REDUCTION OF CRIME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14192, 9 January 1917, Page 7

REDUCTION OF CRIME.

A remarkable falling off in the criminal offences reported in the Gisborne district during the past year is disclosed in the annual police statistics which have just been compiled. The returns show that the num'ber of all offences totalled 448 during 1916., as compared with 626 during 1915, or a reduction of no less than 178 cases. This gratifying reduction is accounted for mainly under , the heading of drunkenness, and is probably largely due to the anti-shouting law. The total offences of drunkenness j reported in 1915 were 404, whilst last year the number fell to 286, or 118 cases less. All the offenders were . summarily convicted and included 17 females. Similarly in the case of thefts (undescribed) there has been a falling off from 51 cases to 30 oases, 29 convictions being recorded and one committed for trial. There has been a reduction also in the matter of failing to provide maintenance, there being; 28 cases reported in 1915 and 19 last year. There were eight cases of burglary in 1915, and no cases reported last year. The only offences which show any material increase are assault (common) and vagrancy. Of the former there were nine in 1915, and 22 last year. Vagrancy shows an increase of five cases, rising from 18 to 23 cases. The remaining cases are recorded as follows : Assaults, indecent, "" 1916, 1; assault -on bailiff, 1915, 1, ; and 1916, lj assaults and robbery, 1916, 2; bigamy, 1916, 1; breaches of tho peace, 1915, 8, and 1916, 0; attempted carnal knowledge, 1916, 1 ; cruelty to animals, 1915, 4, and 1916, 4; cruelty to children, 1916, 1 ; damaging! police uniform, 1915, 1; discharging firearms, 1915, 16, and 1916, 2; disobeying orders of court, 5 — 6; disorderly, conduct B—2;8 — 2; escaping from legal custody, o—2; false declaration, 0 — 1 ; false pretences, 3 — 7 ; forgery, 2—o; gaming offences, 4 — o; illegally on. premises, 2 — 3; indecent behavior, 3 — 3; indecent publications, 1 — 1 ; introducing 1 liquor into Maori pa., 2 — o; injury to property, 3 — o; manslaughter, 1 — 0 ; mischief, o—30 — 3 ; neglected children, 3—o ; obscene language, 14 — 12; obstructing or resisting police, B—3;8 — 3 ; perjury, 1—0 ; refusing to quit licensed premises, 2—l ; sly grog selling, 1 — 0; stone throwing, 3-—0; stowing away on board ship, 3 — o; suicide (attempted), 2 — o; sureties of the peace, 3—o ; theft of cattle and horses, 2 — l ; theft of dogs, 0 — 1 ; theft of sheep, 0^ — 2 ; theft of post letters, 0-^-1 ; trespass I—3;1 — 3; inciting to riot, 2t—d % erecting wireless apparatus, 0 — 1 ; and assisting in above offence, 0^ — 1.