Evidence Type: Newspaper Report
6 August 1828
The want of a sufficient number of the police to execute the duties of constables at Parramatta, has been over and over made a subject of complaint, and yet there appears to have been as little attention bestowed upon removing the cause, as if such a complaint had never been spend—had never been heard of. There are 12 constables, we are told, nominally attached to the town of Parramatta—four out of the twelve are continually perched outside of the factory walls—the inhabitants of the town therefore have no further benefit from their services—the remaining eight, it seems, are somehow so very profitably engaged elsewhere, that when the presence and assistance of some half dozen constables or so many happen to be most wanting, none ever appear. So out information goes; and we have reason to believe it is not greatly wide of the truth. But why should matters be conducted in this way? Why bestow upon the inhabitants of Parramatta, or of any other town, the semblance of a constabulary force, in which there happen no other advantage than the mere name? If it be considered proper to protect the persons of the peaceful inhabitants from insult and injury, and their property secure from plunder; and in order to effect such objects, if it be considered necessary to resort to the mode of employing constables, why sit down contented with making a show of doing the thing but by halves? why not manage the matter at once decently and effectually? why not give the inhabitants the benefit of a vigilant and otherwise efficient constabulary, or deny interference in that respect altogether? Adopting one plan or the other, would be far better than stickling to the present parsimonious and inefficient system.
If the Government desire that the inhabitants of Parramatta, as well as other places in the Colony similarly situated, should enjoy the protection of an efficient constabulary, what is there to hinder the desire from gratification? There are many native youths, and others, to be found about Parramatta, who would gladly accept and creditably discharge the duties of constables, and surely it cannot be said that Government wants means to carry into effect so desirable an object.
The streets of Parramatta constitute another subject of complaint. They have been completely neglected of late. They are so broken up, it is said, as to be in many directions impassable to wheeled vehicles, and are in other respects, wofully [sic] in need of repair. For this we should be disposed to think there is no existing necessity. What is there to hinder some portion of the numerous gangs of laborers thereabouts, from being employed in a repair of streets as well as in keeping the highways clean? We recommend this as another matter not unworthy of bestowing attention upon.
See Original: “No title,” The Australian (Sydney, NSW: 1824 – 1848), Wednesday 6 August 1828, p.2
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