POLICE REPORT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1747, 30 August 1905, Page 72

POLICE REPORT.

STATISTICS OF CHIME. THE YEAR'S RETURN. The Commissioner of Police submitted hi« annual report to Parliament last Wednesday. The criminal statistics show an aggregate net increase of 330 on the figures of 1903, but a slight decrease on a population basis as in 1903 the proportion of offences to the population was 2.36 per cent, whereas in 1904 it was 2.33 per cent. The principal increases were—-drunk-enness, 800; failing to support parents, 33; obstructing and resisting police, 92; opium-smoking, or being in possession of opium, 80; receiving stolen property, 22; theft from dwellings, 82; theft from the person, 27; vagrancy, 105. The principal decreases were —deserting families, 52; disobeying summonses, etc., 106; disorderly and riotous conduct, 96; false declarations, 30; false pretences, 88; illegally taking fish, 43; gaming offences. 113; malicious injury to property, 48; obstructing thoroughfares, 78; refusing to quit, 31; aly-grog selling, 42; stowaways, 39; theft by servants, 60. 1 The increase (331) on the total number of all off ences reported is the smallest on record since 1891, the average yearly increase during the five years ending the 31st December, 1903, being 976. Serious crimes increased slightly during the past year, but only to the extent of 10 in excess of the average yearly record for the previous five years. The percentage of arrests for serious crimes during the year exceeds the yearly average for the last five years by 3.86 per cent., and the percentage of arrests or summonses result.ng from all offences reported was 95.23, the yearly average for the preceding five years being 93.83 per cent. GAMING OFFENCES. There were 115 prosecutions, resulting in 91 convictions, during the year under the gaming laws, against. 229 prosecutions and 124 convictions in 1903.' The Gaming and .Lotteries Act, 1881, seems to require amendment in the direction of dealing with persons gambling on private paddocks or grounds, as the game of “ two-up" is now carried on extensively in such places, and the police are powerless in the matter. CONDUCT OF THE FORCE. The Commissioner, reporting on the recent Dunedin cases, says: The system adopted at present in ascertaining the previous character of candidates for employment in the police service is practically as stringent as it can be, and is much more so than is generally adopted by other police forces; but, although it would prevent such as ex-con-stable Moses entering the service, I do hot suggest the impossibility of a mistake occurring. In addition to the previous system, all records of convictions are searched, and the finger-print system of identification has been introduced, each selected candidate being finger-print-ed, so that with my personal supervision of all inquiries made into their whole histories I fail to see what further can be done.

As regards ex-constable Moses being the instigator of the crimes in question and also the demoraliser of his colleagues, there is no foundation whatsoever for such suggestions. From careful personal investigation and admissions of the convicted constables I am satisfied beyond doubt that a system of pilfering by several constables has been carried on during the last four or five years, and that it increased in magnitude until the arrests were effected; but, as the thefts wore infrequent, and the property stolen small in quantity and of little value, the losses were not discovered until more constables joined in the conspiracy, when larger quantities were stolen. From the fact, therefore, that the other constables convicted were by their own admission engaged in various thefts some considerable time previous to Moses being posted to that district in July, 1904, it cannot be concluded that he was the instigator of the crimes or demoraliser of the others concerned therein; in fact, there is no reason to believe he would have reverted to crime but for the others being engaged in it. Referring to the suggestion that influence is the means of securing appointments in the police service and subsequent advancement and promotion therein, I can only say (and without fear of contradiction) that since my appointment two years ago there has not been a single appointment, advancement, or promotion effected through influence, nor, as far as I know, during my predecessor’s time; and'l can only believe that persons making such assertions do so either from total ignorance of the present administration of the service or with intent to circulate what they know to be untrue.