THE WEST HARBOUR POLICE STATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8076, 11 January 1888, Page 3

THE WEST HARBOUR POLICE STATION.

A deputation, consisting of the mayor of West Harbour (Mr Hodgkins), Councillor Koss, and th 3 Town Clerk (Mr Taylor), waited upon the Defence Minister yesterday with reference to the closing of the police station at West Harbour. The deputation was introduced by Mr Mills, W.H.R.

The Mayoi! drew the Minister's attention to the rumour that was current as to the closing of the police station, and asked whether, before anything was finally done in the matter, the desirability or otherwise of closing the station would be fully considered. While recognising the obligation the Government were tinder with regard to retrenchment, he pointed out that there was a large population in the district, which had been singularly free from matters of police complaint, and that was in all probability clue to the fact of there being a station in the district. He also observed that if the station were closed there might be a frequency of those things which had 'been prevented owing to a police constable being on the spot.

The Hon. Mr Fergus said the Government wert under a strong obligation to retrench wherever it was possible without interfering with the ellicicncy of any department, and ho thought the district could be as efficiently supervised by a mounted police patrol as by a resident oilicer. Looking at the record of tho district which was before him, ho observed that there had been next to no police complaints for many years, and it .seemed to him that in so law-abiding a place as West Harbour, situated as it was in close contiguity to Dunedin, a station which involved considerable expense might be dispensed with. He, however, promised the deputation that the station would not be closed for a month, and if iv that time it should bo found that the experiment which the Government proposed to try in the direction of patrolling the district was not sufficient for its protection, other measures would then be taken. He also suggested the advisability of trying the experiment of a local or district constable upon somewhat similar terms as obtained in some parts of the North Island, but stated that that was a matter that might be left over for further consideration.

The deputation then thanked the Minister and withdrew.