26
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 3

154. The police at every station will exert themselves to insure the supplies being stored in such a manner as to prevent any injury through the effects of weather or other causes, and should any damage or loss occur the strictest investigation will be made, and the party who, from negligence or other fault, allowed the same to take place will be held personally responsible.

155. When forage is issued for any other than police service, a requisition will be obtained from the official drawing the same, which must be attached to the forage return, in which particulars of the quantity of forage drawn, the officer’s name, and on what duty engaged will be inserted.

156. The regulation scale of a ration will be 10lb. of oats, 1lb. of bran, 14lb. of hay, 8lb. of straw for bedding.

157. Forage-books must be entered up daily. A copy of the monthly entries will be forwarded to headquarters for transmission to the office of the Commissioner.

158. The officer by whom the correctness of returns has been certified, must be held responsible for any errors therein causing public loss.

159. At every station where practicable the officer in charge will turn out the horses to graze, issuing only half rations, or such other forage, if any, as may be necessary, due regard being had to their being kept in serviceable condition.

160. Live stock the subject of criminal prosecution must, when practicable, be turned into a paddock or handed over to one of the claimants on his giving a guarantee to the satisfaction of the Bench for the animal’s production when required. But in the event of its being necessary to retain an animal in the possession of the police, sufficient fodder must be issued for sustenance.

161. On the charge of any station being transferred from one member of the force to another, the forage in store will be weighed, receipts given for the actual weight, and any deficiency or surplus noted in the monthly forage returns.

162. If any constable absent from his station draw more than one ration per diem for his horse en route, he will be charged with the amount overdrawn. Horses must not be fed at inns unless when unavoidable, and they must be groomed by their riders as at a police-station.

Escorts.

163. Police in charge of an escort will be held specially responsible for the safety and security of prisoners or property committed to their charge.

164. Having received their charge properly secured, it will be the duty of an escort to guard against such security being weakened or endangered; for this purpose they will frequently and closely inspect the handcuffs, &c., placed on the prisoners, and the fastenings of the doors, windows, &c., of any place of confinement. They will also inspect the locks, seals, or other means by which treasure or other property is secured. Neither by day nor by night will an escort separate from or lose sight of their charge.

165. Escorts must not halt during the night at public-houses when it can be possibly avoided; but when absolutely necessary an agreement must be made with the landlord for the use of a room, and for meals to be supplied to prisoners on the most moderate terms, and all possible precautions adopted against escape.

166. Police on escort must neither drink intoxicating liquors themselves, nor allow the prisoners in their charge to do so.

167. While on march prisoners must be kept in the centre of the party, and not allowed to separate or straggle, the rate of marching being regulated according to the powers of the prisoners if on foot, and if in carts according to the pace at which the vehicles can conveniently proceed. Neither acquaintance of the prisoners nor other person will be allowed to mix with or accompany the escort.

168. A female lunatic under escort must be accompanied by a female attendant from the lunatic asylum where practicable, unless in charge of her husband or other relative. If any difficulty arise instruction should be asked by telegram.

169. Everything belonging to prisoners under escort must be made up into separate sealed packages, each marked with the name of the prisoner and the contents; and these separate parcels (with a list), enclosed in a strong sealed cover with a memorandum, must be delivered to the officer in charge, his acknowledgment and signature being taken to a duplicate retained. The memorandum and the sealed parcel will be handed, with the seal unbroken, to the person into whose charge the prisoners are delivered, a receipt being taken for the same.

170. Police in charge of prisoners travelling by coach will sit near them, not on the box, while prisoners are inside the vehicle. To avoid annoyance to the public by conveyance in passenger coaches of dangerous or troublesome lunatics, or prisoners of an objectionable class or condition, arrangements should be made for a special vehicle, if practicable, without increased cost, and generally to avoid public inconvenience.

171. Every officer, before taking charge of prisoners, will cause them to be searched in his presence, and examine his authority for their custody.

172. Constables escorting a Judge on circuit, or any other Government officer, as an orderly, will be relieved at each station, so as to avoid, as much as possible, taking any constable to a distance from his station or into another district.

173. No officer of police will, under any circumstances, be accompanied by a constable as orderly, as such attendance as a mark of honour will not be permitted.

174. When a constable is despatched from one station to another on any duty he will be furnished with a “Route,” on the printed form by the officer instructing him, such “route” to contain the hour of departure, the rate to be travelled, time of arrival, with remarks, if necessary, regarding the performance of the duty.

DUTIES WHEN PERSONS CHARGED WITH CRIMES.

175. Every person taken into custody without warrant—unless detained for the mere purpose of ascertaining his name or address—shall be forthwith taken to the nearest watchhouse, and searched.

176. Every precaution must be taken to avoid the possibility of an innocent person being arrested under mistaken belief of identity. When practicable photographs of accused persons should accompany warrants, descriptions, or crime reports. If a supposed offender is arrested on suspicion when it is not possible to wait for positive identification, and if identity be denied and is doubtful, instant action should be taken, by telegraphing or otherwise, to set the question at rest, the accused being detained in the meantime with as little restraint as possible consistent with safe custody.

177. When a constable takes any one into custody he should, if possible, give notice to another constable, so that his place may be supplied while he is taking his prisoner to the watchhouse, he returning to his post without unnecessary delay.

178. No constable, if it can be avoided, shall search a prisoner by himself, but in all cases shall take him to the nearest watchhouse or police quarters, and, in the presence of the watchhouse-keeper or a sergeant, or, in the absence of both, a civilian, shall search, and shall take from such prisoner all property in his possession; and before confining him the property so taken will be given to the watchhouse-keeper or sergeant, and entered by him in the “Charge-book,” which will be signed by the prisoner, if he be willing, but if not, by the sergeant,