THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1924. ADEQUATE POLICE PROTECTION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4727, 21 July 1924, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1924. ADEQUATE POLICE PROTECTION.

it will be remembered that in February of this year, when the Hon. Minister for Justice was on a visit to Paeroa. the opportunity was taken by the local Chamber of Commerce to present a petition, largely signed by ratepayers in the borough, asking for an additional constable to be stationed in Paeroa. At the time the Minister admitted, on the face of the facts submitted by the deputation, that there certainly seemed to be a necessity for an additional policeman, and he promised to go fully into the.matter with the Commissioner of Police on his return to Wellington. The following month the Minister advised the Chamber that, after consultation with the Commissioner of Police, it was not considered that the police work in Paeroa had increased to such an extent as to warrant a second constable being stationed in otir town. Surely the alarming robberies in our midst during the last week call for some action being taken immediately. It is almost an impossibility for one man, with an area extending over a fifteen-mile radius, to afford adequate protection for the property of townspeople and give them that feeling of security which is their due. Were our streets to be patrolled at regular intervals between the hours of sunset and sunrise there is little doubt that intending lawbreakers would have less chance of pursuing their illegal callings. To enable closer supervision of our town to be exercised it is obvious that an additional mam must be stationed here. Under the existing arrangements this necessary work cannot be carried out. Not many week.-, ago a clothes-line of a local resident, not far .from the main street, ■was robbed of the clothing on it, but up to the present no arrest has been made, although the owners of the clothes were considerable losers by the contemptible theft. A few months ago tee premises of a local firm of bakers were visited and a quantity of harness stolen. Such thefts may, or may not have been committed by amateurs: but the fact remains that they did not receive the punishmnt due tc them, and the owners have had to grin and bear the loss and inconvenience of such thefts. The recent burglaries suggest that a masterhand has been at work, and that more than one person is implicated. If S crime Is to be committed it is unlikely that an extra constable in bur midst would be the means of prevent-

ing it, but it would certainly have a detrimental effect on wrong-doers and lessen their chances of success if our streets were more often patrolled. The residents of .the borough are in no way responsible for the wrong-doing of others, and it is only reasonable that they should be accorded adequate protection during the hours they are away from their business premises. It is to be hoped that our local Chamber will not feel discouraged at the reply its former petition received from the Minister, and that in view of the recent depredations by the light-fingered gentry the matter of additional police protection will be taken up and pushed to a successful issue.