H.—l6

8

Stations, etc. During the year the following works have been completed :— New Buildings. Te Awamutu ... Quarters. Waiuku ... ... New stable. Moawhango ... ... Stable, &c. Waihi ... ... Quarters. Mangaweka ... ... Quarters. Piriaka ... ... Lock -up and living- Featherston ... ... „ rooms. Havelock ... ... „ Waipawa ... ... Stable, "&c. Okarito ... ... „ Herbertville ... ... Purchase and removal Lyttelton ... ... Lock-up. of lock-up. Sites Acquired. Avondale. Akaroa. Otorohanga. Ngapara. Nelson (additional land). Ongaruhe. Additions, Repairs, &c. Ponsonby ... ... Additions. Kumara ... ... Eepairs. Shortland ... ... Eenovations. Eangiora ... ... „ Gisborne ... ... Additions. Kaiapoi ... ... Renovations. Napier ... ... „ Leeston ... ... „ Dannevirke ... ... Additions, repairs, &c. Lincoln ... ... „ Woodville ... ... „ „ Sheffield New Plymouth ... Eenovations. Waimate ... ... Fencing, &c. Stratford ... ... Additions, &c. Dunedin, King Street ... Alterations. Waitotara ... ... „ Queenstown ... ... Eepairs, &c. Eaetihi ... ... Eepairs, &c. Cromwell ... ... Additions, &c. Wellington, Mount Cook New cells, retaining- Ophir ... ... Eepairs, &c. wall, &c. Mataura ... ... „ Seddonville ... ... Additions, &c. Bluff ... ... Renovations. Lyell ... ... „ Wyndham ... ... Additions, &c. Brunnerton .. ... Eepairs. Lumsden ... ... Repairs, &c. Greymouth ... ... Alterations, &c. The following new buildings are in course of erection, or have, been authorised, viz.: —Lock-ups at Porangahau, Rangiora, and Sumner; quarters, &c, at Akaroa; and new stables at Invercargill. New stations are required at Whangarei, Helensville, Avondale, Raglan, Kihikihi, Waiuku, Karangahake, Tolaga Bay, Carterton, Collingwood, Addington, Clinton (in place of one destroyed by fire), and Gore. The additions to Lambton Quay and Mount Cook Stations are much needed; and the single men's quarters at Christchurch, which are old and insanitary, require replacing by new. A new station for the accommodation of about twenty men, with sergeant's residence, is also much needed in the Newton district of Auckland, to supersede the three small stations now in that locality. Three sections have been leased by the Government from the Auckland City Council for the erection thereon of the required station, and this should be put in hand without delay. Cost of Police, etc. A return is herewith annexed (Appendix D) giving proportion of police to the population and the cost of police per inhabitant in each of the Australian States and in this colony. Inspectors' Beports. Extracts from the annual reports of the Inspectors in charge of districts are hereto annexed. I have, &c, W. Dinnib, Commissioner of Police.

BXTEACTS FEOM ANNUAL REPORTS OF OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF DISTRICTS. Inspector J. Cullen, Auckland, Waikato, and Bay op Islands. The authorised strength of the district on the 31st March last was 135 of all ranks, being ari increase of three over the preceding year. The increase referred to has been distributed as follows : One sergeant to Newton, and one constable to Auckland City and Devonport Stations. As the population of the city and suburbs has been rapidly increasing, and there is always more than an average percentage of criminals in our midst, I think the increase in both the detective and uniform branches should be proportionate with the growth of population, so as to keep the Force on an efficient footing and in a position to deal with members of the criminal class. A detective and plain-clothes constable should be appointed at Newton Station for the purpose of effectually supervising the criminals residing in that and adjacent sub-districts. Ponsonby, with a population of over seven thousand, has only two constables to attend to police matters. An additional constable is urgently needed at this station. Auckland City requires an extra detective and twelve constables to bring the strength to an efficient footing.