POLICE FAREWELLS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19365, 1 July 1937, Page 11

POLICE FAREWELLS

CONSTABLE AND GAOLER LARGE GATHERING MANY COM ELEMENTS PAID “It is very little realised by the public to what extent the police give their time and service without complaint or reward beyond the satisfaction of knowing that they are doing their job faithfully and well,” said the inspector in charge of the Gisborne Police Force, Mr. G. B. Edwards, yesterday afternoon at the farewell to Constable R. Murray, who has retired • on superannuation. The inspector said that it was only , fitting that he should preside at the , farewell as he and Constable Murray ■ were mates together on the “beat” in Dunedin in 1906 and until he was transferred elsewhere in 1911. As a young man Constable Murray was al- ■ ways straight as a die and with his greater experience in the work always willing to assist his comrades. His 20 years in Gisborne was probably a record. A Complex Life The life of a policeman was a complex one, continued 'lnspector Edwards. They had all sorts of things to do and, although 99 hours of a policeman’s life were perhaps very dull yet the 100th hour might be exciting. When a big thing came along it was done, and that was all that was wanted. The modern tendency, not to take life too seriously, was a good one. Life in the service as a whole was a happy one and, although all looked forward to the time when they could finish, they all know that when the time came along there would be that feeling that they had not had a bad time. Police, as a whole, were looked upon with a feeling of affection and so long as that feeling continued their methods could not be very far wrong. The presentation of a travelling rug, a set of pipes, and a razor was then made to Constable Murray by Inspector Edwards, on behalf of the force in the Gisborne district. Example to the Younger Men Senior-Sergeant J. F. H. Macnamara and Sergeant L. T. Moore wished the i retiring constable happiness In ’ the • future, and the latter said he was pleased to be able to be present at the farewell in view of the previous service the two had seen together. When he was stationed in Gisborne before, Sergeant Moore said Ct)nstable Murray was always to the fore and even at his retiring age would be an example to the younger members, , with his sprightly and upright carriage. He had the walk more of a man of 22 years than that of a 65-year-old man. On behalf of the detective branch, Detective G. A. McWhirter said he had always found Constable Murray the best of a good fellow and wished he and his wife and family well in the future. Detective C. B. Belton endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker. Speaking on behalf of the men in the country stations, Constable W. H. Bradley said Constable Murray left the force as he had joined it, with an unblemished character. Other speakers who added their good wishes were Constables H. Hunter, W. R. Cooper, ; E. Wigmore, J. McClinchy" L. M. Allen, and R. Hynds, and Mr. N. H. Richardson. In reply, Constable Murray thanked all the speakers for their kind wishes. Surprise for Mr. Richardson A surprise was then given Mr. Richardson when Inspetcor Edwards referred also to the retirement of that official from the Gisborne staff of the Prisons Department, which was a full cousin to the Police Force. He ’ .had been stationed in Gisborne for the past 11 years and always had cooperated with the police, and on behalf of the force he presented Mr. Richardson with a travelling rug. Other speakers were Senior-Ser-geant J. F. H. Macnamara, Sergeant L. T. Moore, Detectives G. A. McWhirter and C. P. Belton, Constables Hunter, Bradley, Allen, and R. Murray. Replying, Mr. Richardson said he was genuinely surprised, as he had not thought any more of the call to to the station than 'to farewell Mr. Murray. He appreciated the gift because it was not often that a man received a presentation from another force, and also ,because it was the 1 first presentation he had had in his service since 1906. It was not the ' custom to make presentations to men on transfer in the Prisons Department ; and that occurred only at the end of their term of office. ■ He had rei ceived many kindnesses from the men : attached to the Gisborne force.