WATERSIDE HOOLIGANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13625, 19 December 1907, Page 6

WATERSIDE HOOLIGANS.

NECESSITY FOR A POLICE LAUNCH. The necessity for supplying the local police force with a motor launch is becoming more apparent every day. Last season the owners of pleasure boats wore subjected to a good deal of annoyance and inoocvenienoe by a number of men and youths who went round the waterfront stealing lead from the yachts, smashing skylights, cutting the rigging, and committing other such acts of depredation, and it would appear from complaints which, have already been made that those who take their pleasure on the Waitemata are again experiencing trouble in this connection. A motor launch was recently broken into and pilfered at Orakei, access being gained to the craft by smashing the skylight. The engines were tampered with and after vainly trying to set the boat going, to the detriment of certain parts of the machinery, the marauders cut up the oushion in the cabin. Altogether damage to the extent of about £5 was done. Repairs were offected at Ponsonby, but as soon as the boat was ready for launching she was again visited, this time two new batteries belonging to the motor being taken away. Last Sunday a local motor launch owner called on some friends at Howick, and when b>3 returned to his launch ho found that a vital part of the engine had been removed. Fortunately another launch was passing at the time,, and it took the disabled one in tow.