THE CRIME YEAR.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19463, 31 December 1934, Page 9

THE CRIME YEAR.

WAIKATO’S EXPERIENCE

MANY VIOLENT DEATHS. FINE RECORD OF POLICE. A review of the crime year in the „ne Hamilton Police District, which comprises an extensive area embracing the whole of the Waikato and portion of the Rotorua and King Country districts, reveals a much larger number of crimes of violence than 'has ■been the case for many years. Although official statistics from the courts and the police files are not yet available it is certain that they will disclose an increase in crime.

So far from this state of affairs being a reflection on the efficiency of the police the manner in which criminals have been detected and brought to justice reflects the greatest credit on the guardians of law and order in this district. There is, no doubt, that'the Hamilton police, both uniform and plain-clothes branches, have experienced a most strenuous year and the volume of work which has fallen on the detective office in particular is evidenced by the recent appointment of an additional detective. A notable feature of crime recorded in Hamilton borough is that in almost every case offences are committed by outsiders, the town itself being one of the : most law-abiding in the Dominion. But what makes 1934 outstanding is the large number of ’ violent deaths due to foul play. Early in the year the Hamilton police was concerned with the Bayly' trial, the final act in a protracted and absorbing drama'having been the execution of William Alfred Bayly. on July 20. Then came the sensational Tirau as--5 sault case in which a Tirau storekeeper was cruelly battered and gravely injured by two young desperadoes ■Who ultimately were captured and ■ paid the penalty with long terms of imprisonment, one receiving a flogging. Some remarkably smart work was done by the police on that occasion, especially by Detective A. J. White, of Hamilton, who conducted the investigation which culminated in the apprehension of the miscreants responsible. Murders and Suicides. A record in Hamilton police files was the commission of no fewer than 8 murders and G suicides in a period of 27 days. The ball was set rolling in this extraordinary series of crimes by the shocking Davenport murders, •the details of which are too fresh in the public mind to justiily reiteration. An entire family of motheT, father and ,two sons perished on their lonely farm in the remote back-country behind Otorohanga' early last October, the sequel taking place a few weeks later, with the murder of Constable Heeps at Morrinsville' by the young Maori, Hona, who was later proved to be the author of the Davenport murders. It was the sensational.; suicide, of Hona when trapped by the police which drew the curtain on one of the most Tragic episodes known in New 'Zealand crime. A feature of this case was .the intensive man-hunt through icpugh bush country ■ and, indeed lifpougho'ut the provincey. . Hfrt. on the heels of the Davenport and Ileeps murders came the ghastly affair in which Harry Rogers, a Horsham Downs farmer, slaughtered his wife arid two children and then took his own life. Two suicides in other parls of the Waikato about this time brought up the total violent deaths wil'liin less than a month to J 4. 1 . in addilion lo Hie major crimes referred lo there has been a good deal of house-breaking and thieving which have resulted in many athesis. An unusually large number of prisoners escaped from the Waikeria Borstal institute, but all were recaptured after varying periods of liberty. Such escapes are not uncommon from institutions where prisoners are often placed on parole.

It will be recalled that in the (Police ■Commissioner’s report to Parliament for the year ended March 31 last it was stated that 2294 offences in the Hamilton district were accounted for by arrest or summons, or 9'5.5 jier cent and it can he safely ' predicted that a record equally as good if not better will be attained during the current year.