THE AUCKLAND BURGLARIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14211, 12 May 1908, Page 5

THE AUCKLAND BURGLARIES.

(Pes Uniteo Phess Association.) ■ AUCKLAND, May 11. the recent frequency of burglaries in Auckland and elsewhero was referred to by a Herald representative in the course of an interview on Saturday evening w jth the Hoif. Jas. M'Uowan, who as Minister of Justice is at tho head of the Police i'orce of the Dominion. Mr M'Gowan said that the police were doing all that was possible in their endeavour to detect the burglars, but he said ho thought that too much carelessness was displayed by householders. They could he said, help thcmsjlves a great deal in the ma Her by beins more careful in regard to their money and valuables, and also by giving tho police the earliest possible notice, instead of allowing considerable time to elapse before reporting the thefts, as was often tho case. On being asked whether lie agreed with the policy of reticence observed by the police in regard to these burgtikr.ics, Mr M'Uowan said that ho considered the police were quite correct in the' attitude taken up. Any publication of information in connection with the burglaries was read by the burglars themselves, and it thus fended to assist ihem in evading arrest. "Does not publicity serve to place people on their guard?" the -Minister was asked. " It may do that certainly," admitted Mr M'Gown-n, " bur I maintain tiiat. people who have valuables should always bo on their guard. I think that more harm than gocd is done by the publication of accounts of the burglaries." . On it being mentioned that in England the newspnprs are furnished by tho police with descriptions, of stolen property, the Minister replied: "That is a matter for the owners of the goods, not for tho police. I have not the least hesitation in confirming the position taken up by our police."