POLICE DEPARTMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 62, 7 December 1918, Page 3

POLICE DEPARTMENT

ANNUAL REPORT INTERESTING CRIMINAL STATISTICS, The report on the Police ForccQof the Dominion for tlio year ended March 31 last was laid ou the table of tho Houso of Representatives yesterday. Tho total number of permanent members of the Force at that date was 845, being a decrease of S3 during the year. The number of. temporary constables employed was 56. Tho criminal statistics showed. an aggregate net decrease of 3106 on tliu figures of 1316. The proportion of offences to the population was 1-3S nor cent., as against 2.1U per cent- the previous year. The principal incases during the yoar appeared under'Uβ following headings:— Assault, ea'using bodily harm 22 Disturbing meetings and congregations 10 Fatso pretences 49 Fortune-telling 22 Incest , 11 Malicious injury to property 13 Murder 10 Attempted murder 10 Soliciting prostitution .'. 52 Theft' of pigs '..<. 16 The principal decreasee were:— Abusive, insulting, or threatening words or behaviour 30 Assault (common) 47 Assault and robbery ....". 16 Breaches of the ipeaco 72 Burglary, honsebreaking, etc 38 Disoheyiug orders of Court, etc 65 Drunkenness 2033 Failing to maintain wives, etc 78 Forgery and uttering 21 Furious riding and driving 52 Indecent exposure or behaviour 37 Obscene and profane language M 0 Theft (undescribed) 144 Theft by servants 49 Theft from dwellings G3 Trespass : 42 Vagrancy oll'cncos 188

There was a decrease of 2033 in the number of prosecutions for drunkenness during the year, as compared with the previous: year. The number chained with drunkenness in 1917 was 8800 (8216 males and 584 females), whereas in 1916 the number was 10,833 (10,096 males and 737 females). The percentage of males who had previous convictions against them was 36.G1, and that of females 47.43, whilst 8.95 ,pcr cent, of the males were not permanent residents of the Dominion. The number of prosecutions against hotelkeepers was 492, showinp an increase of 184 as compared with the previous year. There were 133- prosecutions during the year for sly grog-selling, resulting in 118 convictions, against 141 prosecutions and: 107 convictions during the previous year. The fines imposed on sly grog-sellers during the year 1917 amounted to .£1632, as against ,£2249 in 1916. The direct cost to the Department in detecting and prosecuting fibv prog-sellers during the year was "£ll2, beinc ,£1220 less than the amount of fines imposed. For gaming charges there were 239 prosecutions, resulting in 208 convictions, against 257 prosecutions, and 216. convictions in 1916. ' "Again I am able to repeat my commendation of the manner in which all ranks discharged the multifarious duties devolving upon them during the stress- . ful continuance of the wur," says Commissioner O'Donovan. "Though diminished in. nctnnl. numbers, depleted still more by the breakdown in health of many of the. inon from time to time, those who remained, and these as they recovered discharged their arduous duties with alacrity and thoroughness and without regard to locreonnl consideration. All who_ remained at their pnsts in the Mice service have done their sliare in the task of winning the war, and they, deserve all the consideration that can be extended to them."