Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 6656x8192 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

POLICE PROTECTION.
Plea From Northcote.
Ohief Secretary on Grime.
Complaints that crime in Northcote was
on _the increase, ahd the populous dis-
tricts were entirely without police pro
tection,. were made to the Chief Secretary'
jesterdpyMjy :;a deputation which asked
tor a; fuller measure of police protection
tor the municipality.
liie/Sfayoiv/ of ; Northcote (Mr. S
Dennis) said .that since RI22 theimmbor oi
Imnses kPNortl.ebto had increased by
' an( the population by 10,000, and
many ' new areas wei-e , -emote, compara
tively speaking, from tlie police station.
Ratepayers in tlie West ward, where a
new shopping area had grown up, wore
continually pleading for better police
protection. The Chief Commissioner of
Jolico had visited the shire some time
. to, and had been impressed with the
need. for more police. -:
' Cf\ :u;l5'CH. representing the north ward,
said 111 Ins position ns honorary. -magistrate-
file cWrtlCei.-a..mn-lliei1 i,lcre!,se »' juvo-
nile ciime. hollowing a recent hurglnrv
the fiont door ot a shop was open from
1 " t,'lc '"orniiig, which
vimoii " most 8enous 'nclt of supcr-
m A: . ,C- , Beal'd ®aid tlie West
watd, which he ropresuiit'od, hail less
police, protection thnn any other.. The
portion of Preston wliieh it adjoined was
also badly oil m tlmt respect. . Shop
keepers in the north of the ward felt
their position acutely. Gangs of -youths-
uent, about committing minor offences,
hue!, ns broftkins windows, unit daiuaginii
telephone boxes, with something like im-
punity.1 .Recently he had informed tlie
IioJicc that <1 serious crime had taken place
111 a v hoiuse .. near where he lived, and it
was two houra before a policeman - visited
tlm Iiouse. : , .Cases of breaking and enter
ing were 011 the increase, and tlie police
patrol wns.. doing nothing to abate the
evil. - -
In reply Mr. Prendergast said repre-
seiitations of this kind lind been made
several-. times -.by Northcote. It was dilii-
cuit to understand what wns effective
supervision,. Tlie police were more - effi
cient than at: any time previously, and
there was a steady diminution in crime.
I his was _ proved, by. statements -.he lind
prepared in consequence of uttucks that,
had been made on him by the press. A
section of the public seemed to believe
Hint the Government wns working steadily
to reinstate U10 police strikers. No stops
would bo taken io reinstate . tliese men
until the Houso had an opportunity' to
discuss the question.' Tlio whole question
of a '.larger poiioe force -wus' one -of'
iinniicc. Each policeman cost the country
betweon £300 and £400 yenrly. Ci-imu
would continiio even though a policeman
were statioifod at every street corner.
However, Cabinet wns considering reliev
ing tho police of certain 1 duties, such as
t'hc collecting of distress warrants. Also
lie would go into the practicability- of
relieving the police of' their duties in
connection witii traffic control.
$