FINGER-PRINT SYSTEM

Hawera Star, Volume L, 4 September 1930, Page 3

FINGER-PRINT SYSTEM

XEIW SCOTLAND YARD SYSTEM

FCHSISTBLE USE IN NEW ZEALAND

Inquiries at Scotland Yard regarding a method! for ’facilitating the use: of the finger-print -system' an d entwine ing it s value are being made by the Police Department with 1 a view to its employment in: this country. The Nclw Zealand! Dorn'missioner of Police, IMn W. G. WoMmann, stated! on Tuesday that the subject of the inquiry was am* index method for the use of the thousands of (finger-print cards that were handled* iby the police. It wa*s mot a matter of any inefficiency of the finger-print system at ’present in use, but if it proved that the muw index method enhanced l the 'value of the 1 system it would be employed 1 in* New Zealand'.

It is understood! that the ne'w method is the result of years of resvlareh by Chief-Inspector H. Battlcy, of Scotland* Yard, in an endeavour to simplify the present .eoanlplicated procedure o*f searching thousands of police files for the identification! of finger-prints, and to obviate a. great deal of the labour involved. He has devised a means' of classifying and filing single prints which earn be easily located and readily identified* with: those: found! *at the scene o'f a crime. It has l been' found that for the purpose cif classifying prints the ridge system is unreliable, as the prints, according to different pressures, assume different forms. Mr Battley takes a* special glass, with a central! spot, and scrutinises a central area.