Brighton Police Sergeant Moving To Dunedin

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30933, 14 December 1965, Page 22

Brighton Police Sergeant Moving To Dunedin

The tremendous expansion of population, houses, and shops in the New Brighton Police district during the last seven years has been the lasting impression gained by Sergeant J. M. McDonald, officer-in-charge of the New Brighton Police Station in that period.

Sergeant McDonald yesterday forecast that within a year the New Brighton police would expand from a sergeant and five constables to a senior-sergeant, sergeant, and nine constables, and that they would be housed in a new

police station. This would be in line with the recent grouping and increase in numbers at the new Hornby police station to serve the western suburbs of the

city. District police stations north and south of the city, plus the new central station.

would lay the foundations for division of greater Christchurch into north, south, east and west police divisions as has been done in Auckland and is planned in Wellington. “There are now about 23,000 persons in the district. In

the Aranui-Wainoni block and in Rockinghorse road alone, thousands of new houses have been built. The New Brighton shopping district

has gained three new department stores, with a fourth just itarting, two new supermarkets and two new shopping arcades, a wholesale bulk store and four new parking areas,” said Sergeant McDonald. He will transfer to Dunedin this week. The progress in the district has, naturally, meant more work for the police. Seven years ago the local police dealt with 700 flies. This year the number may exceed 3000.

"Generally speaking, the local people are very lawabiding. Like all holiday and seaside resorts, Ney Brighton

attracts thousands during the summer. A number of the visitors behave in a way they would not think of doing in their own homes in their own districts,” Sergeant McDonald said. "New Brighton is an area where you have to be strict with minor matters. You have to keep a watch and stifle trouble at the beginning; otherwise, minor trouble quickly develops into a major problem,” he said. The sergeant instanced a dance series which started in South Brighton a couple of years ago. The police brought numerous prosecutions against teen-agers for having liquor at the dance. Now the dance was well organised and caused little trouble.

“As far as the police are concerned, a watch must be kept for the formation of gangs—youth gangs. If you can break it up at the start, you save yourselves—and parents, teen-agers and the publie—much worry and strife,” said Sergeant McDonald, who has five constables at the station.

“The surf clubs in particular, supplying a lot of the Rutfry teams, are very good,” said Sergeant McDonald. "We have some trouble, from the Mice pc it of view, along the sandhills and beaches, but we have no trouble where the surf clubs patrol the beaches."

Mrs McDonald was a foundation member of the Linwood High School board of governors, the school's representative on the Christchurch Secondary Schools’ Council, president of the Women’s Association of the Presbyterian Church and secretary of the New Brighton Public Library. Their eon, Kerry McDonald, was a first-day pupil at Linwood High School, won several surfing titles and is now working for the New Zeeland Economics Research Institute.

Sergeant McDonald has been a member of the Christchurch East Rotary Club. New Brighton will miss the couple, judging by the number of farewells they have been given. Sergeant and Mrs McDonald say they will miss the people of th* district