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Work for other Government Departments.—This Department is still carrying out a large volume of inquiry and other"work at the request of other Government Departments. Inquiries concerning applicants for drivers' licenses for public motor-vehicles also occupy a good deal of the time of the police. In many instances the police have completed inquiries into and conducted prosecutions for breaches of statutes and regulations administered by other Departments, such as the Rationing Regulations, Oil Fuel Regulations, &c. Criminal Statistics.—The criminal statistics (Appendix A) deal with offences reported to the police during the year ended 31st December last, and show an aggregate net increase of 1,784 on the figures of 1944. The percentage of offences to the population was 1-97, as against 1-92 the previous year. The number of offences reported during the year was 33,744, the number of cases in which arrests or summonses resulted was 27,965, leaving 5,779 cases in which no prosecution followed but which are still the subject of inquiries or have since been disposed of. The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from offences reported during the year 1945 was 82 87, the figures of the preceding year being 85-19. There were slight increases in the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year and in the number of indecent and sexual offences. There has been an increase in the number of cases of theft, false pretences, and similar offences, and also' in respect of the unlawful conversion of motorvehicles, indicating that this class of offence is still very prevalent. There were 20 cases of murder, 7 of attempted murder, and 5 of manslaughter. In 7 cases of murder the offender committed suicide after committing the crime, and in 3 cases the offender was found to be mentally defective. In 2 cases the offenders have not been traced—one of a newly born child found dead at Nelson, and the other a man found apparently murdered at Frankton Junction. Offences in connection with liquor at dances show an increase. The many successful prosecutions in respect of the latter offence indicate that the police are making every effort to abate the evil. Drunkenness. —There has been a decrease of 278 in the number of prosecutions for drunkenness 1 during the year as compared with the previous year. The number charged with drunkenness in 1945 was 1,854 (1,759 males and 95 females), whereas in 1944 the number was 2,132 (2,029 males and 103 females). Three hundred and eighty-five males (21-88 per cent.) and 18 females (18 95 per cent.) had previous convictions recorded against them, and 4-6 per cent, of the males were not permanent residents of the Dominion. Prosecutions against Ilotelkeepers.-—The number of prosecutions against hotelkeepers during the year shows an increase of 54 as compared with the preceding year. There were 368 prosecutions resulting in 257 convictions during 1945, as against 314 prosecutions and 246 convictions in 1944. Sly-grog. Selling.—There were 'l3B prosecutions, during the year for selling liquor without a license, and there were also 45 prosecutions for other offences against the provisions of the Licensing Act in force in no-license districts. The fines imposed on the sly-grog sellers during the year 1945 amounted to £656. Gaming Offences. —There were 1,001 prosecutions during the year under the Gaming Act, against 643 prosecutions in 1944. There were 355 prosecutions in connection with bookmaking during the year ended 31st March, 1946, resulting in 347 convictions, the amount of fines imposed being £21,575.

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