H.—161

The principal increases during the year as shown by the statistics were as follows, viz. :— Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. 126 | Gaming offences . . . . 16 Deserters and absentees from merchant i Illegally on premises .. .. 88 vessels .. .. .. 22 Malicious injury to property .. . . 22 Deserting and failing to provide for wives Obscene and profane language .. . . 52 and children . . . . .. 126 Receiving stolen property . . .. 36 Disobeying orders of Court and summonses 59 Soliciting prostitution .. .. 32 Drunkenness .. .. .. .. 140 Theft (undescribed) .. .. .. 228 Forgery and uttering .. .. .. 37 Theft from dwellings .. .. 34 The principal decreases were : — Assaults, common .. .. ..118 Opium, smoking or being in possession of .. 49 Breaches of the peace .. .. .. 135 j Sly-grog selling . . . . 25 Carnally knowing girls . . .. . . 24 Sureties of the peace . . . . 27 Failing to support parents and near relatives 91 Trespass .. .. .. .. 107 Indecent exposure or behaviour . . .. 82 Vagrancy .. .. . . 67 Obstructing thoroughfares .. .. 64 The increase (126) in the number of burglary cases and theft (228) has resulted partly through the influx to the Dominion of an unusual number of Australian criminals, and I ascribe this in a degree to the licensing of bookmakers and the indiscriminate granting of betting-licenses by racing authorities, which has induced a number of Australian undesirables to become bookmakers, who, with their followers when not engaged in bookmaking, resort to crime. Juvenile offenders are, I regret to say, responsible for many of these offences. The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from all offences reported during the year under review is 95-63, the figures of the preceding year being 95-86. The following return shows the number of offences reported in each Police District during the year, the number of cases in which arrests or summonses resulted, and the number in which no prosecution followed : —

Serious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the preceding year:-

During the last eight years the number of serious crimes as above described has varied from 520 to 723, so that the present total (759) is not abnormal on a population basis.

2

District. Oi Number of all Offences reported. nuinuur oi i. >ffences repor an rt<" Number of Offences in which Arrests or Summonses resulted. Number in which no Arrests or Summonses resulted. Auckland Thames Napier Wanganui Wellington Greymouth Christchurch Dunedin Invercargill 5,055 908 2,311 2,480 5,865 754 3,304 2,213 620 4,825 879 2,236 2,407 5,643 719 3,155 2,033 587 230 29 75 73 222 35 149 180 33 23,510 22,484 1,026

1907. 191 08. Crimes. Number of dumber of all Offences ? fi ? n f 9 m , i reported. whloh £ rr , ests , F resulted. Number of Offences reported. Number of Offences in which Arrests resulted. Arson Assault and robbery ... Burglary (breaking into shops and dwellings) Forgery and uttering Murder ... . ... ... „ attempted Rape Eeceiving stolen property Shooting with intent .... 12 12 47 43 350 242 98 87 5 5 1 1 4 3 29 29 2 2 13 35 476 135 6 12 11 65 6 8 32 364 114 5 12 10 63 5 548 424 759 613