THE POLICE COMMISSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2554, 16 July 1909, Page 5

THE POLICE COMMISSION

SITTINGS AT DUNEDIN

(Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, July 15. Inspector O’Brien,, before the Police Commission this morning, said that an inspector should have power to change a man from one station to another, it the Commissioner thought a man should be sent to another district ho could have it done. 110 favored sergeants making inquiries instead of inexperienced constables, as to applicants for admission to the force. No inspector should be compelled to take a constable into liis district office until he had at least two years’ service. He advocated the right of selecting his clerks among his own men. If clerks were put back on the street to do police duty they would decline it, and regard it as a grievance. At the Police Commission to-day, 'Chief Detective Herbert said ho thought the Victorian system might be adopted, providing for detective-constable, detective-sergeant, and so on. Mr. McGowan refused to recognise the right of detectives ho higher promotion, unless he reverted, to a lower grade with lower pay. The present Minister departed from that rule, and promoted Chief Detective McGrath to sub-inspec-tor. A junior man' to McGrath and himself was appointed sub-inspector over both their heads, and was now senior to McGrath. He now suffered 'an injustice by being junior to a man who should be junior to. him. The witness referred to the D.I.C. scandal hero in 1905 in order to draw comparisons of the Commissioner’s treatment of those concerned with bringing the caso to a conclusion, and also those concerned in the Papakaio ease after its conclusion. If they were entitled to ho complimented, ho was also entitled to receive tho same treatment in connection with the police scandal. When Coriiiiiissioner Dinnie arrived he said that the arrest of the third man, who was convicted and punished subsequently, was a blunder, and that he should not have been arrested. The Commissioner’s intention was the _ reverse of witness’ and the inspector’s intention as to how men should be dealt with. Witness and the inspector felt the only safe course for themselves particularly was to lay the cases in the fullest seriousness before the public. On the other hand, the Commissioner’s intention — 'perhaps the Commissioner did not understand the gravity of the position—was to- minimise the cases as much as possible for general credit. _ln the 'Papakaio case, the detective in charge of it was called on to give a history or summary of the case, and the Commissioner noted the work of two detectives in flattering terms. After the man was acquitted on tho murder charge, Detective Hunt had to make inquiries here about a revolver which the man was supposed to have purchased. The Commissioner was not satisfied that tho inquiries were properly mode, because “he promised lie would deal with us for neglect in the way we conducted business down here,” but he had not dealt with them. The fact that ’the Papakaio case was .not entrusted to Dunedin detectives shewed that in 'the Commissioner’s opinion Dunedin was under the ban. Witness criticised the action of the Commissioner in regard to the transfer of detectives, and contended that frequent changes impaired the efficiency and the cost was enormous. Witness described the Fingerprint Department ns one of the Commissioner's hobbies, and said that the success of that department was more important to the Commissioner than the success of the detective department, so far as Dunedin was concerned at any rate. Witness went on to say that a successful Commissioner must have influence over his men, 'must, have their respect, and must be incapable of dealing unfairly with any man, however little that man might deserve sympathy, and lie knew of no man in New Zealand who possessed those qualifications iu a higher degree than Mr. Bishop. Mr. Bishop: Do yon know the emoluments of my office and the emoluments of the Commissioner’s office? Would it he Promotion for me? Witness: I think tho country will 'discover before the Commission is over tliat it would lie worth while to give no consideration to emoluments, and that the running of the police force by someone who understood it, as you do, would he a great saving. He trusted Mr. Bishop would see his way to review past promotions to the extent of placing men who, without sufficient grounds, had been promoted over seniors, in their proper position. When the promotion of men passed over came along they should be promoted over the heads of men who should never have passed over them. Several sergeants gave evidence, the main contention being that an increase of pay would induce a good class of men to join tho force.