UNSOLVED CRIMES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18258, 29 November 1933, Page 7

UNSOLVED CRIMES

MEMBERS SHOW CONCERN DISCUSSION IN HOUSE POLICE FORCE DEFENDED ( Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Grave concern at the number of unsolved .serious crimes reported in New Zealand, including the recent murder mystery at liicearton, was expressed in the House last night by Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labor, Avon), who paid that the Auckland police superintendent, in his annual report, had shown that there were 934 crimes reported in which no arrest luid taken place during the year. Other district officers had not given their figures, although he thought that they should have done so. It was a very serious matter to find in one of the principal cities 931 unsolved crimes. Mr. W. J. Jordan (Labor, Manukau): Why do you say one of the principal cities? Mr. Sullivan: I said one of the principal cities. Mr. Jordan: The principal; city. “Then we have the unfortunate failure, up to tile, present, of no one being apprehended in connection with the Riecarton tragedy,” said Mr. Sullivan. “It must bo a cause of great worry and anxiety to the Minister to know that so much time lias elapsed without any arrest being made.” He explained that he had great respect for the New Zealand Police Force, but he suggested that some airrangement should be made for the interchange of officers between the detective branches of Britain and New Zealand, so that the Dominion could get the benefit of the latest methods in detecting crime. No one wished that the perpetrator of a serious crime should go unpunished, but there seemed to be something wrong with the condition under which So many serious crimes could go undetected. The police report itself stated that the detective staff required to be strengthened by three additional officers, as the present staff could not be expected to cope with the work. FAVORABLE COMPARISON “Does this lack of men contribute to the failure to detect crime?” asked Mr. Sullivan. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe. replying, said that last year there was a net decrease in undetected offences. He wanted to make it clear that the police frequently could not make immediate arrests as they had to be very sure of their ground. There wei'e certain offences which were very difficult to detect unless witnesses happened to be present, such as the recent case of a man who was found murdered in a motor car at Auckland. He had personally investigated in Wellington the steps usually taken for the detection of crime. “When I saw the efficiency of the system, I said that I would always live honestly,” said the Minister. Mr. Sullivan: How does the proportion of undetected crime in New Zealand compare with that of other countries?

The Minister: More than favorably with any other country. Other members suggested that more money could profitably be expended on acquiring fast cars for members of the police force. Mr. Cobbe said that to supply all stations with' fast cars would take more money than the department could afford at the present time. However, the matter would be kept steadily in view. He pointed out that a number of members of the force had cars of their own and money was allocated towards the maintenance of these vehicles.