UNSOLVED CRIMES

Evening Star, Issue 21581, 29 November 1933, Page 6

UNSOLVED CRIMES

MEMBER EXPRESSES CONCERN MINISTERIAL DEFENCE FAVOURABLE COMPARISON WITH OTHER COUNTRIES {From Our IPirliaurntarv Reporter.] WELLINGTON,; November 28. Grave concern at the number of unsolved serious crimes reported in New Zealand, including the recent murder mystery at-Riecaiton, was expressed in the House to-night by Mr Sullivan (Labour, Avon). He said that the Auckland police superintendent in his annual report had shown that there were 934 crimes reported in which no arrest had taken place during the year. The other district officers had not- given their figures, although he thought they should have done so. It was a very serious matter to find in one of the principal cities 934 unsolved crimes. Mr Jordan (Labour, Manukau) : Why do you say one of the principal cities?

Mr Sullivan; I said one of the principal cities. Mr Jordan: The principal city. “ Then we have the unfortunate failure up to the present of no one being apprehended in connection with the Riecarton tragedy,” said Mr Sullivan. “ It must be the cause of groat worry and anxiety to the Minister to know that so much time has elapsed without any arrest being made.” He explained that he had great respect for the New Zealand Police Force, but he suggested that some arrangement be made for an interchange of officers between the detective branches of Britain and New Zealand so that the dominion could get the benefit of the latest methods in detecting crime. No one wished that the perpetrator of a serious crime should go unpunished, but there seemed to be something . -wrong with conditions under which so many serious crimes could go undetected. The police report itself stated that the detective staff required to he strengthened by three additional officers, as the present staff could not be expected to < cope with the work. “ Does this lack of men contribute to the failure to detect crime?” asked Mr Sullivan. Mr Cobbe, replying, said that last year there was a net decrease in undotected offences. He wanted to make it clear that the police frequently could not make immediate arrests, as they had to’be very sure of their ground. There were certain offences which were very difficult to detect unless witnesses happened to be present—such as the recent case of a man found murdered in a motor car at Auckland He had personally investigated in Wellington the steps usually taken for the detection of crime. u When J saw the otticiency of the system 1 said that 1 would always live honestly,” said the Minister Mr Sullivan : How does the proportion of undetected crime in New Zealand compare with that in other countUThe Minister: More than favourably with any other country.