Police stand by lodge actions

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 422, 4 February 1992, Page 1

Police stand by lodge actions

Waimarino Police Sergeant Bob Evans is confident he and two Taihape officers acted properly when they accompanicd the new owners of the Bavarian Lodge in Raetihi on Saturday 25 January on a visit to the property. The officers wcre asked by the new owners of the lodge (a police officer's ski club) who had bought it by tender from the mortgagors, to accompany them to the lodge, said Mr Evans. "They (the Police Ski

Club representatives) had a facsimile of the title deed which showed they obtained ownership of the property on Friday 24 January. "The new owners had the option of gaining possession either by consent from the Wests, or by court order. They chose to try to gain the Wests' consent to take possession. They asked for police support in this." He said it was the club's choice to try to gain consent to take possession, before

gaining a court order. He said when the ski club representatives, accompanied by Sgt Bob Evans and two Taihape policemen, went to the Bavarian, the Wests would not allow them to enter. "They (the ski club representatives) brokc a window in the front door of the lodge." Sgt Evans said they were within their rights to break into the lodge as it was thcir property. "They asked Lionel West to leave, he de-

clincd. I asked them to leave, again he declined. I spoke to Mr West, then to the West's solicitors, then I obtained the ad-

vice of a Police legal adviscr. We dcparted." Sgt Evans said the Police Ski Club then had Turnpage 2

Ski lodge actions

From page 1 the option of oblaining ' a court ordcr for ihe Wests to hand over posscssion of the lodge. "As I undcrstand it, that is what they are doing." No warning One of the previous owncrs and occupicrs of the lodge, Lioncl Wcst, callcd ihe Bulletin last Tuesday, to point out that Sgt Evans of the Waimarino Police, did accompany the group. Mr Wcst said they had. bccn givcn no prior noticc that ihe lodge had been sold, although he said they wcrc aware that four tenders had bccn received. "It was breaking and entering, they had no lawful right to cntcr our property," Mr Wcst lold the Bulletin. "The police were therc for one

reason. They were there to steal our chattels. They thought the chattels wcrc insidc and they gavc us 30 minutes to gct out." "Sergeant Bob Evans was therc, and they were armcd with batons. I stood in front of thcm and wouldn't lct thcm go any further - they'd have to kill mc." "It's a casc of the police using their powcrs for their own gains." He said if Ihe police can do that then no-onc in New Zealand was safe. Same action "We would have actcd just ihe same for any lcgilimatc purchascr of ihe property,"- said Sgt Evans. "If you had bought the lodge and wantcd to usc it for a club, I am obliged to go with you if you wish (in

those circumslances)." "If the Wcsls fccl we (the policcmcn vvho accompanied the ski club mcmbers) actcd impropcrly, they can go to ihe Police Complaints Authority or they can take legal action," he said. Sgt Evans apologizcd on bchalf of the officer who had told the Bulletin that no Waimarino police were involved in the incidcnt, which was not truc. Mr Wcst said they did not contact TVNZ after the incidcnt, as stated in last wcck's Bulletin, but that they believed one of their fricnds had done so. Mrs Pat West said when ihe Bulletin callcd following the incidcnt, ihe couplc were away and it was thcrcforc not true that they "would not rcspond", as was stated in last wcck's Bulletin.