INSPECTOR FOUHY

New Zealand Tablet, 24 February 1921, Page 39

INSPECTOR FOUHY

THE FORCE’S FAREWELL: AN ENTHUSIASTIC S SEND-OFF. ' s r- ■ Inspector Fouhy, who has been transferred from the charge ofy the Southland Police district, had an honor paid to him that must be-well on the road to being unique, for .in the library of the Police Station close on 40 members of Hie. Force met from all over his area, excepting^those parts lying very far out, to do him honor 'aha wish him God speed in a united body:-'’ ' r * Among those present were Mr. G. Cruickshank, S.M., Mr. J. Malfroy, Clerk of -the Court, and Inspector Dew, who is to succeed Inspector Fouhy. \J f In his opening remarks the chairman (Senior-Ser-geant Eccles) apologised for the absence of some Force members who, through pressure of work or sickness,, regretted their inability to be present. He mentioned the presence from Wyndham of Mr. D...Bpag. (whose connection with .the Force* 5 dated back further than that of any one else present) as an example of the esteem in which Mr._Fouhy ?i was held. ’ Mr. Boag had come all the way from Wyndham. Senior-Sergeant Eccles stated that he first knew Inspector Fouhy in Dunedin when he (the Inspector) was a« sectional sergeant. . Since that time Mr. Fouhy had not altered. He was the same humane man of old. The Senior-

Sergeant knew, he said, because he had. then had opportunity of appreciating the Inspector's qualifications arid' Humanitysa%she^snad had lately, and Mr. Fouhy was one. of the most humane men the : speaker had served under. Inspector Fouhy's j police career was long and varied. On September 28, 1881 lie had been

sworn in at Christchurch as a member of the Armed Constabulary. He had first "padded the hoof l'Q in Invercargill. Thence he had 'gone %M Bluff, t then. : .back to Invercargill. Wyndham was ; his next station. He then returned to Invercargill, and -next went to Dunedin. Later, he took charge of 'the /Roxburgh station, and, being promoted to sergeant, was sent to Christchurch. Ashburton. was the next transfer, and when there promotion to Senior-Sergeant came. J During the later stages of his : career Mr. Fouhy was promoted Sub-Inspector and 'transferred to l Dunedin. ; ; ; From there he went to New Plymouth 2 and was promoted again, next coming as Inspector r to the place where he had begun his police career. He did not know (the speaker concluded) of a more popular officer than Mr. Fouhy, and he was very sorry that he .was leaving, although realising that : the "shift really meant promotion. Senior-Sergeant Eccles also took the opportunity, of extending a hearty welcome to Inspector Dew. (Applause.) i

' The remarks of the Senior-Sergeant were supported by Constable Singer (Otautau), Detective Kelly, Mr. Boag, Sergeant Mathieson, Constables Barrett (Mataura), Jones (Wyndham), Moore (Waikaia), Henderson .(Lumsden), Kerse YOrepuki). Poxtfc " (Winton), Boyle (Nightcaps), and Harold (on -behalf of .junior members of the Invercargill station). Amidst loud applause, after Mr. Fouhy health had been drunk, : he was, presented by the 'chairman with two Morris chairs from the members of the Force .and the Courthouse staff and a. handsome cairngorm brooch for Mrs. j Fouhy. '.!'.-,,."'' In responding, Mr. Fouhy stated that he had "not expected a send-off of such magnitude, and he had "growled" at the Senior-Sergeant for taking so much money from the men. (Laughter.) Even if there had been no . presentation and no'"speeches he would have taken the presence of men from such outlying districts as those represented as an eloquent compliment. He did not altogether appreciate his transfer, although it was looked on as a step upward. It meant making a new home for one thing, and it would take him a long time to get together a body, of men who knew him so well and ; whom he knew so well as the Southland

Force. He was pleased to be able to hand over such a staff of men to "Mr. Dew, and he hoped that if he returned in the future-to Invercargill it might be his lot to find one of the lads he had sworn in occupying the position of .Inspector for Southland. :f \ The applause, as at the beginning of Mr. Fouhy's remarks, was loud and prolonged when he concluded.