FINGER-PRINT DEPARTMENT.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43116, 20 July 1907, Page 4

FINGER-PRINT DEPARTMENT.

On the 31st March the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 6,131 offenders. During the year 104 persons claiming to be first offenders were by means of their finger-prints identified as previously-convicted persons, an increase of sixteen over last year. Finger prints of prisoners in custody here, whose antecedents were unknown to our police, have been identified during the year at Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney and

Canetown as those of persons previousi ly convicted in these cities. During the Exhibition am officer of the branch was stationed at Christchurch, with the result that two separate parties of housebreakers, who for a. considerable .time had baffled the local police, were ' brought to justice by the branch iden- | titying their finger prints, which they had left on various articles they had handled in the burgled houses. The photographic nnrtioin •of the branch works well, and still supplies all photographs required by the department in Wellington, besides photographing finger prints discovered in criminal cases. Photographs to> the number of 2,247 were turned out. by the branch during the year.