TRACKING CRIMINALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 6

TRACKING CRIMINALS.

EXCHANGE OF DETECTIVES. DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA. " INSPECTOR CASSELL-S* SUPPORT. : M [St TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] I CHKISTCHUECH. Thursday. " I believe that the devil you know is , J f better than the devil you don't," said ';; Inspector J. J. Cassells, of the Christchurch police, to-day, in speaking of the ; advantage of the permit system, and the *. keeping of New Zealand criminals within the Dominion. A message was cabled'the 'J other day embodying the suggestion that ' • there should be an interchange of detec- ' tives between Australia and New Zealand. • "The advantage of this arrangement," }, said Inspector Cassells, "is fairly obvious, • :: : and I think that the scheme is an ex- /' cellent one. When in Sydney two years ago, I saw on numerous occasions .some . of our: worst criminals, who were working ' } there, without being known to the New ") South Wales police. I saw one man who was an expert at blowing safes, and was also a notorious pick-pocket. I happened. •=, to be going out to the Kensington races, -iff and saw this fellow entering .hotel. That -V evening I informed an Australian detective of the fact, and together we went -- to the hotel. I pointed out the suspected man to the Sydney detective. Shortly after I left Sydney. I understand, this % man was apprehended for blowing a safe, ,*| and vi us sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. .. ; : "There; was an, Australian gang of thieves . which worked right" through ***** ■£ Dominion, picking pockets right and left. % One of the gang went to the Bank of New Zealand in Wellington one day when V ; a Government messenger was, paying in /| a sum of money, which was in a handbag. While he was "filling In a bank form the criminal picked up • the bag and walked ~ out of the building. The police vrc;3 y - unable to locate him. Some time later, id vyi Australia,-a detective mentioned the inci- ■;■■'':•; dent tome and asked, 'Would you like* ■> to see the man who did it?' He was able to point him out to me. • " I don't., believe in sending our criminals to Australia, nor do I think that the Australians send their criminals to New Zealand. Australian detectives have told me that the New Zealand criminals can hold their own with any in the Commonwealth. "I remember the case of one of the worst "criminals in New Zealand, a man who would shoot on sight, and always ';}; carried a revolver. He was arrested, by the. way. while sitting in a barber's chair. He .received, a sentence of ten years for dynamiting a T safe, but at the end of five years he' was released and shipped away, I think,; to Australian The permit system was not in vogue then, you see. I :certainly do not think it is fair that tit's class of man should ever.be sent away >:'•» another country."~, v, ; - > ,

SCHEME TOO EXPENSIVE. ..■;.., STATEMENT BY MINISTER. TBI TELEGRAPH.— ; ASSOCIATION.] : , WELLINGTON., Thursday. The proposal of the New South Wales Police' Department that an. exchange* of detectives should be made between Australia.and New Zealand was referred to ■ to-day bv "the Minister for Justice, the Hon. EL*P. Lee. ' •'..' "New Zealand is peculiarly situated," said Mr. Lee, "having four centres am compared with one in most of the Australian States. - To be of any practical value, if the proposed system were established, it would mean that four detectives from New Zealand, one from each centre, would have to go to each of th*. Australian States; and the tnumber; required for that purpose" "would be;.- 24Similarly, four detectives would :be required from each State in: Australia for duty here, so that the expense of these 24 men, amounting to £4000 a year, wocild have to be paid by- the Police Department.- In addition, the permanent strength of the detective branch would have to be considerably increased. I "It is true that the interchange of detectives might be of some use .to the New Zealand force, and probably of much :"': more use to the police of Austra lian States,- but I do not. think the advantage to this Dominion would ha sufficient to justify the large expenditure involved and the disorganisation of. the detective branch that would be the result of constantly changing stations."