LAW AND CRIME.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 2

LAW AND CRIME.

THE ANNUAL RETURN /

■■■ BANKRUPTCIES SHOW BIG ; ; INCREASE. According te the official returns for 1909, which are .just to hand, the number of actions commenced in the Supreme Court .was' 870,. ns against 849 during the. previous year,: the amounts for which judgment was recorded being £91,638 and £73,687 for the respective periods. To show the growth-of business of this nature, it may be mentioned that in 1909 the number of cases begun- was. 469,. whilst the aggregate amount of the judgments was £32,726.

, There was a correspondingly large .inr crease' in-regard to civil business in the Magistrates' Courts. The number of cases tried last year was 29,782, ; and the amounts r for which' judgment'was given; totalled £326,040. In 19U8 tho figures were 27,678, and £282,936 respectively. Going back to 1900, it is foundjthat the/cases tried during that year aggregated' 19)816,. and ' that*.'the amounts for which judgment was given totalled £167,224. ~lt would appear,therefore, , that -the, practice of 'using thei courts' as media forithe collection of'small debts is. increasing. •!' •'■''■; ■ t The effects of the recent depression areiclearly shown in the tables relating to -bankruptcy. It appears- that;.the total number of petitions .'was - : "471, whilst the amount of debts -proved was £259,017, and the. amounts - paid ;in dividends and preferential -claims':: was £44,110.. For the previous, year .the number, of.-bankruptcies was. 406,' ; the ambjint _ of. debts proved- £199,069,- and the idividends. and preferential-.. claims represented £47,800. In 1907 the figures were 350, £158,663 and £42,459 respectively. Of the bankruptcies in 1909, iii. 22 cases the liabilities .wore under .£SO ;"in 72, frtm £50 to £l 00; in '133,; from £100 to'£2so; in ' 101, from £250 to £500; in. 72, from £500 to £1000; in 37, from £1000 to £2000; in 22, from £2000 to'£sooo;,in 5, £5000 and) upwards. ■ ■;-.'■'-. As;,, regards -divorce-.suits, there .was also a substantial increase. Altogether 242 actiphs.,were .brought, and 163 decrees were, granted.; The "figures 'for five previous years were:: 1908, 207 petitions and 171 decrees;'l9o7,;-192 .peti- v tions and,l47 decrees; 1906, 171 peti-'. tioiis' and' 125/ decrees;' and 1905, 163 petitions, and 114 decrees; -;Th'e'-:Aefr>;of 1898 has/evidently' (the'; report'states) operated jn the direction of increasing largely the number . of petitions ." and decrees for dissolution'of marriage or ' judicial ' separation. •'. -'■'••

; /Refbreiiee to. the- criminal ; charges heard. before. magistrates will 'show that the 'summary.convictions in:1909 numbered 31,151, including • 454 Maoris; 1116 persons, .23,0f whom 'were Maoris,' .were : committed- for 'trial',of., sentence. at the Supreme and 'District Courts, an increase of T 96 on .the number commit-, ted. in 1908. -.: Foivthe purposes of this table each, offence.is: reckoned as a' distinct person.. Of the 772 summary convio'tions in ,1909, .the■ greater :: number: (711) (were on account,'of' commoiii and,aggravated assaults; and there 'were 52' for attempt to commit suicide: Offences against property totalled 2223,; and of these:'theft.; n6t",ptherwise;'descfibed'is. the: most' common, ", for .1909 .1512 summary convictions. There were besides 36 for" specific kinds of theft, and..36 for : housebreaking. Obtaining money and goods under ;f alse pretences caiis&d 147: summary conviction's, and wilful damage to property 463.' Of the remaining offences- (27,702):. drunkenness came-'first with 10,697." -';■•;'•, vO;^- 1 Of 93 persons (excluding the Maoris)', 'conysted -in the superior., courts' during' the. year 1909 for offences /against-the' person there' were :3.'female's!- rAssaiilt, .with ,;or without robbery;--'was .of-this class; the offence which paused- the .most, convictions, these' "amounting' .' to V 49 "altogether, -including'' ' and' shooting '.with' intent; Sexual; offences totalled 24. .'■ For niurde'r • aiid attempts: six., persons were, convicted. Convictions', for'. offences against "property -totalled 143. 'V Theft' was the'.principal;. cause, showing -.57 convictions,,,; exclusive of burglary . with robbery,' for./which/ 40 convictions' were recorded.' -There were .24 ; convictions for;, forgery' anduttering,' 12,f0r. obtaining' goods on- false;.pre; fences 1 and-, for /receiving stolon goods', -2 for arson,'' 2 .for, .uttering,'counterfeit: .join,? and T for wounding horses: /Out-/ side of convictions' for : offences,; against, person and property,/22 of a, miscellaneous nature remain, making up a-total ; of'2s8_ convictions in< the higher courts; excluding ';'• 256 v-'/pe'rsOjns;'' other"! - than" Maoris, sent-'for./.'sentence by magis-; trates.- .'..■•.,.. : ' ''■'"■'■'V-.- : .--'''.•'.-'■'".' /•/■/ ._; With 'reference'toi/tho'-liquor problem it is stated that thej-o were 179 breaches of the licensing, laws by publicans (158 in 1908), and; 156 cases of selling"liquor without; a license,^as';compared' with 98.inl9oS:' The convictions' for' drunken--ness totalled .10,697, .or'Bß Vmor'e: than in 1908. The/ consumption -of alcohol was 9.256 gallons of. beer (9.689 in 1908), .0.136 "gallons wine (0.150 .in 1908),' .'and 0.705 gallons Vof spirits (0.757 in 1908).'/.The comparative, fall-, ing-off !:fbr tho last year lb: attributed to weakness; : in;.-' .purchasing."■: power brought .about by. depression ;of; trade.:. The advantages ; of vliearirigj charges. Against; juveniles apart' .from"'ordinary offenders .arei unanimously agreed upon; but there appears to be a wide: diversity of opinion among tho magistrates' as to the mode of punishment. Whipping, inflicted by an officer of-the court,-was ordered/ mostly ■as punishment for housebreaking and .theft, the /number, of. -children charged ..with these' offences being 52 at Auckland.-:; 43 at Welling-, ton, 24 at-'ChristcHurch,' and - 42 at" Byfhedin. The. numbers discharged; ■without- conviction' also exhibit in a striking manner 'the..different point of view taken by each, magistrate'- regarding, the method of dealing'with, youth-j ful offenders'. ,' ".'■■■"'..'.•",■■'..-,-.■ / ''/':'•:'.'