POLICE COMMISSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13956, 16 July 1909, Page 6

POLICE COMMISSION.

SITTING AT DUNEDIN. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, July 15. At the Police Commission to-day, Chief Detective Herbert said lie thought the Victorian system might be adopted here, providing for a de-tective-constable, detective - sergeant, and so on. Mr McGowan refused to recognise the right of a detective to higher promotion unless he reverted to a lower grade with lower pay. The present Minister departed from that rule, and promoted Chief Detective McGrath to sub-inspector. A junior man to McGrath and himself was appointed sub-inspector over both their heads, and was now senior to McGrath. He had suffered an injustice by being junior to a man who should be junior to him. Witness referred to the DXC. scandal here in 1905 in order to draw a comparison of the Commissioner's treatment of those concerned with bringing the case to a conclusion, and those concerned in the Papakaio case after its conclusion. If they were entitled to be complimented, he was entitled to receive the same treatment. J n connection with the police scandal, when Commissioner Dinnie arrived he "uaid the arrest of a third man who was convicted and punished subseouently was a blunder, and that he shonld not have been arrested. The Commissioner's intention was the reverse of his ('the witness's) and the inspector's intention as to how the men should be dealt with. The witness and the inspector felt that the only safe course *'or themselves particularly was to lay the cases in their fullest seriousness before the public. On the other hand was the Commissioner's intention. In the Papakaio case the detective in charge of it was called on to give a history or summary of the case,, and the Commissioner noted the work ot the two detectives in nattering terms. After a man was acquitted on a murder charge, Detective Hunt had to make enquiries here about a revolver which the man was supposed to have purchased. The Commissioner was not satisfied that enquiries were properly rand», because "he promised he would .Icr.L r.lth us for neglect in the way we '..nJucted business down here," hut h had nob dealt with them. The fact that the Papakaio case was not entrusted to the Dunedin detectives s-liowed that, in the Commissioner's ooinion, Dunedin was under a ban. Witness- criticised the action of the Commissioner in regard to the transfer of detectives, contending that frequent changes impaired efficiency, and cost an enormous amount of money. "Witness described the finger print department as one of the Commissioner's hobbies, and said that the success of that department was more important to the Commissioner than the success of the detective department, as far as Dunedin was concerned at any rate. Witness went on to say that a successful Commissioner must have influence over his men, must have their respect, and must be incapable of dealing unfairly with any man, however little that'man. might deserve sympathy, and he knew of no man in New Zealand who possessed those qualifications in a higher degree than Mr Bishoo. Mr Bishop: Do you know the emoluments of my office and emoluments of

the commissioner's office? Would it be promotion for me? "Witness: I think the- country will discover before the commission is over that it would to worth while to give no consideration to emoluments and that the running of tho police forco by someono who understood it as you do would be a great saving. Witness hoped Mr Bishop would see his way to review - past promotions to the extent of placing men who without sufficient ground' had been promoted over their seniors in a proper position. When the promotion of men passed over came along they should be promoted over the heads of men who sTiould never have been pns<;ed over them.

Several serceants pave evidence. tl>° main eo» , +enti"n being that increnso in nay wonll induce a «iood class of men to s*>in tho force.