POLICE COMMISSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13954, 14 July 1909, Page 6

POLICE COMMISSION.

SITTING AT DUNEDIN. INTERESTING EVIDENCE. » Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, July 13. The Police Commission resumed its sitting here this morning. Evidence was given by ex-Constable ,William Walker, Invercargill, who had been, in the Police in Britain and between 1878 and 1903 had seen, service in. Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Oamam, Ngapara, Riverion, and Invercargill. From what he had heard political and private influence was on the increase in regard to members of the force who thought that unless they had a pnll on the commissioner they would not get promotion. He thought the department should be controlled by one strong man and suggested Mr J: W. Poynton, the Public Trustee, or Inspector Mitchell, Invercargill. He suggested that Mr Tunbridge should be recalled. Thus the department herewould resemble that model of every rolice force, the Irish Constabulary. The police. were insufficiently paid. They had wrong methods of detecting slv-grog selling. Candidates for the force should be differently selected.' Witness was severely cross-examined by Mr Bishop and Commissioner Dinnie, btrfc stuck to his statement, alleging that there was too much influence in the matter of promotion. The men •would not come forward to give evidence because they were afraid it would prejudice their chances of promotion and they must get evidence .to make the report of any use. Frederick Mallard, ex-Inspector strongly opposed the promotion .of plain clothes men into high positions in the uniformed branch, and' believed this alteration of the rules department was made for political purnoses. He retired owing to political influence. Under cross-examination -witness adhered firmly to his opinion that a chief detcetive should not become a sub-inspector or inspector. Sergeant Higgins, stationed at Lawrence, said that the force was as well organised now as formerly. The control was effective and men for the fercp ■were not selected haphazard. He thought the pay should be increased. There was nothing in the political influence cry. Men were promoted now without length of service; he thought no man under 45 should be a. sergeant. He considered that detectives had a right to promotion. Inspector O'Brien, in charge of the Drmedin district, said that he was voicing the feelings of the force throughout New Zealand by saying that every one had complete confidence in the present Minister of' Justice. He thought it fair to the present Commissioner of Police to tell him that there was a general impression amounting to p. feeling of unrest prevailing amongst the members of the force, he might siy from the extreme north to the extreme sonth, ■ that the commissioner had stationed in each centre some member of the service known as a "useful man", and that that man's chief function was to convey through some channel or another, the names of members of the force who spoke in praise or dispraise of him. "Witness

knew nothing of such an appointment himself and would not say that there was one word of truth in it, but it was only fair to the commissioner that he should have an opportunity to deny it on oath. For some reason there had been little promotion in the Otago district for years, although he had recommended such. He thought it desirable in the interests of the service that the commisioner should take more notice and give more effect to the recommendations of Jus district inspectors. Transfers should be made if • the inspector recommended them, and in making appointments of constables to no license districts, the inspector should have an absolute choice in the matter. The recruiting inspectors should be allowed to enrol a good man in their districts when they saw one, without tnere being any necessity for the recruit to, go to Wellington to present himself for enrolment. Witness thought it highly necessary to offer more inducements to a better class of young men to join the service. The pay of a constable joining the service was at present too low. The house allowance of 7s per week was far too little for a constable who had to reside in a city. The constable should have added to the free list of the uniform iie was now receiving, one pair of boots per annum. At present no hoots were supplied with tht* uniform. He thought sergeants should have an equal advance ii pay, and their house allowance be increased to 14s per week. Ho thought the tunc iiad arrived when a chief detective should attain the rank of a subinspector. The number of defaulters from other districts in . the Dominion sent to .this district in the last four or five years had occasioned witness great surprise, so much so that he had begun to look upon Duneclm as a common dumping-ground - for defaulters. On the other hand, lie had his defaulters, but his defaulters m about 'nine cases out of ten were left with him. He had had a constable sent him not long ago whose defaulters' si eet gave witness much concern. It was anything but creditable to the man, and the thought arose, '• Why f was this man not discharged from thy service ■ in the district whence he camel'" Tho inspector expressed disagreement with the mode of recruiting constables, and said that some men were sent to him from the depot whom he could not recommend to a chimney sweep, their physique and intelligence being The apportioning of rewards for special convictions, such as sly-grog selling, also gave dissatisfaction.

A heated debate then took place between Commissioner Dinnie and Inspector O'Brien with reference to tho evidence given by the former at Wellington before the previous Commission, the inspector contending that Air Dinnie cc-ted unfairly in making sweeping charges" when neither the inspector nor the sub-inspector had an opportunity to reply. He contended that such evidence should have been given here. Mr Bishop said that if the yrevious Commission had been aware that Mr Dinnie was going to make statements reflecting on officers, evidence would have been taken in the districts where the officers were. Nothing of the kind would occur on this occasion.

A discussion took place concerning the men recommended by Inspector O'Brien for promotion, bub who had not been promoted. Reference was

also made to tho case of a man promoted by an ex-Minister of Justice against Mr Tunbridge's wishes, and in spite of Mr Dinnio's protest. Tho question of promotion of district clerks, alter ton years' service, was also relered to, and Mr Uishop said that this aspect « ould be seriously considered by tJio Commission.

-ihe Commission will sit Jigain tomorrow. °