THE WEEK, THE WORLD, AND WELLINGTON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12244, 18 June 1909, Page 3

THE WEEK, THE WORLD, AND WELLINGTON.

BY FRANK MORTON

POLICE PECULIARITIES

Pretty nearly every day now, one hears of fresh police peculiarities. The other day a constable was dismissed for being drunk on duty. A week earlier two were punished for a brutal and cowardly assault. To-day, a warder and ex-policeman was fined for using insulting language (while inebriated) to a constable. It is freely stated that cases that do not come to public notice are very numerous. In any case, there is evidence enough that the police of Wellington is not in a satisfactory condition. Various remedies are proposed. One is that the force shall be removed from the control of the Commissioner; but that does not seem to be practicable. Another is that the wages and status of the men should be raised. As the cost of living goes in Wellington, the men are wretchedly paid, and the probability is that the force offers no inducement to the best men procurable under better conditions. Some of tho men, it is alleged, have grievances for which they can find no redress. In any case, the Wellington police force is in a bad way, and something needs to be done about it soon.

The Commissioner is not an altogether unreasonable man. He yields to pressure. Some time ago he desired to remove the smartest detective in the city to a country district; but there was such a howl of protest as induced him speedily to change his mind. But the question arises: Should it be necessary for the public to sleep for .ever with one eye open to watch the Commissioner of Police withal? Surely not. As things go, the public has scant security. One up-to-date and adroit detective cannot do all the work. The Chief Detective, who also was an excellent officer, has been removed to do routine police duty in Christchurch. Many crimes, in these circumstances, are not detected. A man was brutally murdered in a public place some few months ago, nobody knows by whom. A lady was assaulted by a.ruffian on a crowded steamer in broad daylight a few weeks ago, and -the; ruffian is -still at~ large. The position is entirely unsatisfactory.