Cost Of Search Organisation

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28183, 23 January 1957, Page 10

Cost Of Search Organisation

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, January 22.

Between £2OOO and £3OOO is the estimated cost of the search for the three youths who escaped from the Invercargill Borstal Institution and were recaptured yesterday after five days’ freedom.

Wages, vehicle - running costs, accommodation, food, the chartering of aircraft and taxis have to be taken into account when attempting an estimate of the cost of the search. Hundreds of gallons of petrol were used. Twenty policemen from outside the province, as well as country constables in Southland, had to be accommodated and fed for six days. Wages costs also have to be considered, for, while members of the police force are paid no overtime, work they would normally have* been doing had to wait while the search was on. Aircraft were charted on three occasions for sweeps over the search area and a special aircraft was used .to bring the police dog, Miska. from Wellington to Invercargill. The police car which was bogged and practically submerged in salt water will have to be stripped and rebuilt, probably at a cost of between £2OO and £3OO.

But for the capture of the two remaining youths yesterday the cost would have been much higher for it was planned to bring another 20 men from Wellington today.