BRITAIN'S CALENDAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 37, 12 February 1910, Page 17

BRITAIN'S CALENDAR.

ANMiTSIS OF THE lEA»'S OFFENCES. Of all Gie moirthe, January shows the "biggest crime bill—S4oi trerious offences In England and Wales, or. one crhne every fire minutes, night and day. February is really a trifle more criminal, but its twentyeight days only give It an advantage in the criminal .records. Tie crime of February differs, ihowever, .from the crime of January. In fact, every month has its own fashion in crime, and it is Just as well for people to know what kind of attentions they may expect in the way of burglary, robbery, assault, and such things, according to the time of the year. The dark winter days in England ore the harvest time of robbers and thieves of all sorts. There are more attempts to break into houses, more "robberies," more extortions by threats; and more embezzlements in January than in any other month. Although January is first In the number of crimes, it comes only seventh in the number of arrests.

In w> one crime Is January the worst month, but it fa bad enough ail through the , catalogue. You inuet beware of the lionsebreaker, take great care of roar watch and purse, protect your house from the arsxin fiend, and look oijt-for the man or woman who will try to ofctati your goods by false pretences. The falsifier of account* is bray, bo are the fraudulent . bankrupts, the recelrers of stolen goods, land those engaged in fraud generally; Malicious wounding, *anslaughter, cattle maiming and drunkenness complete the list of January's commonest offences. Only in two ont of the eigßtr-three serious crime's of the criminal records Is January tie Best month—nmrfler and the larceny of posl letters.

February takes' the leaa : in letter-steal-ing and ell petty thefts, and.it is the worst month in the year for "obtaining money and goods by false pretences. The coiner Is more active than at any other time, and more false coin is put in circulation. But only in these five offences does' February Hold first place. One must continue on his guard against house breaking, shbp-breafc-ihg, bnrgiary, irobbery, theft from the perbod, and false pretences. Crops run some chance of being burned this month. February is the best month in tie matier of suicide, tut this is the only fearer In its cap.

March, Is _an *11-round bad month. The coiner, the forger, the house and shop toeaker, the church thief, the murderer* the seirant thief, and the steaier of small article? from shops; etc., aw ail Very active. But there Is no crime In which March' i* the worst montb of the j-ear. On tlie other hand It shows np beet in assaults, arson, horee and cattle stealing, and extortion by threat WHBRB APRIL- IiEJAbS. The forger, the libeller, "the fraudulent bankrupt, and the parents who are criminally cruel to their children—all-appear In their Worst fit April. The does not like cold weather—is no* showing up: the cattle-stealer Is very busy, murder ana manslaughter ore pretty frequent, and frauds of all kinds are plentiful. Only inone offence Is April the beet moAth-name. ly, h&bitiial drunkenness. " ' In Stay the burning of crops reaches its height; so aces serious assault and the abandonment of children. Very much to the fore; too, are the petty thieves, the' robbers, the forgers and colliers, the fitlslflers of accounts, and the letter-stealer Tfie burglar Is well into his work, May being the second worst month for the householder who has valuables worth stealing. Leon, manslaughter, and murder ere all very bad; and In no offence Is May the best month, except housebfeaking. June distinguishes itself as the most criminal month only In the matter of cattlemaiming; but lit is the third 6f the burglars , busiest months, and bad enough fn the offence of falsifying accounts. Taking June all round, we can'i find much fault; and it is the best month of the year In false pretences, receiving etolen gobds; minor larcenies, and murder and attempt* to murder. July is a bad month, it is quite the worst for arson, stealing from the person; larceny in the house, and crimes of violence. Suicide now reaches the top figure. Bad enough, too, are the cattle stealers; lctter-stoalers, cruel parents, embezzlers, and commltters of sacrilege. But the house and shop breaker, the coiner, and .the cattlemalmer are on their best behaviour. BtTEGLAItS Afi-E BUST. In August criminals are neither very bad hbr very good. August Is not the best month in any single offence, it Is the worst bf all for assault and manslaughter. And now, when the holiday makers are away, the burglar is busier than at any other time of the yeah in these three crimes August leads. . September is also a medium month. Eobbers and forgers take a rest, but there are more thefts by servants, and more embezzlements tiian at any other time of the year. Housebreaklng now begins to increase, coining and uttering are frequent, and there Is a great deal of embezzlement and fraud.

Most criminals are rather Inactive la October. It Is the worst month for robbery of churches, perjury, habitual drunkenness, extortion by threats. But in October the burglar Is least busy.

November is the second worst month .In the year, .taking it ail round, it stands 'first' in minor larcenies, receiving stolen goods, obtaining goods br false pretences.

and malicious Injuries; Bobbery and hone*. breaking increase. But suicide Iβ cow at the lowest figure throughout the twelve months. (The year does not end well. Poachers, nousebreakers, and murderers are tut their worst ~lri December. Very bad. too, are robbers,. thieves, and those who commit violent assaults. But in five offences December Is the best of all months—namely, forgery, perjury, embezzlement, sacrilege, and manslaughter. The burglar, too, Is hot much In evidence—December Is Ms second Idlest month. In all crimes together, Janaary is the worst, November second, Max third, ilarch. fourth, October fifth, December sixth. The best three are Aprtt, June, and August, while the other three months are between good and bad.