Police Statement

Dilutes Some

Of Suva’S “Panic”

Although the night-prow situation at Suva in July ai August was serious at tim there had been worse “epidemi. of the kind in the past, and mi of the panic was due to exaggeral reports, said a police headquart: statement on August 16.

Since the beginning of the ye one-third of the complaints ab« prowlers and housebreaking in Su had resulted in arrests and coi cases—an indication of pol efficiency in spite of an inadequj force.

There had been no cases of rs or attempted rape, although thi had been four cases of molestat; of European women in their hou by night prowlers.

Many cases of alleged nig prowling had been found investigation to be due to h friends calling on housegirls (an Suva custom).

The scare caused the usual sp of sensational rumours, and at stage it was alleged that so policemen might be condor escapes after intrusions beca there had been cases of seem police inactivity after alarms.

Reliable reports have indica that a disturbing situation, ba on authentic cases of nig prowling and burglary, did justify such sweeping staterrw as that contained in a rej: published in New Zealand that European woman can safely v in Suva’s main streets alone a dark without risk of molestatio At the height of the pa extravagant measures suggesteo counter the trouble ranged fi gaol terms with before-and-s floggings to a 10 pm curfew Fijians and Indians.

In August about 50 polices were on Suva night patrol, police had a radio van and trying to obtain more radio Ten police telephone points been installed.

The Fiji Police Departim report for 1954 stated that tt had been no effective increass the Colony’s police strength j four consecutive years. The inci; was from 501 to 508, although' population had increased by 3j in the four years. t Customs authorities who f'i £3,500 worth of opium in a at Sydney on September 2 be that an international smug' ring may be sending opium Asia to Australia for the Islands, where certain Chr “colonies” would provide a it market.