PAEROA POLICE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4661, 13 February 1924, Page 2

PAEROA POLICE.

INCREASE ASKED FOB.

PETITION TO MINISTER.

During the visit of the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education and Justice, to Paeroa yesterday the opportunity was taken by the local Chamber of Commerce to present to him a petition bearing a large number ef signatures of residents of Paeroa requesting that an extra constable should be stationed in Paeroa.

In presenting the petition Mr P. E Brenan, vice-president of the chamber, drew the Minister’s attention to the large area, extending over a 15 miles radius from the town, that had to be covered by the one constable .it the present time, and stated that the town and surrounding district were steadily growing. The work coulJ not possibly be done satisfactorily b 7 the one man, although he did his best under trying circumstances. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall), endorsed the remarks made by Mr Brenan, and said that the time had now arrived when extra police protection should be afforde I. In reply to Bhe deputation the Minister said that on the face of the petition there appeared to be a w*ave of crime passing over the district, which no doubt was attributable tcmischievous hooligans, and for despoiling flower-beds, and such acts of vandalism, such offenders should be flogged. The difficulty is to catch the culprits with one constable, whose duty takes him out,, of the town so much, said the Mayor.

Continuing, Mr Parr said that ne would be quite willing to go into the matter with the Commissioner of Police on his return to Wellington. There appeared to be a shortage of police in a number of districts, and, realising the need of better protection, bis department could do with 100 extra constables. The Minister said he was endeavouring to put the Police Department on a better footing than formerly, but it required a la’ ge sum of money, and at the present time all available money was urgenily required in other directions. M- Parr said that the small increase in the pay of the police that had been granted a few month ago would cost the Government another £lo,ooo' a year ir the aggregate. He could not promise anything definite, but could assure the deputation that its request would be treated on its merits, and he would do what he could on his return to Wellington.