CRIME IN WELLINGTON.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 January 1909, Page 2

CRIME IN WELLINGTON.

-- ' — S- =r-.v'; 'y :h : A YEAR'S RECORD. ; ' MAGISITUTEIS COURT _RETURNS. ... Tho promptitude with which the returns of- business transacted at the Magistrate's Court are completed was the subject of complimentary remark last year, when Mr. A. H. Holmes, clerk of the Court "and ' his staff had the figures completed within a week of the start of the year. This, year the staff has eclipsed its last year's effort, and the returns of-"both criminal andcivii. business ; were completed yesterday. - The. criminal returns show-a slight falling off as: compared-, with';the previous year,- but " a largo increase in the civil.business is recorded both as regards the number of cases and:the amount of .'money involved. The figures on the criminal side''of. the Court- work out as follow, the totals for 1907 being given in ; parentheses:—Taken into- custody, summoned, or apprehended, 4946 male, 559 female (5033: and 580); charged for want of prosecution or want of: endence, 419 male. 27. female (470 and 88); dismissed, on merits, 156 male, 21. female (149 and 26);' committed for trial'or. sentence, 143 male, 5 female (140 and 5); summanly convicted,' 4228 male,' 506 female (4274 and 511); fined, 1989 male, 133 female; imprisonment in. lieu of fine or surety, 771: male, 55 female; peremptory imprisonment, 356 male, 65 female (321 and 93);. whipped, 7 male (26 male); bound over with or without sureties, 3 male, 2 female (7 male); orders made, 511 male, 175 female (455 and-136); convicted and discharged ■ with a caution,'591 male, 76 female (905 and: 119). . The following are the principal offences with_ which the.accused were charged,-the previous year's figures being'given in parentheses:—. Classl: Crimes 'against, the person and' reputation—assaulting the police,' 15' male (12); common assault,". 118.; male, 2 female (108 and 5); criminal assault,: 7 (5); assault and' robbery, 45 (4);'assault'causing actual bodily; harm; 7 male, 1 female: (4 male); .assault with- intent..to commit a crimej 2 (nil); unnatural offences, 1 (6); attempted unnatural offences; 4'(hi!) ally knowing-girl under 16 years of. age, 1: (6); murder, 1 (1) jattempted murder, nil (1); attempted 1 (1)'; attempted suicide,-7 male, 1 female (4 male); attempt to.carh-ally-kjiow. girls under age of 16 ) -',:2...(nilj; using illegal instrument, 'i/.'femaleV.(nil); bigamy; "1; (nil)..,', • .-;...,- •' .._'; ' . Class 2:■ Crimes, against, rights',of pro-, perty—burglary, 3, (13); 'breaking and. entering, 30.(27);. forgery, : 19 ;male, : ' 1 .female (15 ; and ■'- 2); false .pretences, 41 male, 1 female (32 and -6); mischief, : ,3B. male,..3 T,femalo (50 and 1);; receiving stolen property, 4 male,< 6 male, I.female); theft] 310;, male, 34 female (323 and 31).', :.;/,.:. ;..;. ; .-_-Class,3: Crimes.affecting.':'■ the..administratiott of law and,;justice—escaping--from';cuß-: tedy, I'. male (2 male),;' perjury, 2 male- [l ma1e,.,1-female). : ,; ..;'-..'.'.• ";•.•.- ~ Class 4: Offences against revenue laws-r----possessing opium, 3 (1);' unregistered, dogs, 97 male, 13 female (111 and 11); illegally taking fish; 3 &)■' : •: : v.V:',-'■" , ■'.'.. Class 5: Offences against good 'order—Bylaws, Wellington city, 290 male, 7 female (393 and 3); Karori, 49 and 3 (55 and 1): Onslow, 3 and 1 (nil); Harbour Board, 2 male (5); Johnsonville, 17 male (2); New Zealand Railways, 27 and 1 (39 and nil); Eastbourne, 15 male (9 male); bastardy, 50 (46);,, wife or child-desertion, 14 male,.l female (18 and 2); maintenance, of. destitute persons, 91: male, 5 female (90 male); faiU ing .to provide for,unborn child, 7 (4); disobedience maintenance orders, 121 male,' T female (98 and; 1); using instrument to take'; -fish, 18; being in common gaming-house, 14' (65); :betting with 'infants, 1 4'(1); selling '..tickets in prize lottery, li'':(6);,.keeping gaming br r -betting. iouse, 2 (2);. gaming, in public -place, -13 (4)-;.-. fidrunkenness,- 2081 malo, 184,fema1e..(2141 and 236); drunk' and disorderly, 111 male, Bfemale (130 and 14); drunk in charge of a horse, • B'■ (15).; ill-treat-ing animals, 25 male (12);. indecency, 42 male : 1, female,(43 and .5); indecent or obscene language, :112 : male,-12 female (76 and 9); found .-by. night...unlawfully on; premises. ; - 28 ma 10 , 04. fkm-aje. 3 and'/disor-: : derly, -70 male,-, 20 -and -.-; 50) ;• rogues,,and,,yagabonds,. 16 male, 7 female (& and ,7) j soliciting -prostitution-, 40: (28);- re-; sisting or obstructing the police, 18 - (36)';. Sunday, trading, .9 male,;: 2. female (4. .and--1-);' thftaterimg.:;behaviou¥,-,'-l8 'rriale,,(3 "and, 1); breaoh of the; peace,' 63 male (62 and 1)'; summary separations,, 55' male, .1 female. (68 and.l)_; prohibited' person's .found' in. hotels, 27 male. 14 female' (18, male): prccurihg liquor, while prohibited,"-15 male;,"3..female; I selling liquor without male. 6 female (6 and 1); prohibition .'orders, 141 ma e > }! (IP2; and.'. 19)'; lunacy, 68 male, 53 female W'md 40).' ' . " Class 6: All other'' Offences not included 'adulterated,' food,:'' 22 (3) • seamen,absent *itho ! ut."leaVe," : 44 .(18);' sea- ' men' disobeying' lawful commands; 10 (22); travelling oh steamers without'paying fare 15 male (11 and 1); failing to "send child to' school. 82 male, 10 female, (51. and 5). : ■} ! '■■ CIVIL: COTIRT.;': : a cpNsnmABM; ; iN(:REXsB; , ; ThV return:-of civil .business transacted at i, tl . e , l V ou i r v, last, j;ear constitutes a.record for Wellington Ihe.figuresare as'foUow, the' , totals., for the ... year : 1907.. -being li'nrf ---'/Si,n P arenth eses :-Plaints ;entered, 6109 . (5614); , cases. -tried, • 5055 (4343) • aggregate amount ~ sued - for; £96 066 ,Bs. ■(t'7,532 7s. 2d.); aggregate amount recovered, £50,423 14s. 7d. (£37,903 35.). For the past/year there'were 50 plaints in which Europeans were plaintiffs and-Maoris defendants... Twelve cases-were tried, the agere- : gate amount sued for .being £645 19s Id ?£ wi a S6 re Sa.*e-.-.amount recovered £301 19s. There, was. only, one .case in which a Maori was plaintiff :.and,a-European defendant. . Europeans only were /concerned in 50« oases, the ' amount. sued . for -being $£'?!«''■?-•' ¥,■' and - amount recovered ; £50,121.105..7 d. ; ... :,.'..-. .'. ,