H.-16

2

The principal increases during the year appear under the following headings, viz. : — Burglary, breaking and entering, &c. .. 97 Malicious injury to property .. .. 26 Cruelty to animals . . . . 43 Obscene language . . .. 119 Deserting wives and families .. .. 77 Obstructing and resisting police .. .. 43 Deserting merchant ships .. .. 55 Receiving stolen property .. . . 16 Disorderly and riotous conduct .. .. 17 ; Refusing to quit licensed premises .. 19 Drunkenness .. .. .. ..1.061 Suicide, attempted .. .. .. 13 Failing to support relatives .. .. 36 I Theft by servants .. .. 33 False pretences .. .. .. 15 I Theft from dwellings .. .. .. 38 Furious riding and driving .. .. 22 Trespass .. .. .. ..20 Indecent exposure or behaviour .. .. 54 The principal decreases were — Abusive and threatening language .. 14 Gaming offences .. .. .. to Assaults, common .. . . 131 Illegally on premises . . .. 39 Assaults occasioning bodily harm .. 13 Introducing liquor into Maori pas .. 14 Assaults on police . . . . 13 Sly-grog selling .. . . 35 Assaults and robbery .. . . 18 Soliciting prostitution .. .. 51 Bankruptcy offences .. .. 16 Stone-throwing .. .. 28 Breaches of the peace .. .. ..50 Theft (undescribed) .. .. ..107 Forgery and uttering .. .. 44 Vagrancy . . .. .. 15 Fortune-telling .. .. .. 23 The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from all offences reported during the year 1910 was 95-39, the figures of the preceding year being 95-61. 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 prose cution followed :—

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

During the last ten years the number of serious crimes as above described has varied from 520 to 759, so that the present total (738) does not call for comment.

District. Number of all Offences reported. Number of Offences Number in which in which Arrests < no Arrests or or Summonses Summonses relesulted. suited. Auckland Thames Napier Wanganui Wellington Greymouth Christchurch Dunedin Invercargill 6,385 726 2,070 2,563 5,737 896 3,984 2,167 57* 6,385 726 2,070 2,563 5,737 896 3,984 2,167 57* 6,111 274 700 26 2,027 43 2,498 65 5.476 261 850 46 3,787 197 1,956 211 544 34 6,111 700 2,027 2,498 5,476 850 3,787 1,956 544 25,106 25,106 25,106 23,949 1,157 23,949 23,949

1909. 1910. Crimes. Number of dumber of Offences ? fle . n f S m * I Number o« Number of Offences ?? e . no . es "1 reported. wh,ch f " ests r resulted. Arson Assault and robbery ... Burglary (breaking into shops and dwellings) Forgery and uttering Murder „ attempted Rape Receiving stolen property Shooting with intent 28 57 361 186 7 5 8 35 6 27 55 242 176 7 A 8 35 6 29 39 461 142 6 2 7 51 1 23 38 359 130 5 2 7 51 1 696 560 73S 616