CONSTABLE WANTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22240, 15 October 1935, Page 10

CONSTABLE WANTED

POSITION AT MANUREWA POULTRY AND TREES STOLEN Statements by property-owners in Manurewa in support of the district's application for the appointment of a resident constable were submitted to the Manurewa Town Board last night. Some months ago the board waited on the Minister of Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cobbo, and in support of the request for police supervision members stated there had been numerous thefts in the district and several cases of assault. At a recent meeting a letter was rewived from the Minister, who said the police had had no thefts of poultry reported, and ho requested that details be furnished, particularly concerning the alleged loss by one owner of 300 head of poultry. The board decided to obtain statements from the owners concerned. In a letter submitted to the board last night an owner stated that recently thieves broke down a chained and padlocked door on his property and removed 136 laying pullets. They had been in demand by buyers and wore valued at from 10s to £1 each. When the loss was discovered at 6.30 a.m. the Papakura police station was advised by telephone. "The reply was that there was no one available until the assistant came on duty at 9 a.m;, when ho would come on a cycle," continued the letter. The writer stated ho had gone to Papakura in his motor-car to expedite inquiries About 12 months ago ho also lost a number of young stock, including 67 pullets. He said he estimated his losses at between £l5O and £2OO. Another owner said her property had been raided several times and ducks and hens stolen. Three years ago tools valued at £3O had been stolen from a workshop and threo months ago 34 birds valued at over £2O had been stolen from aviaries. In each case the police had been notified, but without result. Dogs had been kept, but they had been poisoned. A nurseryman wrote stating ho had suffered the loss of bundles of trees, one weighing having been removed last July. A few weeks later other bundles were stolen. It was stated that the owner said to have lost 300 poultry was now out of business and had left the district. Tho board instructed tho clork to forward the statements to the Minister of Justice.