MR. ALGIE’S RESIDENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22445, 27 September 1947, Page 3

MR. ALGIE’S RESIDENCE

POLICE UNDER-STAFFED

(P.R.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. Three times in 12 months thieves have entered the home of Mr. R. M- Algie (Opp., Remuera). This information was given to the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. Algie during a discussion of the Police Department Estimates-

“What were they after —the family jewels?” asked Mr. F. Langstone (Govt., Eoskill).

“No but if it had been the member for Roskill it might have been the family secrets,” returned Mr. Algie. He said that in New Zealand there was one police officer to every 1184 people. The comparative figures in Victoria were one in 904 and in Queensland one in 682. “In Remuera there is only one police constable for a huge district, although, of course, the people are splendidly law-abiding and we have no hotels, added Mr. AlgieHe pointed out that in New Zealand the police force cost 10s 6id a head of population. The per capita cost in Queensland was 16s 102 d and in Tasmania 15s sjd. In Remuera householders paid £1 a quarter for the protection of a police patrol. “I would rather pay more than 10s 61d a year and have the police force properly manned,” concluded Mr. Algie. In reply to a question by Mr- C. G. G. Harker (Opp., Hawke’s Bay), who said the experiment of appointing women police had been a great success, the Minister of Finance, Mr. W. Nash, said 25 women were at present in the force and the number would be increased to 35. , Mr. R- MacDonald (Govt., Ponsonby) mentioned the fact that the police radio cars being used in Wellington and Auckland could only receive messages and could not transmit them as was the case in other countries.

To this question the Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, in reply mentioned the difficulty experienced in the hilly country around Wellington in operating the sets, but assured the member that investigations were being made with a view to establishing two-way communication.