The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1886. New Zealand Police Force.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1284, 9 July 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1886. New Zealand Police Force.

Sir G. Whitmore’s annual report on the Armed Constabulary force has been piesented to Parliament. It states that the police force numbers 494 this year, as against 474 last year, an increase of 20, but the field force has been reduced by 170. There have been 24 casualties in the police force during the year, as compared with 20 in the previous year. Serious offences on the part of police officers have been almost unknown, and any constable guilty of drunkenness has been instantly dismissed. The proportion of police to population is now 1 to 1266 in New Zealand, as against t to 672 in New South Wales, 1 to 502 in Queensland, 1 to SO3 in Victoria, and 1 to 718 in South Australia. The cost of police per 100 of population has been only 3.S 2d in New Zealand, as against 5s yd in New South Wales, 8s yd in Queensland, 4s 6J in Victoria, and 6s fid in South Australia. Sir George Wdritmore, reporting on crime in New Zealand during the past year, states that there has been a small decrease in the more serious offences in the North Island, but an increase in minor offences, while the South Island showed a dectease in both classes of crime. Tha North Island (excepting Taranaki) exhibits an increase in the number ot convictions for drunkenness, the respective increases being Auckland 175, Wellington 144, Hawkes Bay 44. Taranaki anH the South Island show a diminished number of convictions for drunkenness, the decreases being Taranaki 25, Otago 24, Nelson 31, Westland 79, Canterbury 96.