THE POLICE FORCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1841, 23 August 1906, Page 3

THE POLICE FORCE.

COMMISSIONER’S REPORT.

(Special to Gisborne Times.) Wcdington, last night. Tho strength of the polico foroo of tho colony in March last was 667, an inoreaso of 12 during tbe year. During 1905 fifteen men were punished for being uudec tho infiuerc i of iiquor. Or those seven were dismissed or caked upon to icsign, and the remainder severely punished. Two were fined for drinking whilst on duty, a"d two for ouleiiog hotels while on duty a 1 not reporting tho sstno. Otherwise tbe oonduet of tho men has beeQ good, avd the eflicieccy of tho foroo well ma ntained. Tuere are over 5900 impress.! ms in tho finger.priut collection. During tho year 83 persona cl riming to be first offendars were by insane of tboir fiegsr prints identified ns provicu-ly convicted prisoners, that is of persons whoso antecedents wato unknown to tho police, have bran identified during the year at London, Johan nr shir g, Perth, AdulaidMelbourne, Hobart, Brisbane, and Bydnov. Tho Commissioner’s report states that

the training of candidates is still proving highly satisfactory, the bene-

fits derived from the instruction, imparted to probationers in education, drill, ambulance work, technical police duties, the finger prints system, identification having a marked effect on the men Candidates are still plentiful, but owing to want of accommodation for training purposes the Commissioner lias been unable up to the present to fill all tho extra vacancies which occurred during last year, and to augment the strength as authorised.

The provident fund is in credit to tho amount of .£27,121.

Tho Commissioner reports that tho Licensing Act Amendment Act 1904, from a dcparmental view, has supplied a long felt want, and enables the police to deal much more effectively with hotel keepers who infringe the law, whilst it inflicts no hardships on them, the result being that hotels aro better conducted, drinking during prohibited hours is checked, and drunkenness is minimised Inter aha, he writes I haye to direct attention to tbe apparent ncoessity to am?nl the Gaming and Lotteries Aot So deal with persons congregating in private places andplayiogthegameof twoup. This k’ni of gambling is on tho increase, especially during holidays, and ought to fce stamped our. Under the existing laws the pokce cannot cope with

Smwaways continue to arrive in the colony, and are dealt with summarily, and then set st liberty offer serving a abort

term of imprisonment-. Most of thorn ere undesirables of the criminal class, and if provision were made '-o prevent the land iog of stowaways, siys iha Commksioner, we would bavo less ctimo lo contend with, Continued demand j for additional police protection, principally from onisido districts, aro received by the Depaitm-ont, and owing to the increased population it is evident that a number of them wili socn have lo be satisfied. An augmentation of at least two sergeants, 15 constables, and three dßteciiyes is necessary to meet legitimate demands.