CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15494, 21 December 1910, Page 8

CURRENT TOPICS.

the last wonn.

The report of Mr Knud Rasmussen, the Danish explorer, on the

claim of Dr Cook to have reached the North Polo or its immediate vicinity seems to have cleared away any lingering suspicion that tho doctor was tho victim of a misunderstanding. Mr Rasmussen went to Greenland early this year with the express purpose of making inquiries in regard to Dr Cook’s journey. Through two native missionaries, whom ho describes as capable and trustworthy men, he got into communication with Itukusuk and Apilak, the Eskimos who took part in the alleged march to the Pole. The Eskimos stated that Dr Cook, with eight sledges and a following of natives, left Anaritok in. February of 1908. After eighteen days’ travelling, tho greater part of tho expedition went back, having reached a point about ton miles from land in the Polar Sea. Dr Cook, with his two companions, continued in a northerly direction on excellent ice, and on the following day toolc an observation of the sun. Then the expedition returned to tho shore, keeping a westerly route and meeting with some open water. While Dr .Cook was marking a route upon a map, Apilak asked him: “What route is that?” “Mv own,” Dr Cook answered. “ But this was a lie,” said the native to tho missionaries, “for tho route drawn was far out to sen, where Dr Cook had never been.” The expedition made its way to Capo Sparbo, where the threo men spent tho winter. They lived oil seal, muskoxen and bears, and Dr Cook spent much time writing. In tho spring they made an easy journey back to Anaritok. “Dr Cook cheated us and we did not get the guns he promised us,” added Apilak. “He gave us a knife, matches and an unserviceable boat. He sold the guns for foxskins.’’ Mr Rasmussen makes no comment upon the information he has collected, hilt it is evident that he has abandoned tho belief that he so long professed in the accuracy of Dr Cook’s story.

The report of the London Commissioner of Police, which was issued early .last month,

THK LONDON I'OI.LCK.

makes very interesting reading. London lias an army of police numbering 1'8,657. Nearly 12000 are employed oil special duty for various State departments but there are 16/172 available for duty in the metropolis, and 60 per cent of the men are oil duty at night. The annual pay of the force amounts to £1,599,8-16. The records of criminal work given by the Commissioner show that crimo is decreasing, though the figures are still very large. There, were 112,642 arrests during the year, and the police took proceedings against 20,403 individuals on summons, while 100,201 were summoned by private persons. There was a decrease of 1135 in tlie number of criminal offences as compared with that of 1908, when the number was 609 smaller than in the previous year. The proportion of felonies to 1000 of the population was 2.394. a lower proportion than in any previous year except 1906. Burglaries were considerably fewer than in recent years. There wore 547 in 1907. 507 in 1908, and 4(39 in 1909. Housebreaking also became less frequent, tho figures for the three years being 1962, 1762 and 1673 respectively. There were nineteen eases of murder in 1909, the same number as in 1908. llhile the number of offences of all kinds decreased, the proportion of convictions increased. Drunkenness showed a steady decline during the year, the proportion of cases to 1000 ol the population being 6.608. 1 11 1908 the proportion was 6.746, and in 1905 it was" 8.352. The finger-print system of identification has been firmly established. The number ol identifications secured by means of the system showed a substantial increase, 9960

being recorded, ns against 9440 in 1908. ()f the eases dealt with bj the system no fewer than 6350 were tint* i taken for provincial police f°rccs- “ This method,” says the Commis-

sionor, “continues to give unqualified satisfaction, not only in tho United Kingdom, but also, it is believed, in nil other countries where it has been introduced.” In Now Zealand, at any rate, it is proving most useful.

bouses on rETROI..

The London policeman wins tho admiration of the world and the envy of all liis comrades by

his wonderful methods of controlling traffic in the streets, and with this bianch of his work the Commissioner's report deals very fully. Tho statistics appear to show that London is in very considerable danger of becoming a horseless city. Altogether 15,906 vehicles for the conveyance of passengers wore licensed last year. Horsedrawn vehicles decreased by 2381 and motor-driven conveyances increased by 1393. Only seven new hansom cabs were licensed and there were 1527 fewer of these vehicles plying for hire than in the previous year. Fourwheeled cabs were 886 fewer than in 1908, but there were still enough optimists in the metropolis to securo licenses for 41 new vehicles of this type. The " growler." indeed., appears to have mado a much stronger resistance to the onslaught of modernism than the hansom has been able to do. In 1905 there were 6690 hansom cabs in London and la.st year only 3299, but four-wheeled cabs numbered 3263 last year, as against 3935 in 1905. Ihiring the five year* taxi-cabs increased from 19 to 3956. There was a notablo increase last year in the number of motor-omnibuses and tramcars, but the number of vehicles plying for hire was much smaller than in 1908. Vehicles have grown larger, but the population has increased, and it is not unlikely that Londoners are learning the advantages of walking. The records of property left by passengers in licensed vehicles demonstrate London's absentmindedness as clearly as do those of the post office. During 1909 forgetful "fares" left 65,375 articles to be handed to tho police, and 28,062 were restored to their owners. Tho remaining 37,673 were kept for three months and were then given to the drivers or conductors who found them. One man received £93 15s for his find and another £59 9s sd. The lost property included 6199 bags and nearly 10,000 parcels of clothing. Remarkable forgetfulness was shown in regard to umbrellas, of which 25,000 reached tho police. Probably tho reputations of many innocent pbortle were assailed by the 25,000 owners of this particular form of "portable property."