THE POLICE AND THE LATE MURDERS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 80, 17 July 1866, Page 2

THE POLICE AND THE LATE MURDERS.

(To the Editor of the Grey JtiverSArgiis:} Str— While I cordially agree with ymv in pointing out the many shortcomings and "•' failings of , pur wouMrbp^Goyermheui; pay excellence, J am not disposed to accepiun tyfo ../ all that you choose to lay before the: public, i audhiore esijecially your denunciation of the. small police force stationed in -Greymouth, as.beLl fprtfr by y^u in. ypir leadej of tho 3th Instant. " '-' ' ' ." ' "/' C ' V.on, iVii?, uiust be aware what mini^r: of ?nej) hayp beeh'placed at Mr James' disposal by M* Cpnmiissjpnef gboaranaii, aiid you must also k^jow .-whether., that nninber |3 sufficient to watch over find protect the mr terpsts of the Grey lUver Distipict'l You •.must also kiiQWj frpmypHi- owir observations. _' and criminal .experience, wjietlitr tlie^ Inspeptfir-, with, his ; liniited force, ; has-iot proved himself most !energeticaud ! capable^ and ypuniu^b? a^e|hfit James, is not:'^ ]ike"" : A'rgus'' of old, pds3psse(V,of qiie nun, I dred oyes wherewith |b see in all directions. Nor does lie possess such, miliinited power as. c.an 'enable liim to trespass upon the law, and defy |t wUiU iijrpuiiityi: Knowmg these, thirfgs;' I conceive ypup rqnavks to be in the highest degree ungenerous to Mr James -who certahily,eould not exceed; his duty without entjangeqng hjs prestjsje as a careful and sldlful ogieer. ; ,-Had- a y»grjiiitiAct-beeri hi force, Mr James, with the knowleclge he had of Me§si^ Burgess and Cp.'s aiitepedents, would ■.have been censurable .in , allowing them to remain Jit - large V but" no. : Act t English pr Provincial could le applfed to them, TJjey had committed no overt act of crime here,, a|leqst none were attributed tqV. theiji"; tfcfey -svere dailyi-eported upon^ ; ttieir : every action, as far as possible, was watched ;_- --. aiid when the first ; and slightest , clue wasgiven to their nefarious dpmgs. pfompt'and , decided measures were at once adopted, and I have no doubt that 'but for the accessory . wlio' gave them timely warningj^ye should have ha.4. all the miscreants, safely lodged,^ ; and the melancholy tragedy 6f >laungatap\i arrested.; v- ■.;■:■..■. : ; : ;'.;:i > v' : -''V • ;'■■ Again, see the unwearied untu-iiig- cxi ertions of Mr J.ame§ t\s(i\ hj*>mall force, in the search for Mr Dobson; Day after day wjvs spent in, this nielanelioly -weary; toil, an 4 with liim lies the merit of discovering the n^nrdeseiVman'gbpdjr. ; I^et it be alsoxbonie. mmmd that( Mr-DobsoQ^fliS^from all evi-. dence a dead man at the time Mr James came to the knowledge .. of, their, complicity ill MrFpjc's intended murder, ftud .that a very ahPrt tjinp elapsed between that event, and the i]at§ of; tiieir; departure by the Did not their innate i knowledge that Mr James' detective skill would' infallibly bring their crime home . to them lnury their- de^ ■pa^tpire? v*l think- iV did, and were: you to , gpeak dispass^nately you. would ajso coincide ' with me. Is it fair,; sitting In your editorial 1 chair, tofulminate forth /an acensation which, coming as it does from a public journalis, accepted abroad as being the expressed ppiiiipn. of the. majority of. the inhabitants ? Is it faiej f say, to send forth an assertion that must tend to injury in a measure the " well-earned and merited position of a worthy ancl capable oj^cer. ?. For your assertion dis* tinctly acciises JtfaJanies as being derilict'ia his du^y i ll not" apprehendiu^ these men. Had y6u,iinstead>of v^eflecting upon Mr:^ James, pese.cted uppn the parsimonious*: polioy of the Canter-bury Government .in not ■■'■ giving us sufficient p^^oUce protection ; in ho^ putting a patrol^'upon the roads ; ; ill not estabhshing a weekly gold fields escort ; in liqt having brpught in for the ptotection of the;industripi\s tagftinstj the lazy .aiid worth-: Vless a comprehensive Vagrant Act, would you have aided the ends of justibe, and given a stimulant to. the.officer who hag charge,of the police department hereto cpnt j tinue in* his, -present jealous; performance ~of J duty. Several Jinks in .the chain of ch*cum-. J stantial evidence Jthat.is winding around the* doomed men have been furnished by ; Mm James, and but for his valuable cp-operatibiM and skill the jiccesspries who "are now beinM brought tip^ would BtifthayeTjeen^ at l.ii-pM with tlie probable result of a jpepetitipnV ttelate jjmTbrs. . Is no. credit to be clue *m mivft; who siiiiply and faithftilly performs*, duty, but who. does not, because lie cai^- r exceed it ? Is no credit to bedueto men^B when a dJVngeroHs:. crime [ was' about™ cpmjnitteti, qid / not hesitate to V^ m selves in th yangugrd ; expose, themselyes j did/npt besitaijt^V^ forth, a;id as armed men meet withS ..criminals. lWsoi^tp/h>yf!ektefiM •' matter tpsßehWlength- b^^ymu<^ is due, in^ . farmpre tttflii can at pfeseytfbe inady Ihopeyouagl^gggl^jJtjiotdf [|||HflH|^^^^Brtliem deserves.^..