CRIMINAL STATISTICS OF INVERCARGILL

Southland Times, Issue 14322, 15 January 1910, Page 6

CRIMINAL STATISTICS OF INVERCARGILL

J (Contributed.) 'A return was recently presented to Parliament in consequence of repeated requests by the NofLlcensc Party, for the following reasons. Of the convictions recorded in Invercargill, many of the offences were committed outside the district, and wore brought, betore tin* Court here solely for convenience of trial. The criminal .statistics of the area under No-Liccnso wore thus unduly Inflated; and to remedy this the return. differentiating, between offences occurring in the No-Licenso area and those occurring outside such area, was obtained. It shows that out of a total Of 911 convictions, 219 of the offences took place outside the No-Licenso area. Invercargill can thus only bo properly credited with 728 for the two years. Accompanying this wo furnish a comparative statement Of criminality and breaches of the law in Invercargill for the periods of two years before and after the corning into effect of XoXilcense. The figures are taken from another return recently presented to Parliament. In this return all classes of offences wore included and counted together, making it somewhat difficult to ascertain actual criminality as distinguished from minor breaches of law. Classification of the various offences sets forth the matter clearly. It will be noticed that general criminal offences show a considerable doisiraa.se, about 20 per cent., in favour ££ the No-License period; and this in aptte of the fact that many offences Occurring outside thea.rea. arc included. The increase of offences under liquor and similar Acts was to be expected as the outcome of legislation creating a new class of offences. Those are Ukeß to decline as the people got habituated to the system. The increase in other minor offences Is largely due to the more stringent administration of the laws relating to the health, convenience and general wellbeing of the community. The operation Of No-License has a tendency to create a higher standard of living, and to purify the atmosphere morally and socially so as to afford opportunity for the better development of humanity. *We owe much for the happy results achieved to the earnestness and wisdom of the police and magistracy in the execution of their onerous duties. The criminal statistics for 190S-9 are not yet available; but we make the following extract from the annual police report just presented to Parliament. Inspector Mitchell, of Invercargill, in his report says:— "The maintenance of order in the streets of Invercargill has been very marked during the year, and the number of cases of drunkenness (GS) has ' been for, remembering the facilities that exist for legitimately obtaining liquor. In all the cases, except one or two, the source, whence the liquor ■was” obtained was traceable to places 'outside the No-License area. “There have been 23 convictions for sly-grog selling, resulting in sentences cf three months’ Imprisonment and fines totalling £315. I am pleased to say that at the present time there is no evidence that such offences are he 7 ing committed in tills district to any appreciable extent." Comparative statement of criminality and breaches of law in Invercargill for the period of two years immediately preceding the carrying of No-License and the period of two years immediately fol-’ lowing the coming into effect of X r oLicense. GENERAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES, Including DRUNKENNESS. Period. Convictions. Committals.' 1901-5 930 29 1906-8 ...... 425 22 OFFENCES under LIQUOR, OPIUM, and TOBACCO ACTS. Period. Convictions. 19*01-5 47 1906-8 77 BREACHES of MUNICIPAL BY-LAWS, and SIMILAR OFFENCES. Period. Convictions. 190-1-6 177 1906-S 23! BREACHES of "MILITARY, STOCK, GAME, and FACTORIES ACTS, ETC. Period. Convictions. 1901-5 96 1906-S Two hundred and thirteen of the total offences were committed outside tho NoLicenso area, rind therefore must not be counted against if. 103 cases of drunkenness were traceable to sources outride the No-License area.