THE POLICE COMMISSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2576, 10 August 1909, Page 4

THE POLICE COMMISSION

SITTING AT NELSON. (Per Press Association.) NELSON, August 9. The Police Commission sat to-day. Constable Cameron, of Richmond, with 21 years’ service, complained of the pay, house, and clothing allowances ; also as to promotion, and of juniors being promoted over the heads of seniors. He was 57 years of age, and considered his age stood in the way of his promotion. He did not know of political influence. Constable Foley (Collingwood), enrolled in. 1892, was dissatisfied with the promotion, and said the pay was not that of an average working man. He had many duties to perform in connection with -his position. He had not gone up from his position. He considered it morally certain that political influence existed, although of no use to him.

Sergeant Dougan, in charge or a district for seven years, enrolled in 1879, promoted in 1898, considered the people and the Government at fault, and that a good many things required adjusting. The public required men mentally, morally, and physically without a blemish, yet they gave' a flabby salary. He did not favor religious instruction, but probationers should receive a moral training to guard against the many temptations surrounding the force. The pay was not in keeping with the important nature of the work. Regarding promotion, he thought- as much as possible .the men, if they fulfilled requirements, should be promoted. He would like people to have a better opinion of policemen generally. He would not promote a man over 50 years of age. He thought detectives should constitute a separate branch. He had never observed the use of political influence. The opinion that outsiders should not be appointed was nonsense. With over 30 years’ experience, he thought there was not a better body of men as a whole than the 700 or SOO who constitute the police force. The Commission lias completed its sittings here, and goes to Picton.