Helicopter sought for police use

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33067, 7 November 1972, Page 20

Helicopter sought for police use

A helicopter should be. stationed on top of the new police station in Christchurch so police could be dispatched immediately to wherever trouble occurred, Mr R. J. Doak, the National Party candidate for the St Albans electorate, said in a street comer address last evening. About 40 persons stood listening, including about 10 or 12 young persons who arrived on motor-cycles. Apart from two noisy departures, they listened attentatively and asked questions afterwards. In recent years there had been an alarming increase in local crime which was a concern to all residents of St Albans, said Mr Doak. The police force had been strengthened and better facilities for crime detection were being provided, but additional efforts in, this regard were required. A helicopter would provide instant access to areas of trouble such as "bikie brawls” or even for people in difficulties in the mountains, said Mr Doak. A computer centre was being established with adequate safeguards for privacy. “I won’t be too worried about safeguarding criminals’ rights on a computer ... I want computers to catch criminals faster,” said Mr Doak. Earlier in his speech, he said that the people of New

Zealand would have the opportunity of freely electing a government or of accepting direction from the Federation of Labour.

New Zealand was a good place to live in because everyone was encouraged to lead fuller and richer lives, said Mr Doak. The National Government had demonstrated the importance it placed on education with an unprecedented s3Bom being spent this year and 2000 more better trained and higher qualified teachers. “The statistics show that in every respect of our lives we are a very fortunate people,” said Mr Doak. Senior citizens were better off and had had record benefit increases; sloom extra was spent this year on health and welfare; social security benefits increased by record amounts; and family benefits had been doubled. “What more could Labour do except increase your taxes?” asked Mr Doak. “In every field we are better off. Let us not chance a change when we have got a good thing going.” Mr Doak said that he and his wife had walked from door to door throughout the whole electorate and they knew what the people were thinking. They would continue to walk about in an endeavour to get to know the problems of the people, and together they would work as a team.