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Training-depot,. —During the year sixty-two recruits passed through the depot and were added to the strength. The three-months course of instruction in theoretical and practical police work is of the highest importance and of great value to the Department. The system not only ensures that the men have a good knowledge of their powers and duties before being actually placed on the|beats, but is also the means of sorting out unsuitable men. I append extracts from reports of officers in charge of districts. A. H. Wright, Commissioner of Police.

EXTRACTS FROM ANNUAL REPORTS OF OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF DISTRICTS. Inspector Emerson, Whangarei District. , The strength of Force in this district on the 31st March, 1925, was one Inspector, one Senior Sergeant, two sergeants, twenty-five constables, one detective, and two Native constables. 1 recommend that a sergeant be added to the strength for the purpose of inquiries and supervision of constables on beat duty at Wliangarei. No stations were opened or closed during the year. The number of offences during the year total 808, as against 827 last year, being a decrease of 19. Tli ere has been no serious crime during the year. I am pleased to report that the conduct of the police throughout the district has been good. The population is on the increase, and there is a marked prosperity in the district. Superintendent Hendry, Auckland District. During the year the strength has been increased by two constables at Freeman's Bay Station and three constables at the Queen Street Wharf Station, a total increase of five constables during the year. An increase of strength is required at the following stations : — Auckland Station : An increase of twenty constables is required at this station to enable all beats and fixed points to be filled and to make up for daily loss of men through sickness, escort, relieving duty, leave,.and other causes. Devonport Station : An increase of one constable is required for this station. The population of the borough is increasing ; it is the base of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy ; and, besides, a large number of people frequent the many beaches there during the summer months. An extra man is required so that a more regular patrol can be kept up in the borough and beaches. Newmarket: Three extra constables are rather urgently required at the station to enable regular patrol in the business centre. Newmarket is one of the gateways of Auckland, and a constable should be on patrol duty during the whole day and night. With the present strength this cannot be done. Newton : An increase of six constables is required at this station, being an additional constable for each of the three reliefs, and three men as watchhouse-keepers. The Newton district is thickly populated, and Karangahape Road as a shopping and business centre is second only to Queen Street in importance. The present strength only allows for one constable to patrol the whole of Karangahape Road and to relieve the three men on fixed points between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. A watchhouse-keeper should be on duty at the station all day and night. Onehunga : An increase of one constable is required at this station to enable a regular patrol to be kept in the main street of the borough ; with the present strength this cannot be done. Ponsonby : An increase of one constable is required at this station to enable a patrol to be kept in parks and beaches in the sub-district, and to cope with increasing work at the station. Queen Street Wharf : Three extra constables are required at this station to enable a relief of three constables with watchhouse-keeper to be kept throughout the twenty-four hours. St. Heliers Bay : One constable is required for a new station at this bay as soon as a building can be secured. Point Chevalier : One constable is required for a new station in this district as soon as buildings can be secured. No new station has been opened during the year, and the Hobsonville Police-station has been closed. Casualties amounted to thirteen —viz., discharged on resignation, nine constables ; dismissed, three constables ; retired medically unfit, one sergeant. The offence returns for the year ended 31st December, 1924, show the total number of all offences committed during the year to be 6,637, an increase of 516 over the previous year. Of the offences reported, 5,982 were accounted for by arrest or summons, leaving 655 offences undetected. Of the cases dealt with, 263 males and 21 females were committed for trial or sentence, 4,94-2 males and 393 females were summarily convicted, and 345 males and 18 females were discharged. Of those committed for trial, 214 males and 16 females were convicted. There were five cases of murder reported, but there was no special feature in any of them. Four of the offenders were prosecuted, and the other committed suicide immediately after the crime. Other offences reported call for no special comment.