Criminal Statistics of Auckland.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 40, 8 March 1884, Page 6

Criminal Statistics of Auckland.

The return of offences reported within the Auckland district during the year ISS3 has just been compiled, and with the comparative statement of crime for the year preceding, now lies before .us. The results brought out bhow very clearly that ao our population increases, crime has a tendency to keep pace with its growth. The increase of crime in ISS3, however, has been very inconsiderable, and on examination of the return is found to be chiefly in minor offences and contraventions. The total number of offences reported in this district last year was 3,798, in connection with which 3,679 persons were apprehended, and 1,294 proceeded against by summons. This show s an increase of 9S in the cases reported, 152 in the persons apprehended, and 193 in the number summoned. Of the persons apprehended in ISS2, there were 505 discharged, v> hile last year no fewer than 615 persons veie discharged, so that the actual com ictions had increased but slightly. Examining the different branches of crime ye lind that the increases chiefly accrue under the following heads : — Contravention of by-laws, increase of 58 ; drunkenness, 12G ; Vagrant Act; 89 ; rioting, 38 ; forcible entry, 33; and breach of Licensing Act, 4S. The only notable decrease is in breaches of the Impounding Act, which last year were 181 fewer than in 18S2. Looking at serious offences, the return shows a diminution in nearly every crime of violence. Manslaughter and murder are quite absent from the list, whereas there were 2 cases of the former and 5 of the latter offence in 18S2 ; but there was one case of attempted murder last year— an offence which did not appear in 1882. All theft cases show a diminution. For common larceny, the offenders were 29 lees' last year than the year before ; larceny from the person, 8 less ; larceny from the dwelling, 18 less ; larceny from vessels, 11 less; and larceny as a bailee, 2 less. Again«t this it must be pointed out that there were 9 moie cases of embezzlement last year than in ISS2 ; but burglaries last year showed a decrease of 7 cases. Assaults of all kinds also decreased by 21, and breaches of the peace by 14. Last year there were no trials for bigamy in the district, against six such cases in 1882 ; but 5 persons vere charged with wife desertion in 1883, while there were no offences of that kind reported the year preceeding. The large increase in "drunks" and in defaulting publicans would seem to point to the past year being a bad one for alcoholic indulgence ; but despite this, it is noticeable that last year there were only 49 persons apprehended for lunacy, against 7 1 in the preceding year. In 1883 the total number of persons apprehended for drunkenness was 1,267, of whom 197 were females, while the total for 1882 was 1,141, of whom 140 were females. For breaches of the Licensing Act, 144 persons were tried last year, of which number the large proportion of 41 escaped conviction. In 1882, the number of these offences reported was 96, andconvictions were got in all but 23 cases. In 1882, there were six persons convicted under the Beer Duty Act, and last year only two were convicted under that statute. Of ether offences it is worthy of remark that last year there were 23 prosecutions for cruelty to animals, against only 13 in 1882. This by no means indicates that the offence is increasingly committed, but is a proof of the activity of the Soc i ;ty for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals formed last year. For wilful fire-raiing there were two persons committed for trial last year against one in 1882 ; but no fewer than 5 cases were reported in 1882, against 3 last year — showing that the evidence latterly has been more carefully collected. So far as these returns show the social and moral condition of the district, they prove that we are by no means retrograding as a community.