CRIME IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22122, 28 November 1933, Page 6

CRIME IN NEW ZEALAND

METHODS OF DETECTION OFFICIAL REPLY TO CRITICISM. ( Special to Daily Times;> WELLINGTON, November 27. -A reply to 'the. criticism of police methods in New Zealand which was made by Miss B. E. Baughan at the annual meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Howard League for Penal Reform was given by the Commissioner of Police, Mr W. G. > Wohlmann, in an interview to-day.. Mis* Baughan advocated the establishment of a criminal investigation department and the use of dogs to assist in the detection of crime, and indulged in a general criticism of the Police Force. “ The statistics of crime in New Zealand do not bear out the criticism of the New Zealand Police Force,” the commissioner said. “The percentage of arrests to offences reported last year was 90.49 per cent. It would be interesting to learn of a force with a higher percentage. Regarding the two recent murder cases to which she refers, would it not be wise, and perhaps even fair, to await the evidence of failure before pronouncing judgment? “The trial of many important cases of crime in this Dominion,” -continued Mr Wohlmann, “has disclosed detective work of a quality sufficiently high to draw favourable comment from the Criminal Investigation Department of Scotland Yard. In regard to undetected murders, it may be pointed .out that last year 15 murders were committed in New Zealand and 13 arrests were made. The other two cases were the casting away of infants, an extremely difficult crime to detect.” Commissioner Wohlmann admitted that it would be, helpful to have high-powered motor cars and wireless sets as they did in other countries, and if another £20,000 a year were given to the police it might be possible to do something in that direction, but what would the taxpayer say about it? There were features in New Zealand crime which had to be considered. Miss Baughan was placing the Dominion on the same footing as countries with populations vastly larger. It should also be remembered that New Zealand did not have to deal with the international criminal, and even the Australian criminal was not a menace here. As to the use of dogs, the commissioner stated that a pair of bloodhounds of a suitable type would cost £IOOO. and in addition to that there was the upkeep and the expense of a trainer. He concluded that there was insufficient scope to warrant the carrying out of the suggestions made by Miss Baughan..