ARRESTS BY THE POLIOE

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1277, 2 September 1872, Page 2

ARRESTS BY THE POLIOE

[to the editor.J

Sir — I have always understood that protection to. Hfe and property formed one of the chief points of jfche duties of the police ; but from what I am about to relate, it would seem that such is not the case.

On Tuesday night, having discovered that a man who had been boarding at my house had stolen a pair of blankets, which he had deposited with his swag on board the Gem (which was to sail early the next morning;, I sought the assistance of the police. Having found a constable, I told him of the circumstance. He suggested a certain house as a likely place to find him. I went in to see, having first cautioned the constable, who was waiting outside to arrest him, that the man had a very savage doj» with him. He was not there, but I afterwards found him at my own house, in bed, where I should have arregted him myself but for this said dog. I went now to the camp, but could not, make anyone hear. I' next went jn search of the constable, and, having found him, I told him that I had the man safe at my house, and then minutely detailed the history of the transaction, when the constable said, " Your tale is so long, I do not think the man ought to be | arrested." And thus, through the negligence of the police in refusing to take my .charge, the criminal escapes, and "I lose "my "property. If the constable arrived at his logical conclusion in pursu- | ance of instructions, the sooner they are revised the' better. The force "is too costly for nuisance-mongering only. I am, &c., Thus. Bailhv. Full and Plenty Hotel, August 30. [Mr Bailey, we fear, mistakes the position of the police in such matters. It was his duty to give the man in charge, or to

procure his arrest by warrant. If warrants are not procurable at:-the ! dead of; night, he might be excused inviting the. assistance of a policeman, buia^Hjceniani may be equally excused for paying some"deference to a savage dog. This deference Mr Bailey seems to have duly paid so far as he himself was concerned, and he might, --at least, 'have so ■mwwiffiSffi&P tion for the calves or nether parts of a policeman.]