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station has not been established. (Fig. 4.4). In early 1907 it was noted that the
builder was experiencing trouble with the loose sand on the site. Occupation was,
however, complete by the end of that year as Sergeant Clark had been appointed
the first Station Commander, and the Kalk Bay Municipality were already
complaining about the encroachment of his fowl run onto their property. In 1907
the police station sewer was connected to the Main sewer at a cost of £70.
In April 1902 the Kalk Bay Municipality applied to the Resident Magistrate in
Simon’s Town, Mr. James M. Jackson, to have Mr. W. Holt, the Sanitary
Inspector, sworn in as a Special Constable. This was refused as there was no
legislation whereby Municipal Officers could be entrusted with the powers and
authority of policemen. It is also worth recording that as from 1 January 1902 all
municipalities of the Cape Peninsula were relieved of all the costs of policing,
and would at the same time cease to participate in judicial fines.
It appears that Sergeant Taylor, and thereafter Sergeant Merry, were the last of
the sergeants of the lock-up house before the opening of the new police station.
In each case their wives had acted as matrons.
Sergeant Clark’s fowl run dispute with the Kalk Bay Municipality related to the
south side of the Police Station and resulted in a survey of the whole area by the
Government Land Surveyor Mr. T. de Villiers. He found that the land in question
was in fact unalienated Crown Land. The Kalk Bay Municipality then withdrew
their case, but the results of this survey had considerable consequences which
were to manifest themselves some ten years later.
The initial station building was a very simple affair. It consisted of a charge-
office which faced the main road, a kitchen, toilets, and a lobby with an outside
yard from which ran a walkway covered with corrugated iron. This walkway led
to the cells. The corrugated iron roof gave endless problems with persistent leaks
caused by corrosion from the sea air. Later a front verandah with lean-to roof was