Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-20
THE T POLICE.

London Mail: The Natal Mounted Po-
lice, into whose hands a great part of the
dispatch riding and scouting in the Ma
tai section of the present campaign is in
trusted, tands in the front ran of colo
NAL corps. It is commanded by Colonel
John Dartnell. at one time an officer in
the ~Inniskilling Fusiliers, but who for
the last thirty years has thrown in his lot
with the colony. The corps is about sew
en- hundred strong. and is devided into
troops of about forty-five men and small
fdetachments of three or four men.
These troops are under the command
of an inspector, or sub-inspector, and in
time Of peace are stationed in the larger
villages, while the attachments occupy
the out stations and are in charge of a
sergeant, corporal, or in some cases a
hrst-class trooper. The pay for a troop
err is 6 shillings per day for the first year
and seven shillings per day after that
period.
The men enlist for three years, and can
re-engage at the end of that period If
their conduct has been satisfactory, in
which case they receive an increase of
Cd. per day pay.
In the event of a man wishing to leave
the corps he can purchase his discharge
by paying G1O for each uneXpired year of
service. Promotion In all cases is from
the ranks. Many government appoint
menfs. Such as 1ailOrs, court messengers
and chief c~Onstableships are now filed
up from the corps. The pay of a jailer
may be put down at f15O per year, be-
sides which he also acts as issuer of gun
powder and shot, n makes a small
commission out of this. The court mes
sengers draw ESQ per annum, but their
fees for serving summonses, etc., mount
nm annCi6oOro 1N1xy npr1 o~-x, 80 49, "a
GERS earn f3OO and a4OO per year. In
fact, this is one of the most sought after
berths In the government service. A
chief constable's pay is about the same
as a ~jailer's.
On a recruit joining the force he is kept
In Maritzburg for, some time, and goes
through a short but rather severe course
or riding school. drill and target practice,
after which he is sent up country to join
MS troop or detachment. Every recruit
on Joining the force has to provide his
w horse and equipment, with the ex-
ception of arms. which are supplied by
the government. His horse will cost him
about EGO: his saddlery. uniform, ETC.,
another ELS, and E2 per month is ston-
ped from his pay until he has paid off this
debt.
When a man takes his discharge all
these articles are his own property. to
dispose of as he thinks fit, though he can.
as a rule, sell his horse back into the
corps. and h saddlery is always eager
~ bought up by civilians. Every man
pays IS a month to a fund called the re-
mount fund and should his horse die or
be injured in any way this fund will
make good to him the amount originally
paid for the animal.
The duty of the police in times of
peace consists in patrolling their districts
serving ummonses and executing war;
rants. Besides this they have every wear
to take a census of the ~p-count inha-
Ditants and to see that the natives paw
their hut and dog taxes. This latter duty
is not by any means a sinecure, as many
of the Kaffirs live away in the
passes, and every kraal has to be visited
and the receipts inspected.
The mbe of the corps are allowed
many privileges. They can wear ..m,nf-
IT, when off duty, they can obtain plenty
OF leave. and, above all, they are received
on terms of perfect equality by the high
est IN the land. In the Zulu war the no.
lice did yeoman service in their special
line.
1t requires undoubted courage for q
man to saddle up his horse on a dark
night and alone to make his way to some
distant -encampment through country
teeming with the enemy, or for a small
party of men to go far ahead of a column
to discover the enemy's whereabouts.
This Is what the police are doing. and
that they are doing it well no one who
knows the little corps can for a moment
doubt.