THE POLICE REPORT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 2 August 1901, Page 4

THE POLICE REPORT.

Fall Details of the Year's Experience. [OUE PAELIAMENTAEY EEPOETEE.] ■Wellington, This Day. The report on the police force of the colony places the strength of the force at 591, being an increase of 5 during the year divided thus: Inspectors 7 Sub-Inspectors 4 Sergcants-Major 2 Detectives ... 20 Constables 504 In addition there were 4 policesurgeons, 4 matrons, 20 district constables and 7 native constables. There were 29 retirements of vaiious sorts during the year. Of the regular members 31 are under 25 years ; 109 between 25 and 30 ; 119 from 30 to 35 ;49 from 35 to 40; 85 from 40 to 45 ; 65 from 45 to 50; 30 from 55 to 60; 22 from 60 to 65 ; 1 between 65 and 70; and 1 over 70. The length of service is 303 of 10 years and under 127 up to 20 years, 127 up to 80, and 34 up to 40 years. There nationality is :—Now Zealand 198, England 85, Ireland 226, Scotland 34, Wales 1, Australian 33, Holland 1, Denmark 1, India 4, Germany 3, France 1, Channel Islands 2, America 2. Religions are : —Church of England 243, Roman Catholic 218, Presbyterian 100, Wesleyan 20, Methodist 4, Baptist 2, Salvationist 1, Epcscopaliau 3, A colonial comparison of cost of police per inhabitant is : New Zealand, 2s lO^d; victoria, 4s ssd; New South Wales, 5s 7£d; South Australia, 4s 2M; Queensland, 63 9id ; Western Australia, 12s OJd; Tasmania, 4s 2d. The criminal statistics show an aggregate increase of 1,493. “This appears startling,” the Commissioner remarks, “when compared with the increase of .previous years, 546 and 1T59 and 487 * respectively ; but it is not really so, as this increase is practically made up by increases in breach of peace, 140; deserting wives and children, 104 ; deserting merchant vessels, 66 ; disturbing meetings and congregations. 27; drunkenness, 1010 ; lunacy, 48; sly-grog selling, 9 ; a total of 1,486, all of which are offences of a legal character and come under the category of unpreventible offences.” The conclusion is that the increase does not reflect on the efficiency of the force, the best criterion being the fall or rise of preventable offences such as thefts, burglaries, house-breaking, forgery, fraud, etc. These show a net decrease on the previous year, showing that the force has at least maintained its efficiency. i For offences against the person the percentage of arrests, etc., to offences committed was 98T4, as against 9765 in 1898 anti 98 01 in 1199 ; and for offences the percentage was ftySb, as against 84'92 in 1898 and 6819 In 1899, thus showing that as a detective body the force has continued to improve. Indaceno.and sexual offences such as indecent assaults and that cl iss of crime show a net increase of ihir.y soven, the figures being 269 for the year under review against 232 for the preceding year. The Commissioner tru its, however, that the exemplary punishment recently inflected for outrages on girls of tender years wiil have a salutary effect. Regarding drunkeness and the licensing law, Mr. Tunbridge says that durIngdhe year the number of charges of drunkenness was 7,299 being an increase of 1,010 on the figures of the preceding year. This increase far exceeds that of an y previous year so .far as the records show. The number contributed by each of the four principal centres was Aucklaud 1289 (1057 males and 232 females) against 855 ; Christchurch 723 (530,malcs and 187 females) against 578 ; Dunedin 626 (511 males and 115 female s) against

535. As stated in my previous reports I think the increase in the number of charges of drunkenness is attributable to the continued prosperity of the colony, the increase in foreign going shipping and the continued increased activity of the police in clearing the streets of intoxicated persons, ■ The total number of arrests for drunkenness on Sundays in the four Principal centres during the year was 172 against 1(16 in 1899 an increase of ° These arrests were divided as follows : —Auckland 25, (22 males and 3 Itmales) against 39 during the proceeding

year ; Wellington 54, (43 males and 11 females) against 46 during the proceeding year; Christchurch 45, (36 males and 9 females) against 29 for the proceeding year; Dunedin 48 (42 males and 6 females) against 52 for the proceeding year,

The foregoing figures indicate that the law with respect to Sunday trading, especially in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin is still infringed to a considerable extent and as stated in my former reports, this will continue to be so, as long as the law remains in its present state. I reiterate the remarks made in my former report on the question of the law being amended on flic lines of “ The intoxicating Liquors Act, 1872,” in force in England, which renders any person who is neither a lodger nor bona fide traveller found on the premises • during prohibited hours liable to a prosecution.

During the year there were 242 prosecutions against publicans throughout the colony, rcsulting'in cighty-ono convictions against 260 prosecutions, and 108 convictions in 1899. They were distributed as follows :—Auckland district 50, with eighteen convictions ; Napier 14, with two convictions ; Wanganui 41, with 10 convictions ; Wellington 20 with thirteen convictions : Grcymoutb 32, with sixteen convictions; Christchurch 46, with eight convictions ; Dunedin 39, with fourteen convictions.

The percentage of convictions to prosecution during the year fell to 33‘47, against 40-19 in 1898, and 41-53 in 1899. The Commission stigmatises many so private billiard rooms as little else than gaming places, and deplores the fact that under the power of regulation (404 of M. C. Act of 1900) nothing has been done, and they practically prey upon young men without any check. The summary jurisdiction in indictable offences requires amendment in section 6, which permits rogue*, vagabonds, idle and disorderly persons and sly grog sellers to escape summary treatment by electing to go to the Supremo Court.

Second-hand shops still continue to be places for the disposal of stolen property-. Legislation preferable on the lines of the Bill of 1896 is necessary.

Under tbc Infant Life Protection Act, there -wore 548 infants against 665 and 883 in 1899 and 553 with 829 in 1898. The mortality was 29 - 84 per 1000 against 31T5 in 1829 and 32'57 in 1898. As the infant mortality all over the colony was only 28'9 per 1000 tire position of these homes must be regarded as satisfactory.

The conduct of the force had been fcnerally good and the training depot ad worked very well.

The Police Provident Fund is far more satisfactory than anticipated at first. The year’s receipts were £6,769, the expenditure £B4O, leaving a credit balance of £5,928, which with the March and the April contributions (£850) brings the capital now a little after 17 months’ working to a little over £IOOO.