommended the formation of other sub- districts. The nutneric&l strength of the force was totally insufficient. The police force had been starved for years. When he came here 21 years ago there were 50 policemen in Christchurch, when the population was about half what it now* is. He was not prepared to gay that it was more than sufficient. Six of the men he had now had been added in the last 18 months. The force should be up to at le&Bt 50 men to deal effectually with crime and disorder. During the last five years he had had a large number of men physically weak, who often had to go on the sick list. A largs number vrere in no way fitted for the work they were wanted to perform — men who had no sense of duty themselves, and in whom there was no spirit of obedience. The powers of inspectors had been very much curtailed. Now they had no authority to remove from station to station sergeants or constables, nor were they conBulted as to transfers, about which they knew nothing until the transfers were made. Everything was controlled from Wellington. Constables knew tbe inspectors' powers were curtailed, and they knew that it was not by steady attention to duty that promotion and advancement were made, and they sought them by political influence. Tbis bred a spirit of insubordination, and the men had ceassd to look to their officers for advancement. Men were appointed to the force without the- commissioner having any knowledge of them. No officers were consulted as to the character of the men applying. The commissioner or some deputed officer should see all men before they admitted. He believed that retrenchment had been carried out in the police force more than in any other branch of the Government service. Out oil a force of 23 officers 18 years ago, 12 were reduced. The fauperintendents, the senior officers,- were reduced to inspectors and £100 a year taken off their salaries. Sergeant-majors were reduced to first class sergeants, first class to second class, and so ou, and a large number of men were discharged. Further reductions had since token place. The color.y got what it went in for — the cheapest polics force in all the colonies. New Zealand was the only colony where the men did not receive a pension. There ahould be no political or Ministerial influence. The districts were too large. His district, for instance, was about 250 miles long. When the district had five inspectors the railway service wa3 the same as it is now. The five officers consisted of four sub inspectors and himself as inspector. The officers at the large centres should be sub-iuspeefcors, having charge of sub-districts. He looked upon the reward system as most demoralising to the man. For doing most trifling things the men were continually asking for rewards. The pay of the m6n was far too low. He would be glad to see pensions provided for men entitled to them after spending a lifetime in the force. He thought men might be allowed to remain in the force until they were 60 years of age. A central depot was absolutely needed, for at present the men went straight on duty without training. It was remarkable that things went so well. He was opposed to the continual removal of men from districts. Detectives should never bs transferred except with very special need. The information acquired in 'one district was practically lost by removal. It would take them two years to become properly acquainted with their new surroundings. The less duties men had outside their police duty the better police officers were they likely to make. As inspectors of factories they came into contact sometimes with the public. He would eon&wence the rate of pay at 7s per day for soarzied men, and they 6hould have house allowance. There should be two ranks of constables — men of one rank receiving one rate cf pay — and there should be long-service pay and pensions. The mea should be at least sft 9m in height, and nob over 30 when joining. It waa & great mistake srecruiting from the Pei'mfvaeut Artillery. He would not reduce the hours on beats, and thought there should ba a medical officer in each centre. The extension of" the franchise to the men was highly injurious. It made politicians of the men. If the vote was taken from the men it must be taken from their wives also.

At this stage Mr Taylor said he would be prepared to proceed with tbe charges against i'he constables on the following day.

To Commissioner Tunbridge Inspector Broham said there were not more than halt' enough men on the beats. The Government should make a grant towards the establishment of a pension fund.

To the Commissioners : He saw no need of the office of chief detective. Sunday was well observed by the hotels here. There was considerable undetected crime due to the weakness of the force.

The commission then adjourned till tomorrow. The police will be inspected this afternoon.

At yesterday's sitting at Oamaru Constable Hannsfin was heard in support of a charge against Sergeant Conn of using improper lsnguaga in connection with the charge of drunkenness against Constable M "Donald. Hannafin stated that on the day in question Sergeant Conn 1 drew his attention to Constable M'D>.nald and asked if he thought M'Donald was drunk. Witness" replied, «i* No," when Sergeant Conn said, " You , I thought that's what you would ssay." Shortly afterwards a perfect stranger came up and expressed surprise at the language. In reply to Mr Tuubridge, witness said that in his report he did not say that M'Donald, when he marched out, showed no signs of liquor. He said he was not drunk. He could see M'Donald had been drinking. Sergeant Conn gave evidence denying that he had used the language stated. He repeated the circumstances connected with the matter and his going for the inspector in much the same terms as when he gave evidence in Dunedin. He did not care how many witnesses Hannafin brought, he could not bring anyone who heard him speak to Hannofia. Mr Wardell stated that he saw no une in calling further evidence from Dunedin. If Constable Hannafia wanted to bring a charge against Sergeant Conn ha had another course to pursue.

During the hearing of two casea of alleged asiault after a soiree at Tahalika, which came before^Mr Hawkins, S.M., at Balclutha, his Worship, after hearing most of the evidence, was constrained to ask what made people so bad tempered at soirees. Was it tea or whisky they had ? The witness replied that it was tea. Hi« Worship remarked that then it must have been bad tea, and Mr Stewart suggested that a crusade would have to be started against tea drinking.

Wabning- — Notice is hereby given that I intend making it warm for all persons taking Woods's Great Peppermint Cure this winter — so warm that it will not allow any cold to come in, and if a cold is there it will soon drive it out. Coughs and colds will soon be a thing of the past if people keep a bottle of Woods's Great Peppermint Cure always in *&« house,-