Tough action on gangs urged

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33044, 11 October 1972, Page 3

Tough action on gangs urged

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, October 10.

A sickening, frightening pattern was emerging among motor-cycle gangs which required immediate, tough retribution from the law, said the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Watt) in a statement.

Mr Watt referred to incidents allegedly involving pet cats at Alexandra and Waiwera. “Perhaps the pattern is first cats, then dogs, followed closely by people,” he said.

“Scarcely a week-end goes by now without one fracas or another involving louts. “Earlier this year, after events at Palmerston North, I suggested that these offenders be made immobile, whether they ride a motor-cycle or drive a car.” A Cabinet Minister had recently suggested tougher laws against demonstrators, but hardly a word had been said about laws to deal with hooliganism, which had already become a big social problem in this country, Mr Watt said.

“Something has to be done, such as taking away their mode of transport. “Cars and motor-cycles are very expensive articles. If a lout faces the permanent loss of hundreds of dollars worth of transport, he may think twice about behaviour so sick that even the medical

profession may find it diffi-1 cult to explain.” ] If the law was tough i enough already to deal with these behaviour patterns, i then something must be ; wrong with enforcement of i the law, said Mr Watt. “Either way, the present Government has watched a i steady increase in this type ’

of crime problem and as yet has done absolutely nothing to arrest that growth. “If Labour becomes the Government of New Zealand after November, we are not going to tolerate this sort of thing, particularly from a ‘sick’ minority—and that’s exactly what they are,” said Mr Watt.