THE WEST COAST POLICE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 504, 15 May 1869, Page 2

THE WEST COAST POLICE.

Some years ago, in the Supreme Court, Otago, Mr Justice Richmond established the rule that, in Court, police - officers should remove their hats, and he gave as his reason that the police were not a military body, but were simply a civil body to preserve the peace. His Honor, in some other respects, seems to be satisfied with the semi-military style of the colonial police-force. In his charge to the grand jury at Hokitika, and in referring to the Greenstone riots, he said: —The respect that has been paid in this Colony, and also in the neighbor, ing colonies of the Australian group, to the authority of the law and the persons of the constabulary has been something remarkable. We may very strongly congratulate ourselves that in the midst of so many incitements to turbulence as we have had amongst us, this has been the case, and the legitimate power of the constables been supported by the population. It would certainly almost appear that we owe a a debt of gratitude to Victoria for our excellent police organisation, for from Victoria Otago first obtained its police. In 1861, very shortly after the opening of the goldfields, the force in that Province was very excellently organised, and m these advantages Canterbury subsequently participated, and from there it extends to this district. I have been rejoiced to observe that the social standing of the police is so exceedingly good. Some" people, no doubt, fond of old institutions, preferred the old state of things, and would rather have seen the old catchpoles retained, but we are quite safe from any danger of a gendarmerie being created amongst us—a thing of which the very name is hateful to Englishmen. We may tolerate a little ( affectation of military names and organization. I am quite content to hear the police-station termed a " camp," and a constable in attendance at this Court an " orderly," and to see something like military pride infused into both men and officers. It is highly desirable to keep up the self-respect of Jthe force ; and I repeat that lam i glad to see the police-constable taking so good a social stand. He certainly 1 does occupy a higher social position ; here then in the old country, and it is exceedingly necessary that the law should be respected in the person of even the humblest of its officers. Now that so lai-ge a measure of self-govern-ment has devolved on you, I hope that I whatever economy it may be found i necessary to exercise, you will be \ careful to maintain the efficiency of i the_ police. Expenditure on gaols, police, &c, though not directly reproductive of wealth, is of more ; importance, as securing that that leads . to wealth. The County Council ! should remember that this expense, ■ like roads and bridges, does not di- * rectly bring grist to the mill; still, by ! keeping up this institution you ; preserve more than wealth—your Constitution.