WATER POLICE—A SUGGESTION.-r

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13484, 10 May 1907, Page 3

WATER POLICE—A SUGGESTION.- r

—It is, without doubt, a disgrace thai , * a large port liko Auckland should bo un-' provided with water police, and tbo Govern-, %'■ ment's solo reason for abolishing this useful ; force some years ago seems to have been that Wellington had not got onj. Of course, Auckland differs from all other ports in the "I colony, in several respects.- For ono thing, wo have here by. far the largest fleet of pleasure boats, and also of coastal : vessels, immensely outnumbering any other port.. We hear of so many cases of outrages; and - petty; thefts and annoyances that the neces- , ■ sity for a. properly trained jttacl equipped water police is undeniable. I would liko aVjjs to suggest that, in view of tho approaching erection of the Harbour Board's building (wbero suitable accommodation could,probably be provided), a petition to the Department of Justice praying for the re-establish-ment of the force hero should bo signed by tho various local, governing bodies, the different boating associations and representatives of the legal and commercial community. Then something may be done, but we must beg our "progressive" Government to; remember that we are living in the twentieth century, and should not drag more than, , say, 50 years behind the times. V,