SCIENCE IN CRIME DETECTION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 9

SCIENCE IN CRIME DETECTION

REFERENCE IN POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. July 22. Scientific advances in crime detection are described in the annual report of the Police Department tabled in the House of Representatives today. In one case the finger of a man arrested in New Zealand for a serious crime were transmitted to London in fingerprint code by cable, and a reply was received in three days, giving full particulars of his previous history as known to Scotland Yard.

The efficiency of the service has been considerably advanced, the report claims, by the use of teleprinters, which provide a direct, prompt and confidential channel of information. Christchurch has now been added to the list of stations possessing teleprinters. Machines are being operated on a restricted service between evening and early morning, but an extension of the hours ofi use is under consideration. The system by which all suburban stations are linked by telephone with district headquarters for simultaneous broadcasts has worked well at Wellington, the report says, and when the necessary equipment is available consideration will be given to extending this service to the other main centres.

A special appendix to the report sets out the increases in pay which have been granted policemen since 1935. A constable’s wage, with house allowance, in 1935 was from £287 to £328. Now it is from £466 to £545, and other allowances are 1 paid as well.