THE POLICE FORCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13636, 15 April 1908, Page 7

THE POLICE FORCE.

WELLINGTON DEFICIENCIES

The Wellington correspondent of the New Zealand Herald telegraphed to his paper on Saturday thus .•- — There is a jot of talk" in Wellington about the state of the local police force, which is known to be woefully inadequate iov tEe proper policing of the city. Commissioner Dinnie, when approached, says that all is as it should ho, but there arc others who, owing to tho positions they hold, cannot speak openly, who know from grin experience that the police force of the city is much under-staffed. This would seem to accdunt for tlie number of recent petty crimes that have never been sheeted home.

Two or three men concerned in a recent theft of a trunk from a hotel were caught by the hotel people themselves. The third is still at large. There have been burglaries at Whitcombe aud Tombs' (booksellers and stationers), Pirard's (jewellers), and Mrs Rothenberg's, none of which have so far been traced to the authors, and there is an obnoxious person conducts himself .offensively in the Botanical Gardens (not a hundred yards from the Mayor's residence), who is scaring the women 'folk of Kelburne out of thciij wits and who is still at larrje. Motor cars are permitted to charge through the city streets at twenty miles an hour, 'and the traffic is frequently blocked at busy corners through lack of police supervision. Owing to the small number of competent constables

a great many small cases are. sent on for elucidation to tho detective department, which, prevents them giving their best efforts to more serious matters within their province. Commissioner Dinnie, whose term in that»office is up in June, thinks that there are quite enough policemen in Weilincjton for present needs, but an old officer states that there were as many 20 years ago, and that then half of them were not probationers as they are now. The whole of tho probationers are first in Wellington, and instead of being trained in barracks are sont out on to the streets, not cvn knowing localities. The chief officials arf tinned down to their desks., to doal with reports and correspondence, instead of being out and about to supervise the police work of the city. "Owing to this state of things," states an officer, "it is only through sheer luck that there has not been a serious miscarriage of justice in Wellington." Tho inefficient policing of Wellington prompted a lady writer in Wellington to make some inquiries as to how far women were safe in our streets at night. The following is an extract from her article :—: —

"And to what extent are tho Wellington streets safe for women? All sort of opinions arc hazarded, but 'Dominica' did not want chance opinions. She repaired to 'one who knew.' Hi.< answer was startling. 'I should never,' he said, 'allow my wife or any woman relative to go out alone after half-past nine at night.' Half-past nine! It seemed a preposterously early hour. Why, the most timid woman thinks she is safe at least until 10 or 10.30. After that she docs begin to feel alarmed, but the 4 onc who knew' was firm. 'Perhap.s much later at night,' he said, 'it might be safer than during the comparatively early hours. Tho people who were ihfi> hanging about mmht have retired to their hoin^s, but it is not good for a woman to be in the quiet streets of the town after half-past nine.' "