HARBOUR PIRATES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 136, 9 June 1911, Page 6

HARBOUR PIRATES.

ORGANISED GANG AT WORK. PATROL BOAT TO BE PROVIDED. When it is realised that there are over ■100 pleasure boats, representing over £100,000, afloat on the Auckland harbour without police protection of any kind whatsoever, it will be understood how serious the position is and how necessary it is that adequate protection should be provided for them. Yachtsmen will, therefore, view with satisfaction the announcement that it has now 'been decided to provide a police patrol launch on the Waitemata. The negotiations leading up to the fulfilment of this much-desired measure for the protection, not only of pleasure craft, but of all property on the waterfront have been long and tedious, and the Department's invariable reply that "the matter could not be entertained," or again, "that the matter was receiving attention," was repeated oft enough to dishearten most advocates. But the Harbour Board, ably backed up by the Auckland Yachting Association, stuck to their guns, and ultimately succeeded in inducing the Under-Secretarv of the Department to make a tour of the harbour in a launch placed at his disposal. Some two months ago word came through that the Department was favourable to the proposal, and subsequent negotiations led to the Harbour Board offering to supply a launch if the Department would Bupply the police to man it for patrol work. The offer was accepted. The next thing for the Board was to look about for a boat. Several boats were offered, but none found suitable, and it is very probable that a new boat will have to be built suitable for all that will be required of her.

From a yachtsman's point of view, a small -boat that could slip in and out among the pleasure craft at anchor would about meet the case; at all events, that is the opinion expressed by a prominent member of the Yachting Association. But there arc other interests at stake on the waterfront that require a much different type of vessel, and the police have, stipulated for a fair-sized launch with speed much above the average, so as to be able to cope not only with the petty thieves, but also with those, who it is 'believed, prowl about in launches. That there is an organised gang, ot gangs, at work on the harbour is quite evident, and there is a good deal that happens down on the waterfront that is never heard of or dreamt of by the general public. Thanks to the activity of the water police, that undesirable class, which was a terror round the Railway wharf not long since, has been broken, and seemingly rendered harmless. Still, it is well known, as in most ports, the riff-raff of the nations find profitable, if shady, employment on the waterfront, which is one of the first places in a large city that needs police protection. It is nor too much to hope that the police patrol launch will do as much in cleansing the waterfront a3 the. water police have done in the last year or two among the more marked type of criminals.