CIVIL AND CRIMINAL STATISTICS.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 178, 12 February 1848, Page 3

CIVIL AND CRIMINAL STATISTICS.

Ttii« week's Government Gazelle contains two Return* of a statistical nature, each of which well deserves a separate analytical notice at qur bands. One is an Abstract of the Revenue and Expenditure «f Auckland during the quarter ended the 3 1st December last; the other of all cases disposed of at the Resident Magistrate's Court here, from its commencement in November 1846, to the 13th December, 1847. Returns of this sort are always interesting, and frequently invaluable, as they furnish certain data for correct conclusions, and often serve to originate improvements which otherwise might have enjoyed but a very questionable existence. The latter return w«. will only dissect at present, leaving the compendium of revenue and expenditure for separate consideration. fc. This abstract of the Resident Magistrate's branches into two divisions — the ciiminal and the civil. The criminal computes 1083 cases; the civil 154. The criminal returns shew the number of mixed cases heard, in which Maories were defendants, to be 34 ; and Europeans, 52 ; making the total of cases heard between Maories and Europeans— B6. The nurabet of cases in which Maories alone were concerned, is 6tated at 3 ; and of Europeans, at 994 ! This is an astounding disparity—but it may be accounted for thus. Out of 994 healings in which Europeans alone were concerned, 1 17 of the cases were dismissed, reducing the number of convictions to 857. Of these *57, 25 weie for assault ; 15 for breaches of the peace; 165 for breaches of the cattle trespass ordinance ; 25 for larceny 5 5 for maJicious injury to properly ; 26 for breaches of the merchant seamen's act ; 2 for profane sweating, 6 for vagrancy; and J?»e hundred and twenty nine for drunkenness! The number of Maori convictions for drunkenness is stated at 13 ; larceny, 11 ; vagrancy, 1 ; breaches of the hiied servant's act, 1. On the whole, this calendar of offences aud convictions may be considered us singularly light. It is altogether silent as to offences of atrocious die. Burglary is not once named — nor is murder, nor any description of capital assault. So that we may fairly congratulate Auckland upon exhibiting the most orderly character of any maritime pltice of equal population within tbe circle of her Majesty's dominions. We will now turn to the civil list, and that does not shew tbe spirit of litigation to be as yet extremely rife within us. Between Maories and Europeans, the total number of verdicts given to Maories was 65, and to Europeans 19. In cases between Mao lies, one defendant obtained a yerdict. A second case was settled out of Court. In cases between Europeans only, 15 verdicts were returned for the complainant in each case: The total number of civil cases beard during the 13 months ending 13th Dec, was 154, and out ot those the convictions were but 99. So that here also we think may be found some matter for congratulation.