THE POLICE REPORT

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 27

THE POLICE REPORT

DECREASE OF SERIOUS CRIME.

INCREASE OF DRUNKENNESS.

(From Oto Otto Co-respondent.) WELLINGTON August 7. The police report for the year ended December 31 last was presented to Parliament to-day. It shows an aggregate net increase of 2044 cases compared with the previous * year. The increase shown this year consists principally in cases of drunkenness (983) and other minor offences. There has been a diminution oi 10 in the total number of serious crimes reported during the year as compared wtih the previous year. Burglary pases" show an increase of 35, " but," says the "report, "there is nothing abnormal in ihis, as all offences vary considerably in number from year to year, and on a fiveyears' average basis the present number 5(350) is 22 below the average yearly number reported." What are described as serious crimes (arson, assault and robt>ery 5 burglary, murder, rape, and so on) show- a decrease. -In 1906 the number of : pffences -reported was- 558, and the number erf arrests was '44s. . In 1907 there were 548-* offences reported and 424 arrests. .The- number of indecent and sexual pffences dealt with during "the year was -451/ being 99 in excess of the previous year. The majority (349) were cases of indecent' exposure or behaviour. "The exemplary punishment recently inflicted for outrages on girls of tender years," says the commissioner, "no doubt will have a salutary effect." ' There has been an increase in the num- " fcer of persons prosecuted for drunkenness 'during the year as compared with the previous year. 41.39 per cent, of the males and 61.79 per cent, of the females had previous convictions recorded against them, and 7.48 per cent, of the males were not permanent residents in the Dominion. The * figures show that drunkenness was charged against 9368 males and 835 females. Of these 5490 males and 319 females had not been pre- • viously convicted; 1312 males and 115 females had only one previous conviction ; 7i4 males and 83 females had two^ previous convictions ; 494 males and 55 females had three previous convictions, and, discarding further details, there were 833 males and 185 females with over five convictions. Of the total number, 701 offenders belonged to vessels in port. As to the four centres, ' figures are given which presumably go to. show the position those places occupy in the drink area. In Auckland and suburbs the arrests for drunkenness increased over 1906 by 84, Wellington ' and suburbs by 394, Christchurch and suburbs by 288, Dunedin and suburbs by 122. Sunday ' drunks " are nearly the same in number as in 1906 — 40 males and 10 females arrested, as against 40 males and 4 females. Wellington heads the list with 14 males and 2 lemales (a slight increase), and Dunedin is last with 4 males and 1 female. , The number of prosecutions against hotelkeepers during the year showed an increase of 40 as compared with the preceding year, " but," says the report, " as the yearly number of such prosecutions has varied from 140 to 231 during the last five years, the present number (225) is not abnormal." There were. 182 prosecutions for Bly grog-selling, resulting in 125 convictions against 145 prosecutions and 113 convictions during the preceding year. " Special tactics," says the commissioner, " zve still resorted to with the view to eradicate the class of offences, and, considering the difficulties experienced in bringing offenders to justice on the whole, sly grogselling is kept well in check. If the provisions of section 5 of ' The Licensing Act, 1904' (which place restrictions on the introduction of liquor into nolicense districts) were extended to apply to section 18 of the same act (which deals with Native no-license areas), the depart- - ment could maintain stricter supervision over .offenders, and thus minimise this illegal traffic." The fines imposed on sly grog-sellers during 1907 amounted to £1391', against £1719 in 1906. The i&irect cost to the Dominion in detecting and prosecuting sly grog-sellers during the' year was £809, or £581 less than the amount of fines imposed. ' The conduct of the force is favourably commented on, and the finger, print department is said to be doing good work. There were 142 conyictions for gaming offences, as against 110 in the previous year. The act of last year has done good. Betting and gaming generally have been considerably reduced, and the inducements to bet minimised. The act does not, however, provide against betting at coursing meetings, shooting competitions or matches, and pigeon shooting, which provision seems necessary. * Under the heading of infant life protection, the Commissioner states "that during the year there were 577 registered homes throughout the Dominion, representing 954 infants, against 570 homes and 794 infants in 1906. Forty-two deaths occurred in the homes during the year, a.gainst 19 in the preceding year. Six licensees were prosecuted for breaches of the act, and six were convicted. Seven licenses were cancelled. In his general remarks the Commissioner reports that owing to the continued growth of the population, especi-ally-as regards the city and suburbs of Wellington and Auckland, a further augmentation of at least 40 men will be necessary during the current year.