GRATE CONSIDERATIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 11626, 10 July 1902, Page 1

GRATE CONSIDERATIONS.

The Annual Report of Mr Commissioner Tunbridge on-the Police Force, in the information that it embodies and. his remarks thereupon, suggests subjects demanding very grave consideration. The statistics of crime show a net increase over the preceding year of 1;551 offences, much the largest for many years past, most of which, the Commissioner states, may be classed as unpreventable, so that they involve no reflection on the efficiency of the police. The return of offences against property is more favorable, showing that as a detective body the Force continue to improve year by vear. Most unsatisfactory conditions are demonstrated by the number of charges of drunkenness (8,05/) duringfche year, being an increase of 758 on the previous twelve months. Of the total number of convictions more than half were of persons previously convicted, and s in the case of 941 men and 422 women there were records of more five previous convictions. These offenders, the Commissioner remarks, may reasonably be classed ,as chronic drunkards—persons who require, saving from themselves—and he submits that it has become a moot question whether they ought not to be treated as suffering from a disease instead of the futile endeavor made to coerce them into sobriety by the imposition of pecuniary penalties or temporary loss of liberty. Dealing with these “old drunks,” Mr Tunbridge says, takes up a very considerable portion of the time of the police, magistrates, and prison officials, ami is a very considerable expense to the community, with no good results. The figures in regard to Sunday trading indicate that this is still indulged in to an appreciable extent, and the Commissioner asserts that the present state of the law renders it difficult for the police to successfully cope with this class of illegal traffic. He reminds the Minister of Justice that he has persistently advocated amending the licensing laws in the direction of making all persons (except lodgers and bona fide travellers) found on licensed premises during prohibited hours liable to prosecution, and he' can only reiterate this recommendation. During the year there were 219 prosecutions against publicans, resulting in 91 convictions, the number in Dunedin being 59, with 16 convictions. The number of prosecutions for sly grogselling throughout the Colony was 145, resulting in 82 convictions. The difficulty experienced in former year-, Mr Tunbridge states, in obtaining evidence in these cases continues. Some persons apparently have no scruples in going even to the length of “ perjuring themselves to. assist the- sly grog-sellers,.ln ■ escaping justice.” For offences against the gaming laws there were 104 prosecutions during the year, with 83 convictions. The Commissioner says thereupon that the remarks in his last annual report anent the difficulty of dealing with illegal toie-betting men and the necessity for amended legislation still apply ffi their eqtiretv. The municipal authorities have not yet avaffed Themselves of the power to regulate the so-called private billiard rooms, and many of these are kept open until the small hours of the morning, “.much to the “detriment of respectable young men, who “arc inveigled into them by spielers and “other undesirable characters for the purpose of gambling.” Concerning secondh<,n(i shops the Commissioner speaks out in very strong terms, advocating the desirability of all the dealers being licensed, and hi expresses the hope that another attempt "iH made this session to pass into law the Bill introduced by the Government lastyear. Tins, it may be noted, has been done, and the measure to provide for the licensing of second-hand dealers and to regulate the sale of second-hand articles lias been brought in by the Minister of Justice. As an Instance of the loose, not to say criminal, manner in which some second-hand dealers conduct their business, the Commissioner c.tes a recent Christchurch case, where two small boys stole the lamps from no less than nine bicycles. These lamps ranged in value from 10s to 15s, and the young thieves took them direct to a certain second-hand dealer, who readily purchased them for either 2s or 2s 6d each. In one instance the lamp was stolen on a Sunday, on which day the dealer received it, but withheld payment until the Monday. This man endeavored to induce the Court to believe that be had reason to believe that the children had come by the lamps honestly, but the magistrate uas not so gullible, and in cautioning him to be more careful in the future remarked that the sooner a measure was, passed bringing second-hand dealers under proner control the better. The Commissioner declares that he has' no' hesitation in stating that the ready method of disposing of stolen property afforded by the second-hand shops, which are at present under no control, “makes many juvenile thieves.” Mr M Gowan s Bill provides for the licensing of all second-hand dealers by the council of the borough or county, and requires, among other conditions, that every licensee shall keep a book, wherein he shall enter each article bought, sold, or exchanged, the date Oi the transaction, and the name, residence, and calling of the person from whom he bought or received it. It is declared not to be lawful for any licensee to purchase or acquire any second-hand goods before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., nor at any time from any person apparently under sixteen years of age.