A QUESTION OF POLICE DUTY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4541, 17 May 1889, Page 4

A QUESTION OF POLICE DUTY.

If Moses tho prophet revolted because he wsn asked to muke bricks without straw, and tlit" sepo.TS of India mutinied because they were aakedto bite greased cartridges, it is not surpriiing that the Maaterton constable should rebel against the indignity of doing prisoners work for his superior officer. This m Tning, <?a_y3 the Wairarapa Star pf the Bth ins', a hum, aa fir*t resembling the gathering of bees, waß heard proceeding from a huge wood pile not far from tbe Masterton Police Station. Then tbe sound grew gradually louder, and the postmaster and telegraphist, ■prho live m the adjacent block, began to think that the Caliph of Bagdad wn being performed on a violincello with a bad cold. Gradually the noise grew more furious, and a vague suspicion arose that the piper of Haoilin had been resuscitated and w?t* driving away the rata. Louder and morefurious grew tbe tones, and then above the din could be heard somethin? like " If you don't chop that wood, you'll have to go on thit beat," and something followed about "consequences." It would be a sad thing for our public mor.iU if an information for disturbing the peace, or using threatening lannuage within the hearing of a public place — to wit the posl and telegraph office, — sh'iukl require to be laid against the occupiera of the Masterton Police Station, and all because prisoners havo become so rare that the officer m charge cannot get bis domestic wood heap reduced to match-wood by means of cheap labor, or labor, at all events, which tli,^ uiiicer, who gets the benefit, does not remiiro to P 3V for.