POLICE RETRENCHMENT.

West Coast Times, Issue 1658, 23 January 1871, Page 2

POLICE RETRENCHMENT.

/ To the Editor of the Went Coast Times and Observer. Sir— l state for the information of the pulilic that there can be a large amount of money saved by abolishing several offices connected with the Police Department, / by compelling tbse who are retained in the service to do their own several duties, without having servants to do it for them In the first place, one Inspector is sufficient for the County. Let the office of SnbInspecor be abolished and let that gentleman fall back to his former rank, and all fi-st-claes Sergeants be reduced to secondclass, and all second-class be reduced to third-class. Let the-c gentlemen be remunerated upon the same scale as they arc in Victoria- and in other parts of the colonies, viz— That a first-class Sergeant receive one and sixpence per day in lieu of live shillings— of course, over and above a coustable's pay ; and a second-class Sergeant receive one shilling per day, upon the Fame ratio; and a third-class -ixpence per day. This remuneration is considered quits sufficient by the Police autho ities in Victoria to give these gentlemen for their clerical aid, together with the many comforts at'nched to the position. Also do away with the service 3of the Clerk in the Connty Inspector's office, and have that gentleman do his own work, with the assistance of the Sergeant in charge of the Camp. As that gentleman has nothing whatever to do, he may employ his time by rendering his services as Clerk to the Inspector. All this can be dnne without interfer- ! ferinsf with the efficiency of the force Simple as this reduction may appear, it would make a difference in expenditure of about Elfven hundred pnundt, which large amount of money could be placed to a better purpose. There is a^o an Incidental P'und attached to the police force, but I am not in a position to stite what that amounts to annually. But I have been given to understand the sum is a large one. Now they are all paid according to their rank, and as the one-third of the force arc Sergeants, and each Sergeant who is away from his Station is allowed

five shillings per night, in addition to his pay, althou h the same Sergeant gets accommodation at any other Station in 'he County he or they may have cause to i>ull up at on their roufe, which come 3 out of the Incidental Fund. This added to the before-mentioned sum of eleven

hnndre 1 pounds, would make it a near

app r o:ich to fifteen hu 'dred pounds to be annually *-aved. B 3' giving this insertion, you will oblige Yours, respectfully,

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