FINGERPRINT EVIDENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1065, 1 September 1930, Page 1

FINGERPRINT EVIDENCE

VALUE MAY BE GREATLY INCREASED SCOTLAND YARD SYSTEM Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Today. Valuable as was the fingerprint system to New Zealand during the past year, its worth may be greatly increased in the future, for a Scotland Yard system now being investigated by the police is expected to make radical changes in the fingerprint systems of the world. The new system, it is understood, was devised by Chief-Inspector H. Battley, of the famous Yard, who has been seeking for many years some method of capturing criminals through fingerprints left at the scene of the crime. Inspector Battley’s search was designed to simplify the present complicated procedure. TJnder the present system, the task of searching the bureau of 40,000 persons (as many as New Zealand holds in its headquarters files, and the number that are at Scotland Yard) was found long and difficult, and sometimes involved a search of three-fourths of the collection, and the few identifications made were held not to justify the labour involved. Now the chief-inspector has worked out a system which provides a method of classifying and filing single prints which can be easily found and easily identified with those found at the scene of any crime. He takes a special glass, with a centre spot, and seven concentric circles, and scrutinises a central area. The ridge system has been found to be unreliable as a system for classification of prints, which assume different forms according to different pressures. Mr. Battley has not only simplified the procedure, but also has brought out important new characterisatics.

Results have proved the worth of this system, which has now been adopted at Scotland Yard, and which is likely soon to be in operation in New Zealand. The value of the service is stated to be considerably enhanced by its quicker working.