Untitled

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1146, 13 September 1882, Page 4

The Victorian Detective Police Force is in a wretchedly disorganised state. A "commission is at present conducting an enquiryjinto the working of the department, and one detective has stated that if the commission were to sit until the “ crack of doom " they would never get at the truth. At any time, he says, three men in the office can be got to think one way and three another, and it would be a good thing for the community if the Detective Department were kept under water for 48 hours. Another detective characterised the office as a “nursery of crime," and as hoving been in a state of disorganisation, It would appear as if the Commission believed this to be true, for they expressed as much at a recent sitting. The Age adds“ Lately it will be remembered, prosecutions were instituted against the promoters of Melbourne Cup sweeps, and a matter for wonder was how it happened that no proceedings were ever taken against a certain individual who is known to reap a handsome profit out of such lotteries. The officer who had charge of the prosecution tried to work up a case against the person alluded to, and 1 test cheques were returned—owing, it is surmised, to to the astute promoter having been privarely informed of the trap prepared for him, The question is, who was the informant P”