POLICE ADMINISTRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1930, Page 8

POLICE ADMINISTRATION.

CONSIDERATION BV CABINET RESIGNATION OF COMMISSIONER l “HOLDS PISTOL” AT GOVERNMENT BONISCII’S DISMISSAL TOO HARSH; By Telecraph-—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A statement in regard to the ra-i signation of the Commissioner of PoD ice, Mr. W. B. Mcllveney, and in regard to the inquiry concerning the dismissal of ex-Sergeant Bonisch from th® Police Force was made in the Hous® of Representatives this afternoon by ‘the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbs, Mr. Cobbe said the whole administration of the force was under the consideration of the Government. The commissioner’s letter of resignation, dated June 28, was received by him on June 30, Mr. Cobbe said. This letter did not contain any reasons for the resignation and was not accompanied by any other memorandum. Later in the morning of the 30th 'a second, letter was received from the commissioner in which he referred to the committee appointed to inquire into the case of the penalty inflicted on Bonisch. Prior to the receipt of this subsequent letter it had been decided to recommend the Governor-General to accept the resignation. The action of the commissioner in tendering his resignation in the manner he did, presumably on account of exception taken to a purely administrative direction in regard to the case of Bonisch, could ba regarded only as “holding a pistol” at the Government. “As the responsible Minister in charge,” Mr. Cobbe said, “I was not prepared to countenance such an act, insofar as the Government is concerned the acceptance of the commissioner’s resignation had no other bearing ,on the issue of this inquiry. As the case of Bonisch was under investigation by a committee I deemed it inadvisable at that stage to make any reference to it. I now desire to state the following facts regarding this matter. ‘‘Bonisch was discharged from the force on June 15 on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police, approval to which was given by my predecessor in charge of the Police Department. Formal notice of appeal was sent to me by Bonisch and numerous representations were made to me by other persons that this officer had been harshly dealt with.

COMMITTEE APPOINTED. “I went into the whole of the papci’4 carefully myself. From these papers and from further information received, by me I was of opinion that the punishment was too severe and that th® case was one in which further inquiry should he made. I referred the matter to the Public Service Commissioner and the Solicitor-General, and they recommended that it should be reviewed by an informaDappeal board consisting of a magistrate, an ex-member of the Police Force, and an outsider with a view to submitting a recommendation to me as Minister of Justice as to whether the punishment of dismissal was in their opinion warranted. This committee was of almost similar constitution to that provided by the statute for appeals where an appeal could legally be made and which would have been granted Boniseh had he pleaded not guilty to the four charges on which he was dismissed. “The report of this committee hasnow been received by me, but as it deals with -matters of internal administration and with the case of an individual officer I do not propose at tho present time to make it public. I may say, however, that the committee is of opinion that- the letter written by the Commissioner of Police to the late Minister, on which he acted,' recommending the dismissal of Bonisch, did not fairly and accurately set out the circumstances of the ease. After full inquiry the committee expresses the opinion that the punishment of dismissal in this case was not justified. “The whole matter of administration of the Police Forge ,of the Dominion is receiving the earnest consideration of the Government,” Mr. Cobbe concluded, “and the Under-Secretary of Justice has been appointed acting-commissioner.” Mr. H. E. Holland- (Buller) asked whether it could be taken that Bonisch would be reinstated. Mr. Cobbe replied that would be for the new commissioner to decide, but he gave an assurance that Bonisch would be dealt with fairly.