H.—l6. attempt is made to prevent these women from spreading a disease which is more injurious and farreaching in its consequences. The amount paid as house allowance to members of the Force who are not provided with quarters by the Department is increasing from year to year, the expenditure in this respect for the past financial year being just over £11,000. In this connection I wish to refer again to a suggestion I made in my last annual report regarding the advisability of erecting cottages for married men at places where the Department has sites available. In many towns members of the Force experience great difficulty in obtaining suitable houses, and often, in order to live within a reasonable distance of the police-station, have to pay high rents for uncomfortable quarters. This disadvantage would be overcome to some extent by utilizing departmental sections for the purpose I have suggested, and the men occupying the cottages would have reasonable comfort, and would be at hand if required in case of emergency. Reports of Officers in charge of Districts. pjxtracts from the annual reports of officers in charge of districts are hereto annexed. J. Cullen, Commissioner of Police.

EXTRACTS FROM ANNUAL REPORTS OF OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF DISTRICTS. Superintendent Ellison, Wellington District. I beg to furnish the following report for the year ended the 31st March, 1915 : — The authorized strength of the Force in the Wellington District on the 31st March, 1915, was 169, as against 168 the previous year. The increase of 1 constable went to Mount Cook Station, as recommended in my last annual report. The actual strength on the 31st March was 177, which included 9 men who had been sworn in two days previously, and are intended to fill vacancies as they arise. The only additions I have now to recommend would be provision for 1 constable for Kelburn and Northland (semi-suburb), 1 for permanent addition at Mount Cook, and it may be advisable to provide for 1 at Miramar as soon as a site for a police-station has been acquired. An. urgent addition of 1 constable has been authorized for Upper Hutt Station so long as a military camp is there, a considerable amount of work having arisen in connection with inquiries respecting persons supposed to have joined the military forces, &c. No stations have been opened or closed during the year. A site for a station has been acquired at Island Bay in a very good position. A new building for constable's residence has been recently completed at Martinborough. Recommendations have been made as to acquiring sites at Eastbourne, Karori, Brooklyn, Northland-Kclburn, and Levin. I think the Department should secure permanent sites and give up the old practice of paying high rents for sometimes unsuitable premises. The country stations which are owned by Government in this district are as a rule in very good order, only a few of the older ones being in need of small maintenance repairs. During the year 1 constable was discharged on pension owing to injuries received on duty, 1 constable was called upon to resign and 1 resigned voluntarily, and 3 constables, being Imperial Reservists, were recalled to military service and left for the seat of war. The conduct of the police has been good, and only three fines were recorded for breaches of discipline. The offences return for 1914 shows an increase of 465 offences reported as compared with,the previous year, the numbers being 6,564 and 6,099 respectively. The arrests for 1914 were 6,374, an increase of 501, the total for 1913 having been 5,873. The increase is accounted for in the fact that Wellington City shows an increase of 412 persons arrested for drunkenness for 1914. Other increases worthy of notice are: Breaches of the peace, 28; false pretences, 7 ; furious driving, 21 ; illegally on premises, 22 ; mischief (damaging property), 36 ; obscene language, 54 ; obstructing or resisting police, 36 ; thefts from dwellings, 24 ; vagrancy, 65. Decreases appear under —Abusive and insulting words or behaviour, 51 ; cruelty to animals, 23 ; deserters from merchant vessels, 82; disobeying orders aboard ships, 50; gaming offences, 34; thefts, 123; riot, 18 ; unlawful assembly, 10 ; forgery, 8 ; burglary and housebreaking, 2. There has been no outbreak of serious crime. The most annoying and serious offences that have occurred are thefts from dwellings during absence of occupants. Many houses have been left with insecure doors or windows inviting the attention of sneak-thieves, who visit houses on paltry excuses, and when, after knocking or ringing, they find every one out, have good opportunities for committing offences. One offender of this kind may commit a number of offences before being caught, but invariably they have been caught and much stolen property has been recovered from time to time.