The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1912

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3584, 25 July 1912, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1912

Among a number of valuable lessons that have been

An Urgent Matter.

emphasised during thepast few

weeks none, we think, is more importantthan the need for more adequate protection both of life and property in this town and port during the .hours of darkness. Take, for example, wliafc happened on the night when the s.s. Star of Canada liad the misfortune to be driven ashore. It was, of course, necessary that word should be sent to the harbor master at his home. But such a tiling, it has transpired, was more easily said 'than done! The telephone exchange was closed (as it was after 11 o’clock); there was no over-night special wire to Captain Cumming’s residence (or, if there was at the time, nobody knew anything as to its whereabouts); the only watchman available was the courteous official who is employed by the Gisborne Sheepfarmers F.M. Co., Ltd. (and his duty it was to keep a strict watch, over his employers’ interests); and it would have 'been a miracle if anyone could at first shot have located' the only police constable who was available that night for duty in such a large area as that which has to be covered. (Still, in spite of all these drawbacks, the news that something had happened in the Bay was eventually carried on to the harbor master. To put it briefly, the original bearer of the tidings, who was a stranger to the town, had, it appears, some difficulty in finding the policestation. (By the way it is pleasing to note that at last Gisborne is about to get an up-to-date police station). Once there, however, he was unable to find any watch-house keeper, because, in view of shortness of staff, the police station has now “to shut up shop” at 11 o’clock each evening. But, after a time, it seems, ho succeeded awakening Sergeant Hutton, who, in turn,

wont up to Captain Cummins’s house to acquaint him of what was believed to have transpired! All will agree, we think, that this simple little story reveals what is not a satisfactory state of affairs. The real fact of the matter is, perhaps, that it is considered that the whole of the duty of protecting life and property in the town (with the single exception of Wliatau- ( poke) till cl of the port (with the exception of the part played hy the night watchman for the Shecpfarmcrs’ Coy) should devolve alone upon the inadequate police staff with which this town is supplied. Under all the circumstances —which include the absence, «s yet, of a continuous telephone service and the under-staffing of police, it is, one would think, certainly incumbent upon the Borough Council to appoint a night-watchman (as was the case formerly), even although the control of the fire brigade is now vested in the hands of a board. How it comes about, too, that the Harbor Board has no night-watchman we are simply at a loss to understand. What is, of course, necessary is that such an official should, if possible, have a thorough knowledge of signals and be proficient with the Morse lamp. If the harbormaster’s residence is not connected overnight with some convenient telephone near the wharf then that is a matter which, wo think, should also engage the attention of the Harbor Board. But to return to the police staff, which, by the way, we have contended over and over again should be strengthened. Upon paper its strength is 1 sergeant, 1 detective, 1 mounted constable and 6 constables, leaving out of consideration the constable stationed at Whataupoko and the official at Patutahi, besides, of course, those stationed at a further distance. What with sickness, leave, and escort duty, it practically means at the present time, however, that the staff is always one short. Boiled down, the consequences are that for the whole of the town and suburbs (if Whataupoko be excluded) there is available for night duty, when the staff is complete, two men only uj> to 1 a.m., when one goes off duty, and, when it is depleted, one constable alone at night! For a town of this size and importance this surely does not represent a very satisfactory position of affairs? R hat is needed is one extra constable for the town and a constable who, .although stationed at Kaiti, could assist with the work in the town. The whole matter is clearly one which the Chamber of Commerce and other local bodies should at once revive with a view to its being brought under the immediate notice of the new Minister for Justice, when we feel sure it would be ! remedied.