The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea – Rangitikei Advertiser "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1897. POLICE INSPECTOR CULLEN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 12287, 21 September 1897, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND Patea - Rangitikei Advertiser " NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1897. POLICE INSPECTOR CULLEN.

After twentj-eiglit years service in the Police Foree — seven years in the Royal Irish. Constabulary in the Old Country, and twenty-one years in New Zealand — our local sergeant in. charge has been promoted to the rank o£ an inspector, and appointed to the vacancy at Greymouth caused Iby the death of Inspector Pratt. - The promotion has been well earned, | after long and faithful service. Sergeant Cullen came to us in Wan ganui with the best of reports from Napier, and during his residence here he has well sustained his reputation. A man well up to his duties, proud of his profession, able to keep hia own counsel, quiet and reserred in manner, but over on the alert in securing the 'maintenance of order and the observance of the laws, he was a model officer in charge, and his promotion will give him a wider scope for the exercise of his undoubted abilities. Without any fads, or extreme opinions on any subject, the new Inspector looks upon it as his business to see that the laws of the country are obeyed ; and. it has ever been useless for any men to come here and commence illegal practices or games on the plea that such are allowed without' hindrance in other part 8 of fbo colony. With Inspector Cnllen the law is paramount, and not the unlawful customs that have grown up ■where it is laxly observed. In this district he has done much to seenre the observance of the Licensing laws ; but he is no prohibitionist, and we know he is not a believer in the efficacy of prohibition as a cure for the evils of the drinking system, but he does believe that a vigilant officer with an efficient staS may do much to have the laws better observed than they are reported to be in many parts of the colony. In the West Coast of the liiddle Island we should, say that he will have his work out out for him in the enforcament of the liquor. laws, . but it will be unfair to expect him to seenre any reform unless he is .assisted by a sympathetic and efficient staff. Rightly or wrongly, we have been suspicious for some time that Sergeant Cullen would be removed from Wanganui, whtre his reputation for vigilance may be thought to be rather embarrassing to the powers that be. A change, however, that means promotion to an inspectorship, is one that cannot be objected to, although it involves residence in a part oE the colony that is not generally chosen as being the most desirable for tbafc purpose. The Minister of Justice, the Hon. T. Thompson, deserves a word of praise for his recognition of the merits as a police officer of Inspector Cullen, We never expected much from Mr Thompson. He owes his election for Auckland City to the combination on his behalf of the liquor forces, and it is more than his seat is worth to go against their interests. Where, however, he could act without embroiling himself with his supporters, he has shown himself ready to do so. The sly grog-soiling in the King Counti-y was a breach of the law which his j legalised liquor supporters were i doubtless quite willing that he should, exeit himself in having put down, and it it to his credit that he sought out the right man . for I the enterprise. It is doubtless owing to Sergeant Gullen's succoss in the King Country raid, coupled with the simultaneous occurrence of the vacancy at Greymouth, that has won for him his inspectorship. The new inspector will go from us with our very best wishes for his success both in his private life and in his professional career. And now, we are concerned as fco who is to be sent here in his place. We have no use for anybody except a tirst-class officer. Wanganni is the centre of a district embracing large tracts of Government and Native land, "which in the next fevr yearß will be cut up and settled and in ■which large gangs of men will beemployedinroadingand bridging, and preparing the way for settlement. Such a district will afford ample scope for the services of an active, intelligent, and capable police officer of the highest class