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IX

moned or apprehended to the number of crimes reported during the last eleven years. It is obvious that such proportion, if the figures are correct, will reveal the efficiency of the police from year to year : —

This table shows that the proportion varies but slightly annually. On the whole there has been a slight decrease in the proportion of persons summoned or apprehended to the number of reported offences. It must be observed that during the same period the proportion of police numerically to the population decreased to a much greater degree until the year 1895, when it reached its lowest point. It is clear that the number of detected crimes compared with the number of those reported, all other things being equal, varies as the strength of the police to the population. In 1886 the proportion of persons summoned or apprehended to the number of reported offences was 937 per cent., and in 1895 it was 887 per cent. In the former year the proportion of police to population was Ito 1,265, and in the latter year Ito 1,530, being a large decrease. Making allowance for this, we cannot find that there has been a falling-off in the efficiency of the Police Force during the period covered by these figures. By circular No. 18, 1888, officers in charge of districts were directed, when compiling annual returns, to include only those offences for which persons had been or were liable to be arrested, and omit those relating to breaches of by-laws of local authorities, breaches of the Licensing Acts, Rabbit Nuisance Act, &c. If particulars of these cases had been continued in the returns the percentage of persons summoned, &c, would have been greater than appears on the annual table. These returns should show the number of cases under the Licensing Acts, and give particulars for each district as well as for the whole colony, Recommendations. After careful inquiry into the present condition of the Police Force, its organization, emoluments, and control, and into the several matters and things connected therewith referred to us by your Excellency's Commission, we submit the following remarks and suggestions as the result of a careful consideration of the evidence given before us and the suggestions made by a large number of members of the Force of all grades, and of various terms of service, speaking for themselves or as delegates of men with whom they serve : — Control. The control of the Force being, as we have stated, given to your Excellency by the statute already quoted, it becomes a department under the charge of your Excellency's Ministers. The effect of this has been, in our opinion, to give rise to the desire which we have stated exists in the Force to get behind the officers of the department at the Ministerial head, and has led to that resort to political influence which has caused so much dissatisfaction to the men and to the executive officers of the department,

ii—H. 2.

Year. Total Number N £ mbe,: of of Crimes Persons , . -i ■ summoned reported in each Year. ,° , , apprehended. Percentage of Persons summoned and arrested tc Crimes reported. Population of Colony. Proportion of Police to Population. 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 18,135 17,752 12,897 12,945 13,115 12,674 13,153 13,165 13,530 14,010 14,673 15,219 17,000 16,500 11,854 11,885 12,177 11,748 12,187 12,100 12,100 12,435 13,171 14,042 93-7 92'9 91-9 91-8 92-8 92-6 92-6 91-1 89-4 88-7 89-7 922 635,215 646,9.13 652,125 664,855 668,353 675,775 692,426 714,258 728,121 740,699 754,016 768,910 1 to 1,265 „ 1,328 ,, 1,347 „ 1,346 „ 1,375 „ 1,401 „ 1,439 y 1,472 ■„ 1,495 „ 1,530 „ 1,461 „ 1,435