Tue bold attack on the premises of the Chartered Mercantile Bank and the ropery from iis servants which took place on the evening of the Ist Novem. ber bad, in the easy way in which serious things pass out of mind in this community, almost been forgotten, But th the Standard of a 1 of the date of the occurrence, containing a highly spiced account of it, hae brought the events ing back to our memor lao reminded us of how little our Police has been able to do to detect the perpetrators and their accomplices. Some examinations at the Mixed Court of the two men who were captured when retreating from the Bank, and of an opium den proprietor, are all that has resulted from the exertions of the Police. The two men, who wore take alnest red-banded, can indeed scarcely be claimed by the Police us their captures, and the detection of the opium den proprietor was simple matter, require ing little skill on the part of our de~ teotives. Bat at the present time these three captives are all that the Police ave to show as the result of their seven weeks exertions, We are not. going to blame any one connected with the Police for the occurrence of the armed attack, which might have been attempted and carried through by reoklese men in avy place iv the East. The unprotected condition of the streets at that hour no doubt un pleasantly startled the community, and has we trust led the Municipal Conuoil to examine thoroughly into the regulations of the Force, and to amend them in such a way as will render the occurrence of similar attempts on ite and property at least much more n for the perpetrators, and afford security to our houses, as far as prevention and protection can afford it. There were ae.
tal circumstances, we auderstand, which favoured the thieves on that oooasion,' such as cannot be provided against, and which hindered the first action of the Police. We do not, however, see why the arrangements at the Central Office should not be euch as would enable the fall machinery of the force to be put in motion at apy hour of the day orion the China Insurance Companies, to night, Unless that can be done, the jeutal absence of some one or from the Central Office may tat on the Chartered Mercantile Bank.
1 expose us to similar attacks Our Force must be so organised and regulated that there shall always be some one ai the Central Office duly qualified and empowered to aot in the interest of the public and of the luw, and capable of Ailing the place of the Captain-Superintendent in that officer's absence. This, as part of the working of the Force, las no doubt already received the attention of the Council, or if not, we are sure they will fully examine into it before the annual meeting of Ratepayers, when the efficiency of the Police is certain to be brought ander discussion.
Bat that part of the occurrences of last month which the public 8 with most concern is that the Police had everything to learn about the rob-bore after the attack on the Bank, and that practically the Captain Saperintendent has been unable to make any use of the received. We ves, us we always in similar cases hear of these, but the Police have not caught the fugiti Now it is asserted by residents who do not speak without considering their worde, and who know what the Police is now ind what it wus formerly, that var Police, and especially the detectives, have lost touch with the Chinese, who under the former Superintendency gave the Force valuable information, To put it plainly, it is enid that if such an event as the attack on the Bank had occurred under the old system, the Police would then have received sual: information from Chinese as would have enabled them to lay hands on the thieves long ere this. It is in fact asserted that such an attack could not have taken place before our Police was improved, that the information as to what was going on among the unrives, which wae, previous to the reform period always at the disposal of and freely given to the Police, would have enabled the Force to frustrate the attempt of the robbers.
If there is any measure of truth may ay, current impeachment of the efiicieuoy of the Police, we trust that the Council will 10 the most searching ouquiriee and take instant placed upon a proper footing. The community pays y heavily for the Police; it has a right to have its money's worth, and if the pre-stem does not give usthat, anotber ing is coming olaso and in the interim the Council will, we know, be expected to act.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.