POLICE METHODS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 930, 28 November 1933, Page 5

POLICE METHODS.

Defence of New Zealand System. STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, October 17. A reply to criticism of police methods in New Zealand, 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 Wohlmann, in an interview to-day. 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, first to await evidence of failure before pronouncing judgment?” Apropos of the C.T.D. the Commissioner continued: “The trial of many important cases of crime in this Dominion has disclosed detective work of a quality sufficiently high to draw favourable comment from even the highly organised force which has been referred to as a pattern. This comment has come from men who know.” Undetected Murders. In regard to undetected murders Mr Wohlmann pointed out that last year fifteen murders were committed and thirteen arrests were made. The other two cases were the casting away of infants, an extremely difficult crime to detect. The Commissioner admitted that 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?” he asked.