POLICE STATISTICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 270, 14 October 1932, Page 6

POLICE STATISTICS.

DECREASE IN PROPORTION OF OFFENCES.

(By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 14. Prosecutions in connection with bookmaking during last year totalled 142, the convictions numbering 120. As a result of these convictions fines totalling £4271 10s were imposed. These facts are contained in the annual report of the Commissioner of Police, Mr W. G. Wohlmann, to Parliament. Last year 36,680 offences were reported to the police—a reduction of 634 on the total of the previous year. Arrests were made or summonses issued in 32,669 cases. The proportion of offences to the population was 2.4 per oent., as against 2.46 in the previous year. The principal increases in crime 'ast year were offences of petty theft, burglary, ‘ breaches of the Motor Vehicles Act, while the principal decreases were in drunkenne33, sexual offences, being on licensed premises after hours, failure to maintain, wives and families and breaches of prohibition orders. In two years the cases of drunkenness have decreased by 31 per cent. This is attributed to the decreased purchasing power and the changing habits of the people. Referring to the increase in the number of murders from seven in 1930 to 13 in 1931, the report states that this should not be regarded as abnormal. There were 13 cases of murder in 1920. 1926 and 1927, and over the past 13 years the average has been 9.5. The circumstances in which these crimes were committed indicated that they were not preventable by any police measure. ___