quently being opened by the gangs of housebreakers who are at present infesting this colony. The police seem perfectly powerless to either prevent tho depredations of these scoundrels, or to bring them to justice afterwards, and it is plain soineibltg must be done Io grapple with the ovil and protect the pro perty of the public. In the first place - L he police force wants re organising throughout and placing under the charge of an experienced polico officer whose training and capabilities are such as to fit him for so important and onerous a command. Hitherto we hive had military officers in the ' position, with the natural result that the members of tho force have bfen expected to be more soldiers than policemen. Indeed, drill has counted for everything, and smartness In crime detecting for little. "With a thoroughly trained police officer of first-class administra tive abilities at the head of the ioree, and a stri£ or smart,aotive officers and men, including a sufficient number of " plain clothes '' men, tho spieler evil would soon be stamped out, as these nomadic members of the criini ual class would bo hunl6d off overy racecourse and out of every town where race meetings wero being held, instead of being allowed as at pre sent to infest both places. Fortu nately we havo in "Wangauui au officer-who ia determined to keep the place as free as possible of these un desirable visitors, to whom Sergeant Cullen i? a terror, as he givos them no rest hut insists on their moving on. An Hawera they were as thick as flies'- in .a troacle jug and as troublejome, as thoy were in every body's ivpy and intout on plunder. That Bomo of them took advantage of the police being at Hawera to break into tho Eltham Post Office and blow open tho safe is quite certaiu, as there are always a band of burglars who follow up r.ico meetings with au eye to business. Thesa men work cm a system, and send an advance 3cout ahead, so that when they arrive everything is ready for them in the way of information, implements, and shelter. A quiet iespectablo looking man is generally selected as the ad vance agent of tbe enterprising burg lar. This person finds out where the talonto oi. 