H.—l6

2

The principal decreases were— Abusive, insulting, or threatening words Forgery and uttering .. . . 21 or behaviour .. . . 30 furious riding and driving . . .. 52 Assault (common) .. .. ..47 Indecent exposure or behaviour.. .. 37 Assault and robbery .. . . . . 16 Obscene and profane language .. .. 140 Breaches of the peace .. .. 72 Theft (undescribed) .. .. ..144 Burglary, housebreaking, &c. . ... 38 Theft by servants . . . . 49 Disobeying orders of Court, &c. .. 65 Theft from dwellings .. .. ..63 Drunkenness .. . . . . 2,033 Trespass . . . . . . 42 Failing to maintain wives, &c. .. 78 Vagrancy offences .. .. 188 The following return shows the number of offences reported in each police district during the year, the number of eases in which arrests or summonses resulted, and the number in which no prosecution followed : —

The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from offences reported during the year 1917 was 95-29, the figures of the preceding year being 957(), Skkious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year : —

Indecent and sexual offences were as under :—

Police District. Number of Offences Number of in which Arrests Offences reported. or Summonses resulted. Number in which no Arrests or Summonses resulted. i i Auckland rlamilton Napier Wanganui Wellington jreymouth 3hristchurdi Dunedin nvereargill 4,745 4,556 1,556 1,481 1,602 1,524 ... j 2,284 2,146 5,304 5,037 ... ! 412 397 ... | 3,480 3,287 1,784 1,726 557 547 189 . 75 78 138 267 15 193 58 10 Totals 21,724 20,701 1,023 1,023

1916. 19 17. Crimes. Number of | dumber of N fc Offences _S2K55.- Offences reported. ""£££* reported. Number of Offences in which Arrests resulted. .rson Lssault and robbery ... mrglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, <fee. 'orgery and uttering lurder lurder, attempted ... 29 28 19 21 21 5 440 300 402 135 112 114 4 2 14 3 3 13 6 5 2 73 73 74 3 3 1 15 5 286 109 14 12 2 74 1 lape teceiving stolen property hooting with intent Totals ... 714 547 644 518

Offences. 1916. 1917. I Assaults, indecent ... Bestiality Carnally knowing girls Carnally knowing, attempted Concealment of birth Incest Indecent exposure or behaviour Rape Rape, attempted ... Sodomy ... Sodomy, attempted Totals ... j 97 '.'.'. 41 11 4 5 300 ::: S ... j 3 5 478 90 3 46 9 2 16 263 2 4 7 3 445