AUCKLAND MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 14, 17 January 1905, Page 3

AUCKLAND MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

DETAILS OF THE YEAR'S WORK. j Details of the work of the Auckland Magistrate's Court during the year, a summary of which, was published recently, have now been prepared. In civil and criminal business the figures show an increase compared with those of the previous year. The most notable increases are in connection with drunkenness and prohibition. Convictions for drunkenness last year were 409 in excess of 1903, an increase of over 40 per cent., while the number of prohibition orders more than doubled. Prohibited persons found on licensed premises totalled 58, an increase of 22 compared with the total for the previous year. In connection with criminal offences, the general statistics show no marked features, though thefts classed as indictable (the more serious category) showed a decrease of 24, and housebreakmg an increase of over 50 per cent. Minor thefts increased by 42 on the year. Taking all classes of Police Court cases, there was an increase of 776. Particulars of the offences, with the increases compared with the year 1903 in parentheses, are as follow: — Class I.—Crimes against the person and reputation: A-bdoctSon. 1 (0>: abortion, procuring. 1(1); common assaults. 124 (108); criminal aesenlts, 6 (15): assaults on tne portce, 42 (37): indecent assaults. 6 (5): assaults with intent to commit rape. 2: attempted murdPT. 1 (0): attempted anieides, 10: manslaughter, 2 (0): rape, 1 (•*); robbery with violence, 4 (2). Class ll.—Crimes risrhts of property: Arson, 1 (2); bankruptcy, obtainiug credit by fraud. 7 (0); failing to keep books, 1 (l>; rash speculations, 1 (l>): false pret-ences, 16 (14): forgery. 23 (21): house-i.rp-afcrap, 49 (23); mischief to property, 37 :.1>: obtaining credit by fraud. 5 (6): rei'lving stolon property, 9 (C): theft (indictable). 00 (114): theft (summary*. 207 (ICS). Class ni.—Crimes siffectinjr the administration of law and justice: Perjury, 8 (s>; prison breaking, 4 (2). Class IV. —Offences against revenue laws: False declarations rela-tinp to Customs. 2 (0): smuggling, 7 (6); unstamped receipts. 2 (3). Class V.—Offences against srood order: Breaches of the peace. 98 (88): keeping brothers, 7 (12); bastardy. 42 (33)1 wife and child desertion, 13 (12): fa-fling to comply with maintenance orders. 185 (131); falline to support. 148 (145): applications to vary orders, 29 (12): drunkenness. 1403 (3»4): indecency, 82 (45).; falling to sopport chtlrtrpn in industrial Schools, S7 C 17): indigent children. 26 (22); applications varying orders for children in industrial schools, 48 (12): prohibition orders m-ade, 179 <88): prohibited persons on pre-mises, 58 (36); procuring liquor far prohibited persoas, 5 (8); permftting drnnfcetutees. 1 (1); refusing to leave lierased premises. 10 (6): selling liquor without a Heense, 14 (8); lunacy. 117 (108); obscene language, 74 (74): sepa-ra-tion orders, 45 (38); Sunday trading, 9 t6); applications for snreties to keep the peace, 28 (25); vagrancy (inehwnng persons charged with behig idle and disorderly, havtttp no means, and consorting with rognw and vagabonds having been previously fonvicte<l as idle and disorderly persons). 142 (129). Cla9s Vl.—All other offences not included In above classes: Borough aod city bylaws. 4»4 (441): Harbour Board by-laws, 20 (18): railway. 12: tramway, 6; orererowding. 42 (38); cruelty to animuts. 7 (20): dangerous dogs, 5 (18); failing to register dogs. 70 (125): Factories Act prosecutions, 4 (4); G-nmiog and Lotteries Act, 13 (11); opium, 21 (4):" truancy, 85 (76): breaches of Shipping and Seamen Act. 74 (99); breaches of Shop and Shop Assistants Act, 14 (9); juvenile smoking, 1 (0). The 4440 cases which came before the Court last year were dealt with as follows:—'Discharged, 889; dismissed on merits. 264; committed for.trial or sentence. 191: summary convietiofls, 3621. Fines were Imposed in 1530 cases, imprisonment In B«n of fines in 483, imprisonment withoot the option of a flae in JT7S, and a whipping was ordered in 1. Tweety-two persons were bound over, aikl 19 were released under the First Offenders' Probation A-et. Orders were iuade in 680 cases, and there were .TU) cases in which the persons eoneeWMd w«rt> conrvkjhed and disctuur^ed. In the Magistrate's Court there were 3253 plaints entered, 185] of them being proceeded with. In 1903 there were only 2357 pl»ints entered, of which 1490 were proceeded with. The aggregate amount snwl for last year was £35.501 13/9. <>f which £19.9T7 5/5 was recorered. whilo the figures for 1903 were £27,431 14/11 and £15.588 2/ respectively..