THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning. Wednesday, April 13, 1910. THE POWELKA SCARE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12767, 13 April 1910, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning. Wednesday, April 13, 1910. THE POWELKA SCARE.

There is a decidedly American flavour about the daily" budget of sensations telegraphed from Paknerston North.; and occurring in : a peaceful and lawabiding , district of New Zealand, the exploits of Powelka .are sufficient to occasion the most 'profound) sen&ation of recent years. The exciting events of the last few days, -culminating on Monday night in. a deplorable tragedy, demonstrate how completely a populous district may " be" terrorised, and the forces of law act at nought, by a single desperate individual. Unfortunately the search, as far as the voluntary assistance of residents is concerned, does not seem to~ have been directed upon any system or settled plan of action. The country is overrun % parties of armed and e::cited men; who are " probably a continual embarassment rather than an effective aid to the police. It would have been better had a number of suitable men been sworn in as special constables to co-operate with the regular police, under discipline, and the-ac-tivity of irresponsible searchers discouraged as far as possible. In the present circumstances there is as much to be feared from the hysteria of the unofficial searchers as from Powelka. The fact that Powelka confines himself- so closely to the town of Palmerston . . North suggests cither that he contemplates further .outrages there, or that he is in receipt of assistance from friends. In the restricted area of the search lies the greatest hope .that a period will soon be put to -the man's liberty. He app-r-.rs to have declared a sort of vendetta upon Palmerston^ North, and ©.very hour thathe remains at large is fraught with' danger of ■further-.tragedies. The police' .appear [ to j4 :.' prosecuting the search with unbounded ,zeal and courage, a*nd the district, is being so thoroughly^ patrolled, that if Powelka. remains in his present haunts his capture or death should speedily eventuate. . ,