ROWDYISM AT WAIROA.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 37, 18 August 1875, Page 3

ROWDYISM AT WAIROA.

"TO THE EDITOR Ob' THE TATEA MAIL. The inhabitants of tins usually quiet little place were disturbed on Saturday night last by the roaring cf an excited man, well primed with the national “ Shpirit.” The gentleman in question commenced at about 11 pan. to wander round the town, ■swearing and hooting and banging at doors until half the women in the place wore perfectly terriJied. It may be said that such things as these frequently occur •at other places, but at Wairoa it seems that there are next to no means of preventing such blackguardism, as there is no lock-up, nor have the A.C. stationed here for public, duty even a single pair of handcuffs to apply in such a case—a police force with neither lock-up nor handcuff's. Our police consist of a -married and single 'constable, who occupy a two-roomed cottage, so if they secure a prisoner of the above description, which is no easy matter 'without handcuffs, he has to be watched all night, and the wife of the married man has to be kept awake all night listening to ; the most'disgusting language ever uttered. Then as we have no J.P. here, the prisoner must bo taken to Patea, and as no expenses are' allowed, the constsblo must either ■walk, and make the prisoner walk, or cany hiin ; or else pay horse hire out of his own . ipodlcfit. Under 'the abo\>e circumstances can a ■constable be blamcd if _he does not show much enthusiasm in doing his duty ? The above' case is only one of a series of ■similar ones that have occurred, the offender usually escaping without the slightest'punishment. Ohi one occasion a notorious Wanganui gaol bird found his way to Patea, and was brought before tile H.M., who kindly had him.pat over the Patea river, informing him he would get six months if he reerdssed. As Wanganui was too hot for that party, of course the action of the K.M. was simply to saddle poor Wairoa with no _ lock-up or handcuffs, with what the Patea found they could not manage, with all sorts of luxurious accommodation. The police in every other part of the Wellington Province are Under Provincial management, and all the necessary appliances are supplied to them, and the result is that de’cent people have some protection but the'VVairoa force iscolonial. Is this the way'the/police of the colony will be managed when the Provinces ate abolished? l am'not a friend of provincialism, but can’t help seeing a difference between the management of police matters in Wairoa and'in'Such places as Turakin'd or Marton, and; I- trust some steps will speedily be taken to provide prompt punishment for rowdyism here as well as in other places,

and a proper lockup provided, not forgetting the bracelets, which latter would on Saiurday night have saved one constable a very nasty blow. I am, Ac., GIVIS.