THE POLICE FORCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13335, 11 July 1907, Page 2

THE POLICE FORCE.

— l ngr*--COMMISSIONER'S ANNUAL REPORT, v. (Special—By Telegraph.) : WELLINGTON, July 9. The Minister of Justice submitted to Parliament to-day ths annual report of the Commissioner ot Police. This showed 'that on 31st March last, the strength of the force was 699 of all ranks, being an increase of 32 during the year. The total is made up as follows: -pspectors, 8; sub-inspectors, 6; station sergeants, 4; sergeant-major, 1; sergeants, 73; constables, o61; chief detectives, 5 ; detectives, 25; acting detectives, 16. In addition to the above, there were : —police surgeons, 4; matrons, 4; district constables, 18; native constables, -9; troop horses, 51. There has besn an increase of 503 in tie number' of persons prosecuted for drunkenness during the year as compared with tha previous year but a decrease 'of 405 as compared with ;19Q4. The Commissioner says that 41.9 per cent, of the maks «.nd 67.7 per cent, of,the females had previous convictions recorded against them and 8.71 per cent, of the males were nfat permanent residents of the colony. There werz 145 prosecutions during the year for sly grog selling, resulting in 113 convictions against 188 prosecutions, and 115 convictions during the preceding year. Although the Department continues to adopt special tactics to bring sly grog sellers to justice, the offence is still persisted in, and is carried on with greater secrecy. The Commissioner is of opinion , that if more severe punishment were inflicted when convictions were recorded, tliey would have a deterrent effect. The work of detection is disagreeable and • demoralising but with one or two exceptions it has been carried out by members of the force, and has resulted most satisfactorily both a? regards the number of prosecutions and the reduction in expenditure (£sl 17s 3d). The fines imposed on sly grog sellers during the year, 1906, amounted to £1719 lbs against £llO3 10s in 19G5. The amounts of fines in various districts are as follows: Auckland £615. Napier £5. Wanganui £142, Wellington £73, Christchurcli £234, - Dunedin £350, Invercargill £3OO. ' The direct cost to the colony in detecting and prosecuting sly. grog tellers during the year was £665 lids od, this being £1054 os 6d less than the amount of the lines imposed. There were 145 prosecutions resulting in 110 convictions during the year under the gaming laws, against- 180 prosecutions and 162 convictions in 19C5. There were 570 registered homes throughout the colony representing 794 infants against 557 homes and £62 infants in 1905. Iwneteen deaths occurred in the homes against 20 in the preceding year. ' Ten licensees weie prosecuted lor ureaches of the Act, and six were convicted against four prosecutions and three convictions in 1905. No licenses were cancelled, and no neglect of licensees was disclosed at the inquests. on the part played by the police at the" C'hristcliurch Exhibition Mr Dinnie says the police arrangements for the prevention and detection ot crime and the preservation of order during the exhi- ( bition, considering the large attendances, ' and, the practical immunity from crime, resulted most satisfactorily, i'rom the police point of view, the Licensing Committee's action in withholding licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquor in the Exhibition or Exhibition grounds, conduced consider- 1 ably to the maintenance of' order and relieved the police of a great amount of anxiety and arduous duties which would have undoubtedly devolved upon them had licenses been granted. The employment of a detective from the Sydney and Melbourne police forces.; and the arrangements ■ made with the police departments of the Australian States in respect to criminals leaving for ilii-- colony proved effective, and resulted in a-, number of criminals being shadowed on arrival and subsequently returned to Australia. The temporary employment at Christchurch during the Ex- j (

hibition of an expert from the finger-print branch resulted in the tracing of prints in various burglary cases, in the identification of offenders, and in proving their guilt, thus breaking up two parties of burglars during' the commencement of the Exhibition, and preventing further depredations by them. The conduct of the police and the gunners from the permanent Artillery employed in the Exhibition as also that of the police employed in Cliristchurch city and suburbs, was on the whole highly satisfactory and the extra duties devolving upon them during the occasion were willingly and efficiently performed.