LESS CRIME

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1933, Page 8

LESS CRIME

CONDITIONS IN NEW ZEALAND REPORT BEFORE THE HOUSE WELLINGTON, October 17. Many satisfactory features are to bo found in the annual report of the Commissioner of Police, Mr W. G. WohJrnann, which was presented to the House of Representatives this afternoon. Crime generally has recreased, social unrest has become less and the proportion of arrests to offences report ed has increased.

Last year , 35,368 offences were reported to the police, as compared with 36,680 for the preceding year. Of the cases reported last year arrests were made or summonses issued in 32,003 cases. The proportion of offences to the population of the Dominion was 2.3 per cent last year as compared with 2:4 per cent the previous year. One of the most satisfactory features is the decrease of'ss in the cases of housebreaking and burglary, the previous year having dislosed an increase of 345. From the Commissioner’s report, there is no ‘doubt that the population

of the country is becoming more sober, j Tile number of arrests for drunkenness j last year totalled 4387, a decrease of 818 on those of the previous year, mak.ng J the number of arrests the lowest since ; 1878. At that time the population of the Dominion was 432,352. Last year it was 1,536,964.' The principal increases in crime last year were in petty thefts (808), receiving stole n property (125)', inciting violence, disorder or lawlessness (119), gaming offences (116) and opium-smok-ing 98). Apart from drunkenness, the pr ncipal decreases were :—Breaches of the peace (115), vagrancy offences I (130 V failure to maintain wives and I children (532). and being found on licensed premises after hours (139). i The numbers df ; murders, fifteen, an | increase of two on the' previous year, is regrettably high, states the Comm ssioner. Thrbe were in respect of in- | fonts .whose deaths were regarded as having been unlawfully caused, and in two of these cases no arrest resulted. During the year 154 prosecution* ! were conducted against alleged bookmakers, and in 137 cases convictions were secured. The amount of fines im- ■ posed totalled £4532 10s. The total amount of fines imposed for various \ offences during the year was £30,985, these being the result of 13,889 convictions. The fines were apportioned between the Consilidated Fund, £23.764; Main Highways Revenue Fund, £6953 ai?d local authorities;£26s, In commenting on the amount of social unrest, the Commissioner says 1 that there has been ’ marked decrease. , “The small aiiti-sccial element in the ’ community is evidently losing its inj fluence with the genuine worker, who has discovered these agitators to be false friends,” he says. I The strength outlie permanent force at the end of the year was 1106, a dcI crease of 28 on the total of the previj ops .year. In addition, there were 23 I auxiliaries, including-twelve surgeons. ,‘V further accession of strength came during the year in the appointment of 1 89 temporary constables, appointed on probation to fill, vacancies, as they !.occur, in the permanent force. The actual strength of the force, including all auxiliary and temporary units, showed a ret increase at the end" of the vear of 3S. <