MORE POLICE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19691, 7 August 1929, Page 10

MORE POLICE.

EMERGENCY MEASURES. CAMPAIGN AGAINST incendiarism. It was ascertained yesterday that if the exigencies of the situation warrant such action, extra police will be transferred temporarily to Chnstchurch from all parts of the Dominion Already the number of detectives in Christchurch has been very considerably increased, and for more effectively coping with tin? outbreak of incendiarism has been diviaed into two distinct corps. Inspector S. Rawle will direct the efforts to trace the perpetrators of the recent outbreaks of in e. Ahis is the first time in the history of the Dominion that an inspector has been placed in charge of a detective branch for such a purpose. Detectives trom other centres have reinforced the local staff, and another considerable increase in the number of officers available is expected, but local police officials are naturally reticent regarding the measures under way. In all probability there will be such an addition to the local police force that the residents of Christchurch, as well as visitors to the City for the Grand National Meeting, may be assured that their interests will be fully conserved and property adequately protected. No effort is being spared to cope with the present exigency. The City and suburbs are being patrolled night and day by a small army of police officers and detectives and motor-cars motor-cycles, and ordinary bicycles have been • used for transport. It is claimed that there is not an unprotected street in the whole of the City area, and the system of patrol is l)eing improved every day. Vigilance committees are considered by the police to be both unnecessary and dangerous. They point to what followed upon the formation of one in the Palmerston North district when Joseph Powelkn was terrorising the locality. Ordinary citizens in such a time are liabie to shoot one another accidentally, through excitement, and to shoot policemen. Moreover, it is considered by those qualified to know that the knowledge that such committees are operating increases public alarm, and that the conduct of the whole campaign of crime detection ®nd prevention would be better left solely with the police. The latter, while determined that the recent acts of arson must cease at once, recognise that it is one thing to know who is committing a certain crime, and another t< prove it. For that reason they are anxious that the situation should be handled entirely by experts, so that offences may be sheeted Eome to those responsible.