POLICE OFFENCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1445, 15 January 1887, Page 2

POLICE OFFENCES

We are Indebted to Sergeant Felton for the following return showing tha number of offenoea reported, and persona apprehended, during thu year ending Deoember 31, 1886, and a comparison of the numbers with thoae of the previous year. It appearß that during last year the total number of oflfcncea reported was 470 aa ag vinst 672 for 1885. The number •of persona summoned wai 161, and of those apprehended 231, aa against 153 aud 390 for the previous year. Of these, five males were committed for trial, 340 males and 10 females were summarily convioted, and 85 males and 2 females discharged. The figures for the previous year were :— Committed for trial, 5 males; summarily convioted, 432 males and 23 females; discharged, 77 males and 6 females. The return shows that for assaults of various descriptions, 22 persona, Including 1 female, weie dealt with j 1 waa oommltted for trial ; 11 summarily oonvioted, and 10 dieoharged. In 1885, there were 19 cases; 9 males and 1 female were summarily dealt with, and 8 males and 1 female discharged. Last year there was one application for sureties of the peaoe (grantee) and noue during the previous year. Two cases of Breaches of the Ooanty Oounoil By-laws were dealt with last year — m eaoh oase the offenders being oonvioted — as against none for 188 j. In one charge of being armed with intent to commit a felony, a summary conviction waa recorded, this offence occurring during 1886. Under the heading Breaohes of the Peace, we find no cases for last year, but daring the previous year four were recorded, the offenders all being punished by Magistrates or by Justices. For breaking into and stealing from dwellings, 3 males were apprehended during 1385, one of them being committed for trial and the other two dealt with m the lower Court. There were no such cases during 1885, but two men were sent to the Supreme Court for breaking into shops as against none last year . The sole charge of breaking a window with intent to commit a felony waa recorded during 1886. For an offence under the Bankruptcy Act, one rrar wa- !a3t year discharged. For breaches of the Borough By-lawa there were 9 oaaes m 1885 and 3 m 1886 ; five were discharged m the former year and two m the latter. Three children were, during 1885, convioted jof being criminal and negleoted ; one waa convicted last year and two discharged . In 1885, eleven persona were punished for cruelty to animals and last year the number was ten. In oaaea of drunkenness and disorderly conduct there waa last year a decrease of 96 on the number of cases for the previous year, the figures being 1886, 250 ; 1886, 151. There were 14 aud 9 charges respectively of drunkeuess on railway stations, and 16 and 15 of drunkenness while m charge of horses. In nearly all these oaaea oonviotlona were recorded the proportion of dismissals being very small . In 1880, there were three cases of false pretences and a similar number m 1886, one of the latter being dismissed. Last year there there were three oaaes of forgery and uttering. One was dismissed and the other tsvo sent up for trial. There were also seven charges under the Gambliug and Lottorlea Act' seven of whloh were dismissed. In 1885, there were* 14 oases under the Liceuaiag Act, and six convictions were obtained ; m 1886, the number of cases .waa three and conviotions 1. The number of oases of larceny reported was 46 m both years. In 1885, 22 were heard, 2 parsons being committed for trial, 12 summarily disposed of aud 8 dismissed. Iv 18i6, 28 cases were dealt with, there being one committal for triai, 20 summary convictions, aud 7 dismissals. Tea- pro--faH>ition-orderß~wersrgra'REedin-ISBSv-irad' 8 during the succeeding year. There waa one oonviction fur supplying a prohibited persona m 1885, and one dismissal m 1886, these being all the oasea. Two convictions for sly grog selling appear m 1885, but none last year; Of oaurae, a great many cases not referred to m the foregoing were dealt with, but they wera mostly of a miner character:.