Manamatu Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1889 POLICE PROTECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 277, 5 July 1889, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1889 POLICE PROTECTION.

• ■ - We were glad to notice that the Borough Council accepted our suggestions in the spirit that they were mnde, and moved resolutions dealing with them at their lust meeting. Referring to the request for another constable being stationed at Foxton, the Mayor took a decided lead on Wednesday, by arranging for a deputation of the resident Justices of the Peace to interview the Resident Magistrate and to invoice his assistance to the request of the CouncilAfter listening to the statements made, the M gistrate promised to lay the matter befo c the Inspector of" Police. We understand that the Mayor has also written to the Minister of Justice. Thus for a time everything that could be done, has been done, and we have to await the official view. At first we should not be very much surprised, if we are informed that the application is preposterous, that loookingat the request from a statistical view, which is the one view most dear to the offi cial mind, we are told that the number of our population does not warrant such a large perce tage of polioemen, and |therefore tbe thing canQo.> be thought of. Outside officialism , statistics are not counted ofso much value, as the general pablio rub against fac's, and are therefore disinclined to listen to fietioos. It may be true, that the ap? peintment of am, «xtra constftbU

might appear to be in excess of our needs, by counting the heads of the population, but then officials should take care that the first apportionment of thieves, rogues and vagabonds are made to the same population: If statistics fail to do so in fcnis laSt state, they must be allowed to be of no avail in the first. Anyone who has paid a visit to this town on a Saturday or Sunday, will be bound to admit, that the increased population attracted to this district by the developemenb of the flax industry, has a very unfair pi- portion of most objectionable characters. The Amount of drunk&hiieas that is openly carried on, the vile language that is used on our public streets, the rowdyism displayed at entertain^ ments all go t<\ prove tnis; The evidence given Iby tne constable this Week, in the cases against two prisoners for resisting Mm, is still further and stronger evidence of the need of granting the request for another man to assist him. It becomes a very serious position of affairs, when our only guardian swears that he, though ca led upon to i'eaidVe a j man from an hotel, did not do so, because he was surrounded by his " pals," whom he thought would prevent him On the same night, whilst arresting a prisoner in another public house, a relation of the prisoner, endeavoured to raise a cry of rescue, which luckily was not responded to. And further that whilst conveying this man to the lockup, he was pelted with stones, one of which flew past his ear, whilst another struck him a serious blow on the elbow, and after his prisoner was locked up, his residence was regularly cannonaded with stones. Though this was the constable's resi dence, and alongside the lock up, he deemed it advisable, having no one to support him, to accept the indignity without making any attempt to arrest the ringleaders These are remarkably ugly facts, and unless steps are at <>nee taken to assert the supposed strong arm of the law, the authorities, now thei ■ atte tion bas been ca led to the facts, will be altogether to blame if some serious riot takes place, or some serious injury is done to the constable, by these rowdies, who have, week by week been feeling their strength Until a way is seen of sending a regular extra constable, one at any rate should be sent here for Saturday and Sunday nights.