LAW INFRINGEMENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 168, 3 June 1940, Page 5

LAW INFRINGEMENTS

REVIEW OF THE YEAR TO DATE -FIFTY-FOUR POLICE PROSECUTIONS MANY TRAFFIC OFFENCES A large percentage of thei liifty-four convictions recorded in Whakatane since January 1, were against Maoris and liquor "was responsible fo.r miany of these. From a perusal of stat-< istics it is seen that out of seven assault cases, four saw Maoris charged with this offence and in cach case it was: ;said that defendant was under i:he influence of liquor at the tfime. However, charges prefers red against natives ranged from being drunk in a public place to using obscene language, assault and obtaining credit by .-fraud: Those againsit pakehatf were of much the same range} -and included two of intoxication whilst iri cha,rge of a car^ As reported at the time things "were all quiet on the Whaltatane Front until the first sitting of the Magistrate's Court for 1940. That ~was on January 19th. Since that date the police have been kept fully occupied with criminal case 3 .-and the results, which are to he •seen in the charge book at the Magistrate's Court, though a credit to the officers concerned, can hardly be considered a credit to Whakatane and the immediate, district. A review of the statistics reveals :Some interesting facts. Theft Heading "Nine charges ol theft have been preferred so fa.- this year. In four cases beer was stolen; in one. food (a leg of mutton); in one„ money; in another, goods; in another, a blank cheque. A saddle was yet another temptation to which a Maori - succumbed. "Being in a state of intoxication whilst in charge of a motor car" was the charge answered by two defendants. Traffic offences dealt with by the "Police Department commenced and finished with one defendant anil behaving in a disorderly manner also saw only one answering the charge. Being in possession of liquor near a dance hall to which an admission had been charged wa»s the heading under which two more convictions Avere entered. Nine separate penalties were inflicted for unlicensed radio sets and one charge of causing mischief also resulted in a con* viction. Bookmaking and obscene language were each represented by one defendant. "Such charges as being found . drunk in a public place, obtaining liquor whilst prohibited, entering licensed premises whilst prohibited, aiding and abetting in the supply •of liquor are also on the list. Seven charges of assault were pr? ferred and convictions were recorded in every case.

Traffic Offences Breaches of the Traffic Regulations number 39 for the period uii<ler review. All prosecutions were /brought by the Transport Depart.inent and the number quoted also represents the convictions secured. •Breaches ranged from riding cycles without lights or reflectors to driving in a dangerous manner and included many cases where drivers' licenses or current warrants of fitness could not be produced. Speeding accounted for a fairly large and other charges Ave re, failure to obey signal to stop, failure to possess a heavy traffic license, parking within six feet of a fire plug, defective lights, no rear Vision mirror, defective brakes, etc. ■ u a a The police officers stationed at "Whakatane and Taneatua have been kept busy for the last four : and a half months. Since January 19tli, when, as has been stated, the first convictions were recorded, they have been concerned with two major crimes (the murder of the young Maori a?. T'c Teko and the search for the Waikino tragedy vehicle) and in addition to ordinary law enforcement, which includes patrolling, investigating com plaints, and serving warrants, further work has embraced the taking of depositions, investigation of accidents (road, drowning, etc.), an all-night search for two girls believed lost, compiling statistics, conducting inquests (of which there have been twelve in the period) and many other duties which fall to the lot of police in country districts.