THE PEOPLE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1983, 13 February 1914, Page 9

THE PEOPLE'S COURT.

■ ■ ■■■■•' '~■' ..» ; —- ..' '', LAST YEAR'S RECORD OF OASES. Fifteen., pages .of this . week's "Gazette" are, occupied by statistics'of the civil and criminal business transacted in the several" Magistrate's Courts in Now Zealand during the' year ending December 31, 1913. In all 47,960 persons (45,172' males and 2788 ■ females) were arrested or summonsed, charged with various offences. Of these 4756 males and 212 females wero'Sischarged. for want of prosecution or want of evidence. Males' numbering 2206' and. 147 females wore discharged on the ■merits') 347 males and 4 females wcro • committed for sentence, and 584 males and 19 females were committed . for trial. .There were 37,270 summary.convictions of males and 2406 females. A. classification of summary convictions according to offences gives .the following particulars:— Sexual offences, 1 ma|e; assaults and other offences against the person, 053 males,' 37 females; burglary, housebreaking,, stealing from person, etc., 129 males, 7 females; cattle and sheep stealing and. other- offences against pro-perty,-only, 2503 males, 171 females; torgeryf- and offences against the- currency, 63 males, o females; drunkenness, 11,121 males, 780 females; prohibition orders, 2396 males, 174 females; other offences' against good order, 8284 males, 601 females; selling liquor without a lieenso,'92 males, 4 females; other breaches of Revenue Acts, 280 males, 24 females; offences relating to carrying out latos and against public welfare, 11,757 males, 603 females. On the'civil sido the total plaints entered ■ during the year numbered 01,759, and tho total amount sued for £670,924. Cases tried, including cases where the amount was paid into Court and Accepted in discharge of the debt, also where judgment was by default, confessed, or consented to in Court, numbered 39,086. The total amount claimed was £127,484, and the amount recovered was £366,980.