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1874. NEW ZEALAND.
ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE. (ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMISSIONER.)
Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.
No. 1. The Commissioner, Armed Constabulary Force, to the Hon. the Native Ministee. Sic, — Armed Constabulary Office, Wellington, 30th June, 1874. In accordance with clause No. 159 of the Armed Constabulary Eegulations, I have the honor to report on the state of the Force, as to number of men, their distribution and efficiency, for the year ending 30th June, 1874. At the commencement of the year, the Force consisted of 709 of all ranks. During the year there has been an increase of 156, as shown in Table No. 2, and a decrease of 197, as per Table No. 3, leaving the strength at the close of the year 668, being 56 under the authorized strength. This reduction is attributable to the difficulty of obtaining suitable men, owing to the great demand for labour and the high rate of wages ruling throughout the colony. The Force is at present distributed as shown in Table No. 4. Since the date of my last annual report, I have made a tour of inspection of the Armed Contabulary districts, and have much pleasure in reporting that notwithstanding the manner in which the Force has been unavoidably cut up into numerous small detachments, and the number employed on special services, generally speaking the men were well acquainted with their drill, smart in appearance, and their arms, accoutrements, and clothing in good order. The horses, though not the best (it being almost impossible to obtain suitable troop horses in the colony) were in good condition, and the saddlery in good repair. The redoubts, stockades, block-houses, and buildings occupied by the Armed Constabulary were, with a few exceptions, in very excellent order; and much has been done in the way of libraries, gymnasiums, gardens, <fee, for the comfort and well-being of the men. The conduct of the Force has been exemplary and the health of the men good, no sickness of any serious consequence having occurred. In the exhaustive report of Inspector Broham are several matters worthy of serious attention. The efficiency of the small force at his disposal has been greatly impaired by the numerous changes which have taken place, principally through resignation, during the past year. These have, in a great measure, been owing to the low rate of pay, but as the Council has lately voted an increase of one shilling per diem to sergeants and constables, I hope it will have the effect of reducing the number of discharges, so that the experienced men may be retained in the Force. The duties of this branch of the Armed Constabulary are of a very onerous and responsible nature, calling for unremitting attention from each individual. The comparatively small number of men provided for by the Province causes an incessant strain upon their energies; they are exposed at all times and in all weathers; and considering the advantages resulting from the efficient discharge of the duties devolving upon them, I consider they well deserved the increase voted by the Provincial Council. Notwithstanding the serious disadvantages consequent upon the numerous changes already mentioned, the duties have been performed in a manner highly creditable to the officers and men. The remarks upon the origin of fires, which have been of such common occurrence in the Auckland district during the past and previous years, are well deserving of consideration by insurance companies and all interested in their good management. The Act for the regulation of Quartz Crushing Machinery, which was brought into operation about the middle of last year, has been found most useful; offenders against its provisions having been detected and punished, and the interests of the mining community largely benefited by the suppression of the crime of " specimen stealing," which, there is much reason to believe, had been carried on to a very serious extent. lam glad to say that to the praiseworthy activity of the Police this satisfactory result is attributable. The amendment of the Adulteration of Food Act in the manner suggested by Inspector Broham would, I think, prove highly beneficial to the public at large, and tend to give effect to the views of the Legislature, as few persons will voluntarily trouble themselves to initiate proceedings under the Act as at present framed, whereas if its enforcement were left to the Police, the evil effects resulting from the use of poisonous liquor and adulterated food would, I feel assured, be materially diminished I—H. 12.
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and the reduced number of persons sent to the lunatic asylums afford evidence of the fact. The saving to the country thereby effected in the maintenance of such institutions would more than compensate for the increased cost entailed by the appointment of " local analysts." Enclosed are reports from Officers Commanding Districts, showing how their men were employed and the amount of public and useful works performed during the year. I have, &c, "W. Motjie, Lieut-Colonel, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Commmissioner, Armed Constabulary.
Enclosure 1. Inspector Lton to the Commissionee, Armed Constabulary Force. Sic, — Head Quarters, Cambridge, Ist June, 1874. In accordance with instructions contained in Circular Memorandum No, 145, I have the honor to submit the following report for the information of the Hon. the Native Minister. Militaet Duties. Average Strength. —The average strength of the Armed Constabulary Force in Waikato district from Ist June, 1873, to the 31st May, 1874, was 7 officers, 2 medical officers, 1 acting veterinary surgeon, 21 non-commissioned officers, and 165 constables. Parades and Drills. —The usual Divine service and heavy marching order parades were held at each station during the year, and at other stations shown below, where the nature of the fatigue work was not very urgent. One or more days during the week have been devoted to company and skirmishing drill. Alexandra, two days in tlie week; Kihi Kihi, two days in the week ; Ford Eedoubt, one day in the week ; Paikuku, one day in the week. At all the stations the men have been employed on fatigues from 8.30 a.m. till 4 p.m. every day, except on Saturdays and Sundays, proclaimed holidays, and the days specially devoted to drill. Patrols. —The only patrol that has been reported this year, is from Kihi Kihi, consisting of 1 sergeant and 4 constables, which patrolled round the neighbourhood of that settlement, as far as the Tokanui Ford over the Puniu. This patrol was discontinued on 7th June, 1873. Mails and Despatches. —No public mails have been conveyed by the Armed Constabulary in this district. Despatches are carried by mounted men of the force from head-quarters to out-stations, and vice versa ; and, in addition, a mounted orderly has been sent every Monday morning from Alexandra to Eotorangi Eedoubt, to collect the weekly Armed Constabulary returns from that and the intermediate stations ; this orderly being met at Eotorangi by another from head-quarters, to bring in the collected despatches. Escorts and Guards. —In addition to the escorts required for the conveyance to Auckland Gaol of prisoners sentenced by the Eesident Magistrate, the following escorts have been employed during the past year:— 1. One mounted sergeant and 6 mounted constables to escort Mr. Mackay, jun., Government Agent, and party, to Taupo, on the 15th July, 1873. 2. One mounted constable with Mr. Mackay and Mr. Carruthers, to Taupo, on 9th March, 1874. 3. One mounted sergeant and 5 mounted constables, with their Excellencies the Governors of New Zealand and Tasmania, to Eotorua, on 23rd April, 1874. 4. An escort of 18 mounted constables to Kopua for Mr. Mackay on 10th April, 1874. 5. An escort of 1 mounted officer, 3 mounted non-commissioned officers, and 17 mounted constables met His Excellency the Governor at Taupiri on the 20th April, and accompanied him from thence to Ngaruawahia. On the 21st April the same escort went with His Excellency to Cambridge. Guards. —A guard of honor consisting of 2 officers, 4 non-commissioned officers, and 50 constables received His Excellency the Governor at Ngaruawahia on his arrival, and the same guard was in attendance on His Excellency the next day. Guards have been mounted regularly at all the frontier posts. Target Manges. —The following new target ranges have been constructed and repaired during the year:—Cambridge (new), 800 yards; Kihi Kihi (new), 800 yards; Pukekura (new), 800 yards; Alexandra, new marking and firing butts built. Telegraph Lines. —Two members of the Armed Constabulary Force were employed in the Telegraph Department to assist the telegraphists: one at Cambridge from Ist May till 19th July, 1873 ; the other at Alexandra from 2nd June till 19th August, 1873. Issuers and Storekeepers. —One sergeant of the Armed Constabulary acts as storekeeper to the force, to issue on requisition. Erection of Redoubts and Stockades. —During the past year Eotorangi and Ford Eedoubts have been completed; the latter has since been pulled down and replaced by a block-house. A new blockhouse has been built at Paikuku, and the old block-house at Eangiaowhia thoroughly overhauled and repaired. The block-house at Paikuku has been surrounded -by an earth-work, which adds much to its strength. This earth-work has no ditch, and can be commanded to the very foot of its extensive slope from the upper loopholes of the block-house. The ditch of the Alexandra Eedoubt has been deepened, and a good glacis has been formed; the interior of the work has been gravelled, and 2,120 superficial feet of the extensive slope of the earthwork sodded with couch-grass.
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Civil Duties. One or more constables have been specially appointed at each station for the prevention of crime and the detection of criminals. One constable acts as gaoler of the District Gaol at Ngaruawahia, assisted by another constable as warder. The Resident Magistrate's Courts at Hamilton, Cambridge, Alexandra, Ngaruawahia, are each attended by a member of the force, to issue summonses, &c. The same duties are also performed for the Coroners of the district when required. Census. —The census of the district was taken by a member of the force, in accordance with instructions received. Useful Works. —At Alexandra, the new barracks have been completed and lined throughout. Timber has been cut and shingles split sufficient for the erection of a verandah round the front of the building (115 feet X 6 feet). The outside of the building has received three coats of paint, as also the interior of one room (library). The cook-house, mess-room, and latrine have been whitewashed on several occasions. Spouting has been put up all round the barracks; flagstaff, 60 feet high, erected in one of the bastions. Forty chains of fencing, consisting of matai posts and 4 wires, have been put up round the redoubt paddock (10 acres, including site of redoubt), and the ground twice ploughed, and is laid down in permanent grass. The fencing of the other Government paddock has required constant repair. Two large gates have been made and hung for this paddock. At Cambridge, the following new buildings have been erected:—l. Barrack-room, 30 x 15, weather-board. 2. Forage-room, 16 x 18, weather-board. 3. Saddle-room, 18 x 14, weather-board. 4. Waggon-shed, 22 X 18, corrugated iron. 5. Farrier's shop, 28 x 12, corrugated iron. Officers' quarters, orderly-room, and non-commissioned quarters have been repaired, painted, and verandahs added. Three paddocks (making an aggregate of 16 acres) have been fenced, taking 1,280 posts and 2,560 rails, all of which have been cut and carted in from a bush five miles distant. Six of the acres above mentioned have been ploughed and laid down in grass. Four thousand feet of timber have been sawn in the bush above mentioned, and 900 posts split (for stockade), 12 feet long by 8 inches through. The carting was done by the Armed Constabulary Force. At Kihi Kihi, the stables commenced last year have been completed; and a large forage-room, 31 X 9, built of slabs, with a shingled roof. These slabs were cut by the Armed Constabulary, and carried by hand a distance of 500 yards, from whence they were carted by Government dray two miles. In addition to these slabs, 150 more were cut to make firing-stages for the rifle-range. The well inside the redoubt has been deepened and slabbed for a distance of four feet. The paddock, which was much overgrown with fern and ti-tree, has been cleared ready for ploughing, and the thorn hedge cleared up and trimmed. At Orakau, about 6 acres of land in the immediate vicinity of the block-house, have been cleared. A raupo cook-house, 12 x 12, has been built. A new well inside the palisading is being sunk, and has reached a depth of 44 feet. The old well fell in. At Paikuku a cook-house and mess-room in one has been built of raupo, 16 x 12, with a slab chimney. A well 72 feet deep has been sunk inside the breast-work, which yields a plentiful supply of water. At Pukekura, 5 chains of road have been cleared and formed to connect the redoubt with the new patrol road, and a culvert of rough timber has been built over the head of Walker's Gully on the road to Cambridge, about half a mile from the station. A whare, 55 x 16 feet, has been built in the redoubt, and divided into two rooms—one large and one small. The building has been fitted up with stretchers to accommodate 30 men. The walls are built of double rows of ti-tree wattlings, filled in with puddled clay and chopped toe-grass. The building is thatched with rushes and lined with raupo, and the walls plastered on the outside and plastered and whitewashed in the inside. A mess whare, 20 x 12, and cook-house, 14 X 10 feet, have been built outside the redoubt. Officers' quarters outside the redoubt, 25 X 14, have been erected of the same materials as the barracks. Posts and rails are being split for fencing, and timber sawn for a reading-room. At Eotorangi, a weather-board building, 15 x 18 feet, divided into three rooms, has been completed. The timber for building was cut and carted a distance of four miles by the Armed Constabulary, amounting to 9,046 feet sawn timber, and 25,000 shingles. 1,000 posts and 1,280 palings have also been split and carted out of the bush. A magazine, 6 feet X 4-j feet, with corrugated iron roof, has been erected in one of the stations. The following buildings have been erected during the past year :■ —A four-stalled stable, built of stout rough timber with sod walls and thatched roof, 30 feet Xl 3 feet; a mess-room of raupo with thatched roof and slabbed chimney, 21 feet X 13 feet 6 inches ; a cook-house of earth and ti-tree walls, thatched roof, with store-room adjoining. An attempt was made to obtain water inside the redoubt by sinking a well, but although a depth of 110 feet was reached, no water was struck, and it was deemed unsafe to proceed to any greater depth. Public Woeks. A detachment of Armed Constabulary, under the command of Sub-Inspector Kenny, consisting of 2 non-commissioned officers and 20 constables, commenced road work at the Mangapiko Creek on sth March, 1874, and withdrawn on the 18th May. Owing to sickness and casualties, the average number of men actually on the work, exclusive of non-commissioned officers, was 17. The work on which this party was employed, consisted in the making of an outfall drain into the Mangapiko Creek, to tap the side ditches of the roads across the Panihakua and Paikuku Swamps.
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The drain for the first 43 chains was cut 7 feet wide and 3J feet deep, and the last 38 chains the size of the drain was reduced to a width of 4 feet and depth of I|. This latter portion of the work was heavily timbered. I have &c, William C. Lton, Inspector A.C., The Commissioner, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding Waikato District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.
Enclosure 2. Inspector Tuke to the Comhissioneb, Armed Constabulary Force. Sib, Armed Constabulary District Office, Taranaki, 31st May, 1874. I have the honor, in compliance with your Circular Memorandum of the 30th March, 1874, and in terms of Circular No. 47, of the sth June, 1871, to forward a report of the various duties performed by the Armed Constabulary Force in this district during the past year. Militaby Duties. Average Strength. —The average strength of the force in this district during the past year has been 62, all ranks. Parades and Drills. —The usual inspection, Divine service, marching order, and ordinary parades have been held throughout the year, and no opportunity has been lost to increase the efficiency of the force in skirmishing and company drill. Patrols, Scouts, Sfc. —I have not found it necessary to establish any additional patrols or employ any scouting parties during the year. The non-commissioned officers and men on detachment or in command of posts have orders to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the country in their respective neighbourhoods, and be able to act, if required, as guides or scouts. Conveyance of Mails, Sfc. —No alteration has taken place in the system of communication with out-stations, as it is found to answer well. Escorts, Guards, Sfc. —Escorts for the conveyance of ammunition or other Government property have been detailed, and the ordinary guards at such outposts as considered advisable have been maintained during the year. Target Ranges. —The ranges at New Plymouth and Pukearuhe have been improved and kept in good order during the season. Telegraph Linemen. —No linemen are detailed from the force in this district. Issuers, Storekeepers, Sfc. —As hitherto, a member of the force acts in this capacity. Erection of Bedoubts and Stockades. —All redoubts and stockades occupied by the force have been kept in good order, and repaired when necessary. The Okato Stockade is at present undergoing repairs. Civil Duties. Prevention of Crime. —The assistance of the force in aid of the civil power has been requested in very few instances during the year, such as elections, races, &c, &c. The mounted men are occasionally employed in serving summonses, &c, in out-districts. Taking Census, Sfc. —The agricultural statistics of the province have been collected by members of the force. The census papers were also issued and collected by members of the force in April last, under the directions of the Enumerator. Public and Useful Woeks. Nature and Extent of Hoad Works. —No new roads for general use have been constructed by the force under my command, having no men available for this purpose since June last. The roads generally in the vicinity of the camps have been kept in good order. Building Bridges and Culverts. —Two pair of sawyers have been employed up to April last, since which time only one pair have been available. While so employed, they have cut (including a small quantity of puriri for repairs to TJrenui Bridge) about 30,000 feet of timber for the Mimi Bridge ; dug 12 sawpits, some of extra length ; split 100 posts for fencing at Urenui Paddock ; cut and fitted a new derrick ; cut out gates for new paddock at Pukeraruhe, and other useful work. The working party has also cut 78 chains of road, available for drays, &c, through standing bush to the different saw-pits, and erected substantial whares for their own use. A side-cutting, forming part of the northern approach to Mimi Bridge, has also been commenced. Here 1,330 cubic yards of earth, rock, and sandstone have been removed, and tracks cut through the fern on either side of the river. A party is at present at work repairing the TJrenui Bridge, some piles of which had sunk during the last few weeks. These men have been working under the direction of the Engineer-in-Chief, West Coast, who has supplied them with a heavier monkey than was available when the piles were first driven. They are now embedded in the solid clay to the depth of 26 feet, and scarcely likely to again give way. Building Souses, Stables, Sfc. —At Pukearuhe several new whares have been erected, a large stone chimney built for the men's cook-house, a substantial drawbridge made, and numerous other necessary works completed. The redoubt has been kept in repair, glacis sloped, sown, and camp generally kept in good order. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Orass. —Twenty-three acres have been cleared and grubbed by the force, and ploughed by contract; around this a substantial 6-sod ditch and bank fence 43 chains in length has been erected, and is still being continued to the cliffs. At New Plymouth the old guard-room has been repaired and re-shingled; the detached room used as a carpenter's shop has also been re-shingled, the approaches and paths re-gravelled, more trees planted, and. all Government property, both at Marsland Hill and at Mount Elliot, kept in a serviceable state and in good condition.
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Eemaeks. I have the honor to report favourably of the force under my command for the past year. Since the 31st May, 1873, twelve time-expired men, and men at their own request, have left the force ; one only has been dismissed for misconduct; and, I regret to add, one very promising young man was accidentally killed at the sawpits. More than two-thirds of the men in this district have re-enlisted for the longer term of service ; but owing to the high rate of wages and demand for labour now existing in this province, I have only been able to send a very limited number of recruits to Depot for enrolment if approved by the Commissioner. The district has been undisturbed throughout the year, and though reports have reached me of occasional disputes with the Natives, they generally proved to be exaggerated, and, though requiring the presence of the Civil Commissioner to adjust, no more than must be occasionally expected when out-settlers come into immediate contact with a half-civilized, half-subjugated race, in common with their European neighbours keenly sensitive of what they happen to consider injustice, and daily becoming more alive to the value of their much-coveted territory. North of our frontier post at Pukearuhe, the Natives at Mokau and that neighbourhood seem anxious to cultivate more friendly relations, and have lately expressed a desire to trade. In conclusion, I have the honor respectful^ to state that the very limited number of men under my command available for a working party greatly retards such work as road-making, bridge-building, &c.; and I trust that, taking this into consideration, the amount of work performed during the past year may prove satisfactory. I have, &c, Abthue Tuke, The Commissioner, Armed Constabulary, Wellington. Inspector A.C., Taranaki.
Enclosure 3. Inspector Tttenee to the Commissioner, Armed Constabulary Force. Sra, — Armed Constabulary District Office, Patea, 6th June, 1874. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular Memorandum No. 145, and dated Wellington, 30th March, 1874, I have the honor to forward my report of the duties performed by the Armed Constabulary Force in the Wanganui and Patea district from Ist June, 1873, to 31st May, 1874 :— Militaet Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men in District. —One inspector, 2 sub-inspectors, 1 assistantsurgeon, and 63 non-commissioned officers and constables. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Divine service parades have been held once a week, and marching order parades usually every Wednesday. In addition to the annual course of musketry instruction, the force has occasionally been exercised in light infantry and company drill. Patrolling and Scouting. —Occasionally mounted constables patrol that portion of the district lying around Waihi, but little or no duty of this nature has been performed in and around Patea. Communication, however, constantly exists between the various Armed Constabulary stations. Carrying Mails and Despatches. —Waihi furnishes an orderly for the conveyance of out-going mails twice a week. The constable stationed at Hawera is employed on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday in carrying the mail to Waihi. Cobb and Co.'s coach carries a bi-weekly mail from Wanganui to Hawera in this district. Mounted Escorts, Guards, Sfc. —Two non - commissioned officers and 1 constable were in attendance as mounted orderlies on His Excellency the Governor during his visit to Wanganui. Civil prisoners committed at Patea for trial at Supreme Court, Taranaki, have been escorted to New Plymouth by foot constables, and prisoners have been escorted to Patea from the outlying districts. A guard of 1 non-commissioned officer and 3 constables is posted daily at Waihi; and at the outstations, Hawera, Manutahi, Wairoa, and Waitotara, the duties of the constables partake more of the nature of police supervision than guards, but one constable constantly remains in barracks. Making and Improving Target Banges. —At Waihi, a new target range has been made, in close proximity to the old one, but in a far better position. The range, although on private land, is constantly kept cleared. Telegraph Lineman. —One mounted constable has, up to the 25th April, been constantly in readiness to act as lineman when required. Issuers and Storekeepers. —One foot constable has been employed as an assistant in the Government Store, Patea, throughout the year. Erection of Sedoubts and Stockades. —The palisade and block-houses at Waihi have been constantly kept in repair. The guard-room has been weather-boarded, 450 feet sawn timber being used for that purpose. In places the palisade has been strengthened, 170 feet sawn matai being used for stays. A substantial magazine, 9 feet X 8 feet, covered in with zinc, has been built at Waihi, to replace the old one, which was condemned, being damp. Civil Duties. Steps taken for Prevention of Crime. —One constable has been constantly employed on police duty, in the township of Carlyle, up to the Ist April, when it was considered necessary to add Sergeant Whelan to the strength of that department. At Hawera, Manutahi, Wairoa, and Waitotara, a constable is daily detailed for police duty. The cases of crime in the district throughout the year numbered 30 arrests ; civil cases heard by Bench, 58. A non-commissioned officer has been employed as clerk to the Bench at Carlyle. An inquest was held in the Court-house, Carlyle, to inquire into
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the burning of the Carlyle Hotel, the jury returning a verdict of arson against some person or persons unknown. On the 25th September Michael Flannigan was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, Taranaki, for obtaining money under false pretences. Foot Constable Sisly attended the Court, New Plymouth, as evidence. On the Ist February Henry Rubie was committed for trial, at Taranaki, on a charge of arson; and on the 30th March, 1874, John Redding, of Patea, was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, Taranaki, for attempting to cut his throat. Dr. "Walker and Mounted Constable Deane attended at New Plymouth as evidence. Taking Census.- —The following members of the Armed Constabulary Force were employed as Sub-Enumerators in collecting the census and agricultural statistics of the district:—Mounted Sergeant King, from Wanganui to Waitotara ; Foot Constable Long, from Waitotara to boundary of Province of Wellington; Foot Sergeant Eyton, from boundary of Taranaki Province to Manawapo Eiver; Foot Sergeant Mackay, from Manawapo to "Waingongoro River. Public and Useful "Works. Nature and Extent of Road Work. —"Within the Government paddock at "Waihi, a road of about 2 chains has been formed; depth of cutting, 4 feet. One chain of bush road have also been formed. Building Bridges and Culverts. —The various bridges and culverts in the vicinity of the camp, "Waihi, have been kept in thorough repair, and 940 feet sawn timber have been used in making new culverts. Building Souses, Stables, Sfc. —At Waihi, a new lavatory, 22 feet X 8, requiring 940 feet timber and 1,000 shingles, has been erected. The material for this building had been sawn by the Armed Constabulary at Waihi. The whares at Waihi have been re-thatched and kept in good repair. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —The Government paddocks at Patea and Waihi have required new fences, and posts and rails have been supplied from Waihi for renovating the fences at Patea. The fencing of a 5-acre paddock was completed early in the year, and about 4 chains post-and-rail fence have been put up at Waihi. A paddock of about 6 acres was laid down in grass for hay, but the crop obtained was inconsiderable, owing, I fancy, to bad seed. The remaining paddocks at Waihi have been constantly kept cleared ; and of 100 acres which surround the camp, very little remains uncleared. The paddocks at Patea have also been kept cleared. Erecting and Repairing Telegraph Line. —One constable has been employed by the Telegraph Department to act as lineman, up to the 25th April, at which time the constable so employed obtained his discharge, and the vacancy was not filled up. Remakes. I have the honor to state that during the past year the general aspect of the district has been most favourable ; and with the exception of a slight fracas at Ketemarae, occasioned by some drunken Maoris, Native matters have been very quiet. With regard to other duties performed by members of the Armed Constabulary, and not comprised under the headings already mentioned, I may state that one non-commissioned officer has been employed as District Clerk, and one non-commissioned officer as Militia Clerk and Drill Instructor throughout the year. One foot constable has been employed as clerk to Captain Wray, Acting Confiscated Lands Commissioner and Government Storekeeper. Sergeants King and Cowern have acted as Drill Instructors to the Volunteer Cavalry in the district. One non-commissioned officer was employed from June to November, 1873, as time-keeper on the Mountain Road. A party of Constabulary, averaging 3 in number, have been employed on different Burveys up to the 18th March, 1874. The sale of Government lands lying north of Patea, on the 12th March, met with ready purchasers ; and a marked improvement has taken place in the agricultural state of the district during the past twelve months ; the country lying between the Waingongoro and the Patea Rivers being now studded with farms and runs, and in a few years I am confident this will be one of the most flourishing districts in the colony. In conclusion, I would remark that the appearance and conduct of the men under my command for the past year have been remarkably good, and both officers, non-commissioned officers, and constables, have been attentive and diligent in the performance of their duties. From the Ist June, 1873, to 30th May, 1874, the following transfers and discharges have taken place in this district: —Sub-Inspector Forster, transferred to Tauranga; Sub-Inspector Hackett, transferred to Taranaki. One first-class sergeant, 1 second-class sergeant, and 7 constables, obtained their discharge, at their own request, on completing their term of service ; 8 constables were granted their discharge, at their own request, before their term of service had expired ; 1 constable was dismissed the force through misconduct, and one probationary sergeant deserted. I have, &c, 11. F. Tuenee, Major, The Commissioner, Inspector A.C. Force, Commanding Wanganui Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington. and Patea Districts.
Enclosure 4. Sub-Inspector Gudgeon to the Commissionee, Armed Constabulary Force. Sib, — Poverty Bay District, 3rd June, 1874. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular Memorandum No. 145, dated 30th March, 1874, I have the honor to forward for your information the following report of duties performed by the Armed Constabulary in the Poverty Bay district, in the year ending 31st May, 1874 :—
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Militaey Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. — One sub-inspector, 1 sergeant-major, 1 first-class sergeant, 2 second-class sergeants, 7 mounted and 24 foot constables. Names of Stations Occupied. —Ormond, Gisborne. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Inspection parades in marching order once a week, and Divine service parades on Sundays; inspection of saddlery and mounted men's accoutrements on Saturdays ; squad, company, skirmishing drill, and rifle exercise, once a week. The annual course of musketry was commenced on the 20th October and finished on the 12th of April. Every man in the district has passed through the course. Conveying Mails and Despatches. —On one occasion a mounted orderly was despatched with important letters to Napier, conveying intelligence of the stoppage of the Deed of Cession Court, and on three occasions orderlies have been sent to Te Wairoa on urgent affairs. Escorts, Guards, Sfc. —During the early part of the year a night-watchman was kept at Camp Ormond; but since January a guard of one non-commissioned officer and three constables have paraded nightly. The only escorts performed by the force are those of prisoners to Auckland and Napier. There being no gaol at Poverty Bay, these escorts have been frequent, probably once a month. Issuers and Storekeepers. —One constable of the Armed Constabulary is employed as substorekeeper, under the Public Stores Act, and another member of the force is employed as clerk to the Militia and Native Departments. Erection of Redoubts and Stockades. —The parapet of the Ormond Bedoubt has been rebuilt, and a slab banquette erected. As, however, the present redoubt is unnecessarily large, I intend next summer to contract the size, and rebuild on the palisade principle. Citil Duties. Attending Civil Courts. —During the year there have been held 118 Resident Magistrate's Courts and the Annual Licensing Court, at which the sergeant in charge of Gisborne Station has attended to prosecute, and two constables as bailiffs, &c. Census. —Five men of the force were employed in collecting census returns and agricultural statistics over a coast line of 120 miles, with an extreme depth of 20 miles. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —Two sergeants and 3 constables are stationed at Gisborne, and employed solely on police duties, carried out by Sergeant Shirley in the most effective manner. I attach statistical return of crime in this district for the year. While last year two-thirds of the charges were simple drunkenness, this year's return shows that crime as having fallen to one-third ; but the more serious offences have doubled, viz., —Drunkenness, 57 ; offences against Vagrant Act, 30; larceny, 24 ; malicious injury to property, 7 ; offences against the person, 16 ; false pretences, 2 ; embezzlement, 1; breach of the peace, 9; resisting police, 4; breach of Licensing Act, 5 ; receiving stolen goods, 1 ; fraudulent debtor, 1; minor offences, 9. This shows that, notwithstanding the very great increase of population, drunkenness has decreased; and although other crimes of a more serious nature would appear to be in excess, it is but the natural sequence of the growth of population, and the result of the law being more strictly enforced, particularly among the Native race. Under the heading " Otherwise dealt with " (146 cases), I would remark that the cause of this large number is the fact of Maoris being frequently fined for larceny and similar offences, where an European would be imprisoned. In addition to the members of the Gisborne Force, Sergeant Mills, of Ormond, is employed as rural constable, and patrols the country continually. From the extent of his knowledge of Natives and Europeans in this district, he is invaluable. Attending Native Land Court. —During the months of August, September, and November, twentyeight sittings of the Deed of Cession Court were held at Gisborne, the opening of which was attended by all the mounted men in the district. The station was also reinforced by three foot constables from head-quarters, and, at the request of the Judge, the officer commanding the district was present at each sitting. Public and Useful "Woeks. Nature and Extent of Road Works. —41J chains of road, 40 feet wide, with side drains, have been formed in the neighbourhood of Ormond ; earth removed, 1,650 yards ; 17 chains of outlet drain, 3' x 3i', have been completed; and 16 chains 80 links of drain filled in. Building Bridges and Culverts. —One culvert, 66 feet long, 4' X 3', of matai stringers, with split manuka covering, topped with ti-tree and earth; and one 10 feet long, 4' x 3', of the same material, have been completed. Two constables have been employed under Mr. Drummond for two months in the survey of the Mangatu and Waikohu Eoads. Building Houses, Stables, Sfc. —A mess-room, 36' X 12', of sawn timber and shingles, has been built at Ormond, and a stable, with hay loft, 14' X 12', of the same material, at Gisborne, to replace one burnt in the month of March. Officers' quarters at Ormond, 28' X 22', are in course of erection, and nearly completed. About 10,000 feet of timber have been sawn, and 15,000 shingles split for the above purposes, by members of the force. The whole of the station buildings have been re-painted, and one brick chimney erected. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —The paddock at Ormond, which had been ploughed, harrowed, and sown with grass seeds, has turned out a failure, in consequence of two crops of oats having been taken off the land ; this had allowed the docks to seed, and so choked the young grass. Eight acres of grass were mown last summer at Waerenga-a-Hika, which produced 14 tons of excellent hay and 33 bushels of grass seed, the whole of which was saved for the use of the force. Remabks. The conduct of the force has been very satisfactory. During the past year one mounted and nine foot constables have been received from the Depot, one foot constable from the "Waikato, and three men have enrolled in the district. During the same period three men have been transferred, —two to
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the Depot and one to Waikato ; one dismissed for misconduct; and two mounted and eight foot constables discharged at their own request —time expired. The comparatively large number of men who have left this district is to be attributed to the new regulation under which men are required to swear in for three years. Seventeen members of the force have, however, re-enrolled under above terms, and some five or six more will probably do so. Two non-commissioned officers of the Armed Constabulary are employed occasionally in drilling the Militia at their quarterly parades, and the Mounted Sines at their camp of exercise and other parades. There are now 361 militia, 51 mounted rifles, and 36 foot volunteers available in the district; the two latter corps are fine bodies of men, and would be very useful if required. With regard to the Militia, I fear the majority would be of little use, but about 80 men could be selected from among them who, from having seen much service in the old forces of New Zealand, would be equal to any work required of them. The fact of the Militia having to parade quarterly, has the effect in this district of keeping the ranks of Volunteer corps full, the former force being most unpopular. The behaviour of the Poverty Bay Natives has much improved since the sitting of the Deed of Cession Court. When under the influence of Henare Matua, with the Hawke's Bay and Wairoa Natives, they acted with considerable violence in the Court, and for some time caused a stoppage in the proceedings. The excitement would now appear to have subsided, as at the last visit of the East Coast Commissioner the same tribe agreed to pass blocks of land through the Court that have long been a bone of contention among the hapus of the Aitanga-a-Mahaki Tribe. Some little trouble was caused during the summer by the return of old rebels belonging to these tribes, notably Nepia Takutai and Pera Te TJatuku, who had been ordered to live in the Bay of Plenty. After some trouble, Nepia and his people left for Opotiki, but I was forced to arrest Pera before he would promise to leave his old kainga and return to Torere. It is to be expected that with a constantly increasing population, crime will also increase ; but this district labours under the disadvantage of having a large number of the old Hauhau party, taken in different expeditions, who, having no homes of their own, are living under the surveillance of Ngatiporou, and who flock here in company with the worst characters of that tribe, ostensibly to work for the pakeha, but in reality to steal and plunder. Three-fourths of the offences recorded in the attached return are attributable to this cause, but more especially to Ngatiporou, who rarely return to their own kaingas (where at present they are tolerably safe from the operations of the law) without having committed some depredation. The gaol, or rather lock-up, accommodation is quite inadequate to meet even the present requirements of the district; during the year several prisoners were released from custody to make room for others charged with more serious offences, and females cannot be confined as there is no separate place for them. The farming and pastoral interests are in a remarkably flourishing condition ; on all sides ploughing and fencing may be seen carried on. Many runs have been lately leased from the Ngatiporou, even beyond the East Cape, and I confidently expect that on the next census being taken, the wealth and population of this coast will have increased three-fold. The population of the district is about 1,250, occupying 38,000 acres of freehold and 273,000 acres of leasehold, the latter chiefly Maori land. There are 156,000 sheep, 5,200 horned cattle, and 1,114 horses. I have, &c, W. E. Gudgeon, Sub-Inspector, The Commissioner, Commanding Poverty Bay District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.
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Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 4. GISBORNE STATION, POVERTY BAY DISTRICT.
to Month. T3 3 ■Sea 6 s 1 fi a So a a a fi la 43 (73 . s 2 ™ O to B la a 5 "S a n a .3 .a M PM <D 3 O -=1 O CD fi 43 CD c3 E en B o CD o 43 ,- CD 'a §- o CO fi la Li 'o O 43 to a a o 43 <x> CD CD CD .15 o OQ 43 a d o §n30 o CD go Remakes. f/J 6 t-i a o a !— June 4 3 7 4 3 i 2 1 1 12 1 8 8 July 4 4 5 2 7 4 8 August ... 8 8 6 3 2 11 11 9 13 Deed of Cession Commission. September 12 4 16 6 6 3 1 1 1 18 2 16 11 5 Deed of Cession Commission. October ... 8 7 15 5 2 l 1 1 1 2 13 1 1 13 9 November 8 8 5 1 1 1 8 • 2 6 9 10 Deed of Cession Commission. December 11 6 17 7 2 l 5 1 1 1 18 2 15 10 January ... 10 11 21 3 2 9 3 4 1 22 1 3 17 12 February... 2 5 I 7 2 1 1 1 2 7 7 10 March ... 11 11 22 6 3 5 6 1 ■ 1 22 4 20 13 Annual Licensing Court. April 5 6 11 1 2 1 2 2 1 9 1 10 10 1 May 15 6 i i21 7 3 3 1 2 1 2 19 2 19 9 Totals _ 98 59 157 57 30 7 16 2 1 9 1 4 5 1 9 166 2 3 146 118 29 24 15
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Enclosure 5. Sub-Inspector Richaedson to the Commissionee, Armed Constabulary Force. Armed Constabulary Force, District Office, Wairoa, Te Kapu, Sir,— Ist June, 1874. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular No. 145, of 30th March, 1874, I have the honor to forward a report from the Wairoa district, in accordance with terms of Circular No. 47, of sth June, 1871 :— Militaet Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men in District. —Three officers, 1 surgeon (attached from Militia), 7 non-commissioned officers, and 47 men. Nature of Parades and Drills.—Divine service parade on Sundays, heavy marching order parades on Saturdays, at each post. The Commissioner, Armed Constabulary, held parades at each station, on 9th, 10th, and 11th of February, 1874. Squad and skirmishing drills have been held five days in the week during the summer months, and during the winter months one day in the week. The annual course of musketry was commenced at Te Kapu on the 4th November, 1873, and completed on 23rd January, 1874. Sub-Inspector A. H. Maclean was the officer instructor. Operations in the Field. —The state of the district has been exceedingly quiet, so that nothing has been done under this heading. Patrolling and Scouting. —An armed party proceeds round Lake "Waikare Moana in the Government boat, at intervals, from Onepoto Station, this being the frontier of the Urewera country. Conveying Mails and Despatches. —The overland mail from the Bay of Plenty district is conveyed weekly by a mounted constable from "Waikare Moana to Te Kapu. Despatches have been frequently carried, to Napier and Poverty Bay on Native matters, and in connection with the progress of the telegraph. Escorts, Guards, Sfc. —Escorts have been supplied to the Commissioner, Armed Constabulary, S. Locke, Esq., and the Hon. J. D. Ormond. Three men mount guard nightly at Onepoto, but one is considered to be sufficient at each of the other stations. Making and Improving Target Ranges. —New ranges have been made at Onepoto, Maru Maru, and Ohuka; the latter could only be obtained up to 400 yards. Issuers and Storekeepers. —As the force mess themselves, no issuers are required. Probationary Sergeant H. J. Williams is still the district sub-storekeeper. Erection of Redoubts and Stockades. —The erection of a redoubt has been commenced at headquarters, in compliance with an order given by the Commissioner, Armed Constabulary Force, on his inspection tour in February last. Sundry repairs have been executed at Onepoto and Maru Maru. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —On the 28th February last, Archibald Ferguson was arrested on suspicion of having stolen and slaughtered a pig, the property of a settler at Te Kapu. The case was fully proved at the Resident Magistrate's Court, and the prisoner sentenced to two years' imprisonment in Napier Gaol. He subsequently escaped from the Clyde Lock-up, and members of the force were engaged in searching for him for some time, but without success. Attending Civil Courts. —A mounted constable has been appointed Native Interpreter to the Resident Magistrate's Court at Clyde. Other members of the force have attended the same Court when required. On the Bth and 14th of November last, members of the force attended two inquests held by the Coroner ; the former on the body of a man found drowned in the Wairoa River, at Maru Maru, and the latter on the body of a Maori woman, who was burnt to death in her whare. Attending Land Courts. —The Inspector in command and constable attended the Land Court held by Mr. Judge Monro, at Clyde, on the 4th, sth, and 6th of December, 1873. Taking Census. —The census and agricultural statistics of the Province of Hawke's Bay, in the Mohaka and Wairoa districts, were taken by four members of the force, to the satisfaction of the Enumerator, S. Begg, Esq. Another member of the force was engaged in collecting the census of that portion of the Auckland Province which lies in this district. The collection of the census and agricultural statistics of all the East Coast district, from the East Cape to the south of Poverty Bay, have been collected by members of the force in the Poverty Bay district, under the superintendency of the officer in charge of the Wairoa district, and all these returns have been supervised in the district office at Te Kapu. Public and Useful Woeks. Nature and Extent of Road Works. —At Onepoto, a sledge track has been made from the redoubt to the saw-pit at Manga Kio Kio. Most of the sawn timber used at the station has been drawn along this track. Sundry other minor repairs have been made on Te Kapu and Waikare Moana Road by the detachments at Onepoto and Ohuka. From Maru Maru two men were detailed for duty on the Opoiti and Poverty Bay Road in March last, one to act as interpreter to the Overseer of Public Works, and the other to superintend the blasting operations carried on by Natives. Building Bridges and Culverts. —Four culverts on the Te Kapu and Waikare Moana Road, that had been washed away by floods, were replaced by the detachment at Ohuka Station. Building Houses, Stables, fyc. —At Te Kapu, the library and sergeant-major's quarters, that were mentioned in last year's report as having been commenced, have been finished. The whole building is 35' X 12' with 8-feet studs. Wooden spouting has been put round all the buildings at this station
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and a supply of water always kept on hand in eight large casks. A mess-room has been added to the cook-house. At Onepoto, a new messhouse, 3(5' x 15' has been erected, with a kitchen and baker's oven attached. Officers' quarters, 28' X 25', containing four rooms, built of sawn rimu and kahikatea. The material for stables 18' X 14' is all ready. The library has been lined and papered and a bookcase made which is kept therein. A brick magazine has been erected which is capable of holding 18,000 rounds of Snider ammunition. 10,000 bricks have been made and burnt at this station ; they have been used for chimneys in the various houses and for the magazine just mentioned. A large boat, 35 feet long and 6 feet 0 inches in beam, has been constructed for use on Lake Waikare Moana. It is capable of conveying thirty men with arms, swags, &c, A dingy, or small boat, which was in use during Lieut-Colonel Ilerrick's expedition in 18G9, has been thoroughly repaired, and is used when required. At Maru Maru, the old officers' quarters have been converted into a library, and new quarters, 24' x 25', built outside the redoubt. A cook-house and mess-room 20' x 12', 6-feet studs, 8-feet rafters, has also been erected. These buildings are composed of totara slabs with kahikatea shingles. At Ohuka, four whares have been built; one for mess quarters, 20' X 14', one for office, 12' X 10', one for store, 12' x 10', one for cook-house and mess-room, 14' X 12', with chimney attached. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —At Onepoto, the detachment have commenced to clear the Government reserve of 300 acres, before fencing. The line of fence has been marked out, and grass sown wherever practicable. About a ton and a half of hay has been cut from a small twoacre paddock. At Maru Maru, a ten-acre paddock has been fenced in (enclosing the redoubt), partially cleared, and sown with grass and clover seed. At Ohuka, a paddock of about forty acres has been fenced in; the greater part of this, however, was naturally fenced; ten acres have been cleared of fern and manuka, and grass seed sown. Miscellaneous. Gardens have been made at Onepoto, Maru Maru, and Ohuka, from which supplies of vegetables are obtained all the year round. A new dam has been constructed at Onepoto, for the purpose of diverting the waters from the small Lake Kiri o Pukoi, and thus obtaining a piece of level ground for cricket playing, rifle shooting, as well as pasturage of horses and cattle ; but unfortunately the recent high floods have carried this dam away, and the said level ground is again submerged. At Te Kapu, seven tons of meadow hay were cut from the Government paddock, and stacked in an enclosure. Racks have been made, and the horses receive it regularly during the winter months. The officer in charge at Onepoto has been appointed a Native officer for the Urewera Tribe, and pays periodical visits to Euatahuna, Maungapohatu, <fee. In concluding this report, I wish to state that I only took command of the district on the 2nd April last—lnspector Pitt having had charge of the district for the greater portion of the time —consequently this report is not so complete as it might have been. The new station which has been formed at Ohuka is of very great advantage to the district. The Maru Maru station, however, Ido not consider of much importance. If it is deemed necessary to have a post in that direction, I would beg to recommend that it be in a more advanced position —at Te Eeinga or the Waihau Lakes. The Natives are generally employed in road work and laying material for the Telegraph Department, and appear peaceably and well disposed. Extensive preparations are being made for a large meeting in August to determine the boundaries between the Urewera and Ngatikahungunu. Large tracts of country have been leased during the past twelve months ; from 15,000 to 20,000 sheep have been introduced, and the district is now in a healthy and prosperous condition. I have, &c, ¥m. A. Bichaedson, Sub-Inspector A.C., The Commissioner, Commanding Wairoa District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.
Enclosure 6. Inspector Scannell to the Commissioneb, Armed Constabulary Force. Sib, — Armed Constabulary Office, Opepe, Xaupo, 31st May, 1874. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular No. 145, dated Wellington, 30th March, 1874, I have the honor to forward for your information the following report of the duties performed by the Armed Constabulary Force, from Ist June, 1873, to 31st May, 1874. Militabt Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —The average strength of the Armed Constabulary Force in the Taupo district during the past twelve months, was 1 inspector, 5 sub-inspectors, 1 assistantsurgeon, 1 sergeant-major, 9 first-class sergeants, 4 second-class sergeants, 12 mounted and 71 foot constables. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Inspection parade and drill in marching order once a week ; Divine service on Sundays; weekly inspection of mounted men's saddlery and horse appointments by officers in charge of posts ; fortnightly inspection in marching order by the officer in charge of district. In addition to the weekly drill in marching order, the force was also drilled daily for one hour for at least seven months in the year. This drill mainly consists of skirmishing over rough and broken ground, through scrub, and occasionally bush ; also, manual and firing exercises, moving in files, fours, half companies, &c. The regulation annual course of instruction in musketry was commenced on the 26th October, and completed on the 19th December.
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Operations in the Field. —The force in this district has not been engaged in any field operations during the past year. Conveying Mails and Despatches. —No public mails have been conveyed. A mounted orderly is despatched daily from Opepe to Tapuaeharuru, a distance of eleven miles, who returns the same evening with any telegrams or other despatches which may have arrived during the day. Communications between the posts are forwarded by the mounted men of the force between the mails. Escorts and Guards. —No escorts have been required. A non-commissioned officer and three men mount guard daily at each post at 9 p.m., and come off at 6 a.m.; a non-commissioned officer at each post being on general duty throughout the day. The detachment at each station paraded as a guard of honor to His Excellency the Governor on his recent tour through the district. Making and Improving Target Manges. —At Runanga, a range up to 300 yards has been made. At Tarawera, new butts have been erected, a bridle-track 15 chains long cut, and a foot-bridge 36 feet long placed across the river Waipunga leading to range. The range at Tapuaeharuru has been improved, levelled, and scrub cleared off, back-screen re-erected, and butts repaired. At Opepe, the range has been changed, and the necessary screens, markers' butts, firing mounds, &c, erected. Telegraph Lineman. —Mounted Constable Eoger Dansey acted as lineman at the Taupo Telegraph Station up to 30th June, 1873; he was then discharged to enable him to join the Telegraph Department. Mounted Constable James Wiley then acted in this capacity from the Ist July to 14th February, 1874, when he was also discharged, and he joined the same department. Mounted Constable George Crossman is at the present time the lineman. Issuers and Storekeepers. —One man of the Armed Constabulary acts as sub-storekeeper for the district, and Constable Maycock is employed as issuer to Captain Mair's Native Contingent at Te. Niho ote Kiore. The public works property at each station is in charge of the officer commanding the station. Erection of Redoubts and Stockades. —At Tarawera, a new redoubt 125 yards in circumference, with palisading 12 feet high and earth breast-work 6 feet x 4 feet, mounted with 150 gabions, has been completed. The palisading and slab parapet of the redoubt at Eunanga was finished; new fencing put round the parade ground, which was greatly increased by levelling and cutting down a hill. The redoubts at Opepe and Tapuaeharuru have been several times repaired during the last twelve months; the upright timber in front of the former having decayed, new timber was put in, which was obtained from the bush. Civii. Duties. Attending Civil Courts. —A Court has been held fortnightly at Tapuaeharuru by the Resident Magistrate of the district, at which two men of the Armed Constabulary attend. A non-commissioned officer officiates as clerk to the Court, and the men of the force are employed as required in serving summonses. Talcing Census. —One sergeant and one constable from Tarawera were employed in taking census and agricultural statistics from 20th February to 4th March, 1874. From Runanga, a member of the force was engaged five days on this duty. From Opepe three constables were engaged, one proceeding to Ohinemutu and the Lake District, one to Maketu via Te Teko and Galatea, and the other round the neighbourhood of Opepe, and were employed fifteen days. The men of the force from Tapuaeharuru were employed on this duty for the space of eighteen days, in and around the neighbourhoods of Rotorua, Tokano, Tauhara, and Rotokawa. Public and Useful "Woeks. Nature and Extent of Boad Work. —At Opepe, the formed portion of the road at each side of station was kept in repair. The cuttings require constant attention to prevent scouring, especially after the heavy rains prevalent in Taupo. At Runanga, a road from the redoubt 22 chains long and 18 feet wide was made, and the main road kept in repair. At Tarawera, part of the detachment was employed removing slips, &c, the road being impassable. At Tapuaeharuru, filling in and making approach to bridge crossing Waikato River; side cutting, 152f feet x 16^ feet xlf feet=l62 cubic yards ; embankment, 33 feet x 32 feet x2j feet=BB cubic yards: total, 250 yards. The road in the vicinity of the station has been kept in repair. Building Bridges and Culverts. —At Opepe, one culvert 2 feet by 18 inches and 13 feet long has been put in immediately below the redoubt. At Runanga, seven culverts—built of slabs split in the bush, and carted by the Armed Constabulary drays—put in on road from redoubt to main line. Building Souses, Stables, Sfc. —At Opepe, officers' quarters of sawn timber and shingled have been erected. A magazine, situated in the space in front of the north-east angle of the stockade, has been built. Its dimensions are 11 feet square outside, with a wall 18 inches thick, leaving a clear space of 8 feet square inside. The material is all pumice, and it is roofed with cement. The pumice was obtained with great difficulty from the plains at the back of Opepe, distant some seven or eight miles: it had first to be dug up, then collected in heaps, and carted into camp by Armed Constabulary drays and horses. Two new pumice chimneys erected, and the rest kept in repair. The stable has been repaired, freshly boarded, and new post and rails put up round the yard. At Tapuaeharuru, a guard-house, 12 feet x 12 feet, and a cook-house, 10 feet x 10 feet, are in course of erection in the redoubt. A boat-shed, 36 feet long, 8 feet x 6 feet deep, has been dug in the river bank, and thatched with raupo and toi toi. Another boat-shed, 36 feet long and 14 feet above high flood-mark, is nearly finished. A new entrance bridge and door made for the redoubt; a magazine, 10 xlO feet, built entirely of pumice stone, and fireproof; an oven and several chimneys have been completed and erected. At Tarawera, a magazine of slabs and earth has been constructed; buildings kept in repair; and 3,079 feet of timber sawn, for erecting mess and reading rooms, lining barrackroom, &c. At Runanga, a new mess-room, built of slabs, 24 feet xl 4 feet, roofed and shingled, has been erected. A stable, 28 feet xl 2 feet, is in course of erection; shingles split, and 3,000 feet of timber sawn.
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Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —At Opepe, 25 chains of two-rail fencing have been put up on the road to Eunanga, towards making a new paddock, which, when completed, will contain about 100 acres. There are split in the bush at present a large quantity of posts and rails, intended to complete this fencing. About five acres of bush land have been cleared; grass has been laid down in both paddocks, and in about seven acres of bush land adjoining the stockade. At Tapuaeharuru, 13 chains of post and rail fence have been erected, enclosing four acres, in addition to the twenty acres last year, making a total of fifty-four acres enclosed in post and rail fence. This has been all cleared, and is ready for laying down in grass. There have been 20 chains of a swamp drained, taking in two acres for a garden, in addition to the old garden last year. The ground was very swampy, and could only be worked in very dry weather. At Tarawera. —Fencing kept in repair. A new paddock is in course of creation, which, wh en completed, will comprise about 100 acres. At Eunanga, the garden was fenced, paddock enlarged, 600 posts and rails split, and 20 chains of new fencing erected. The fencing of the old paddocks at each station has been kept in repair, and renewed when the decaying or breaking of any of the posts or rails rendered it necessary. The non-commissioned officer and man stationed at Te Haroto are constantly employed at the paddock there in repairing fence and clearing away fallen timber. Eemaeks. Two drays and five draught horses, in charge of members of the force, are kept constantly employed in conveying oats from Eunanga to Opepe and Tapuaeharuru, and in conveying fencing, building, and other material from Opepe to Tapuaeharuru. Six pack-horses, in charge of the mounted men of the force, who take this duty in turn, have been continuously employed between Napier and Opepe, a distance of eighty-four miles, in conveying clothing, necessaries, stores, nails, medicine, saddlers' material for repair of saddlery and harness, horse shoes and nails, ammunition, camp equipment, stationery, &c, &c. One man is employed as farrier and one as saddler. These men do all the work of the district required by their respective trades, such as keeping the whole of the horses regularly shod, repairing riding and pack-saddles, harness, &c. Another man has been kept constantly employed at his trade as a mason in the erection of chimneys (pumice), and magazines of the same material, at the various stations. The two Government whaleboats at Tapuaeharuru, manned by members of the force, are occasionally despatched on various duties across the lake. His Excellency the Governor Sir James Fergusson passed through Taupo on a tour through the Lake District in the early part of March. Large vegetable gardens are cultivated yearly at each post for the use of the officers and men of the for?e only. During the Colonial Government Prize Firing, which took place at Napier, five men and one noncommissioned officer were employed as markers. Two mounted orderlies were detailedfor attendance on Major Gordon, in charge of the firing. I have, Ac, The Commissioner, D. Scankeh, Inspector, A.C., Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington. Commanding Taupo District.
Enclosure 7. Inspector Eobeets to the Commissioner, Armed Constabulary Force. Sib, — District Office, Tauranga, 3rd June, 1874. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular No. 145, of the 30th March, 1874, I have the honor to forward for your information the following report of the duties performed by the Armed Constabulary Force in the Tauranga district, from the Ist June, 1873, to the 31st May, 1874:— Militaet Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —One inspector, 2 sub-inspectors, 1 assistant-surgeon, and 47 non-commissioned officers and men. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Divine service parades every Sunday, and heavy marching order parades and drill for one hour and a half each week throughout the year. On different occasions the officers and men have been recalled from road works for a fortnight's consecutive drill; each drill lasting one hour and a half, three times daily. Besides, the whole of the men have been put through a course of musketry instruction. Carrying Mails and Despatches. —Mails and despatches have been conveyed with regularity once a week, by mounted orderlies from head-quarters, to and from Opotiki and the intermediate stations. Escorts and Guards. —An escort of mounted men was supplied to His Excellency the Governor on his recent visit to the district. Mounted constables have been frequently employed as guides to gentlemen accredited by the Government. Prisoners sent to Auckland under sentence or for trial are conducted by members of the force. One constable is on guard at each station. Making and Improving Target Ranges. —The range at Opotiki has been greatly improved and put into thorough order. A great amount of labour has been bestowed upon the butts of the Tauranga range, which require to be constantly attended to, owing to the action of high tides, &c. Telegraph Linemen. — The services of the Armed Constabulary have not been required, the Telegraph Department furnishing their own linemen. Issuers and Storekeepers.—Three storekeepers have been employed—one at Tauranga, one at Opotiki, and one at Te Teko, the latter aiso acting as issuer to the Native Contingent at that post.
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Erection of Stockades and Redoubts. —A substantial block-house, 30' x 20', has been built at Opotiki, weather boards, heart of kauri, and lined; the space between being filled with gravel, which makes it perfectly bullet-proof. The gravel had to be carted about a mile, and entailed a great deal of labour. The redoubts in the district have been kept in repair. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —At Tauranga one non-commissioned officer, and at Opotiki one constable, have been constantly employed on police duties, and received the assistance of other members of the force, as circumstances required. Attending Civil Courts. —First-class Sergeant Mason has been appointed Clerk to the Eesident Magistrate's Court at Opotiki, and Foot Constable Thomson acts as Clerk in the Civil Commissioner's Office at Tauranga. Within the last twelve months there have been 102 convictions in the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Tauranga, viz., —1, larceny (indictable) ; 3, larceny (summarily dealt with) ; 4, malicious injury to property ; 1, neglected children ; 1, contempt of Court; 7, assaults on police ; 1, common assault; 5, vagrancy; 9, threatening language; 14, breach of Municipal Police Act; 2, breach of Licensing Act; and 54 cases of drunkenness. Total amount of fines paid, £66 15s. 6d. Statistics. —The census for the East Coast Electoral District, for sub-districts Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and the agricultural statistics for the same, were collected by members of the force, as well as the Native census for the Maketu district. Public akd Useful Woeks. Nature and Extent of Soad Work. —At Tauranga, the following amount of road work has been performed on the Kati Kati and Tauranga Boad : —2,238 cubic yards excavation, 923 cubic yards filling, 2,139 cubic yards earth removed, 284 cubic yards embankment, 12,460 cubic yards of ditching, and 66 chains of road formation. At Opotiki, 53 chains of road, 38 feet wide, principally through heavy swampy land, has been completed ; 410 cubic feet of excavation, and 60 cubic feet of embankment, 260 cubic yards of filling in approaches to bridges. A dray road, 150 yards by 10 feet, has been formed through the entrance of the paddock to the block-house, and nearly gravelled the whole way. At Whakatane, 12| chains of formation by 28 feet wide, has been made through a swamp, 25 chains of ditching 7 feet wide by 4 feet 6 inches deep and three feet wide at the bottom, 5| chains of road fascined. A drain 5 chains long 3x2 feet was cut from the road to the beach, for the purpose of carrying off the water. Building Bridges and Culverts. —At Opotiki, two bridges, one 16 X 16 feet, one 20 X 8 feet, and three box culverts 22 feet 3x2, have been made. Building Houses, Stables, fyc. —At Tauranga, the barrack-room, 70 X 20 feet, has been matchlined, and racks and shelves fitted up in the room. Three coats of paint have been put on the barracks, Government store, hospital, and the Government house occupied by the Eesident Magistrate ; the floor of the verandah of the last building entirely removed and renewed. The stable has been furnished with a hay-loft, hay-racks, and manger. A well, with an excellent supply of water, 40 feet deep, slabbed 6 feet from the bottom, fenced, and with drinking troughs around it, has been sunk in the Government paddock, close to the mess-room and stable. At Opotiki, a weather-board building, 20 X 10 feet, has been built for a mess-room, and three coats of paint have been put on it, the magazine, store-room, and block-house; a well 18 feet deep, and slabbed, has been sunk close to the block-house. At Whakatane, a whare, 14 x 10 feet, for forage, and another 14 X 12 feet, which is used as an orderly-room, have been completed. The barrack-room, 25 XlB feet, has been re-thatched. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —At Tauranga, 10 chains of ditching and banking have been done round the Government paddock, a gate made and. hung, and the fencing of the whole paddock attended to and kept in good order. At Opotiki, to make the paddock secure, it was necessary to erect 4 chains of a bank and ditch and 18J- chains of fencing, the material for which had to be carted several miles. A strong gate has also been put in the entrance to the paddock. At Whakatane, the old fence of the paddock has been kept in repair, and a quarter of an acre of ground broken up and fenced in for a vegetable garden. Bemaeks. In my remarks, I may state that the District Engineer has estimated the value of the road work performed by the Armed Constabulary in this district at £313 14s. 2d. Besides the duties already mentioned in this report and the works performed, 178,000 feet of timber was carted, stacked, and issued to the settlers of the late Ist Waikato Eegiment, which entailed a great deal of work and time. The Militia and Volunteers in the district have been drilled by members of the force. Constables have been frequently told off to clean arms, &c, in the Government store, and for other duties which cannot very well be enumerated. The fence round the cemetery has been kept in repair, and the head-boards belonging to the graves of the Imperial soldiers have been repaired and painted. The Natives in the district have been industriously and profitably engaged on road work and agricultural pursuits. A very large quantity of wheat has been grown by them. The district is in a thriving state, roads having been constructed in various directions, opening up the country for settlement, which is already beginning to draw the attention of strangers, and enabling the old residents to occupy their land. The general conduct of the force in the district has been very good. I have, &c, J. M. Eobebts, Inspector, A.C, The Commissioner, Commanding Tauranga District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.
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Enclosure 8. Captain Stack to the Commissioner, Armed Constabulary Force. Sic, — Armed Constabulary Depot, Wellington, 25th June, 1874. I have the honor to forward you the following report upon the Armed Constabulary Depot for the past year, in the prescribed form, together with the Annual Musketry Beturn of the Force. Militaet Duties. Average Strength. —The average strength of the Depot during the year was 57 of all ranks. Parades and Drills. —There have been three parades for drill of at least one hour's duration on all working days, Saturdays excepted. Escorts and Guards. —The magazine guard, and picket at the Government House gate, were furnished as usual. During the stay of the Hon. the Native Minister at Otaki, while settling the Horowhenua dispute, mounted orderlies carried despatches daily between that place and Wellington ; and on an occasion of the coach being stopped by floods, brought through a very heavy mail from the West Coast. Escorts wese furnished from the Depot for prisoners remanded by the Court here for trial at Auckland and Taranaki. Target Practice Ranges. —The old range at the Adelaide butts having been built on, is no longer available for practice beyond 400 yards. There is a comparatively new range at Polhill's Gully, but as the Wellington Volunteers appear to have exclusive right to it, it cannot be used by the Armed Constabulary, unless by previous arrangement with the officer commanding the Volunteers, which necessarily entails delay and inconvenience when musketry practice is in progress. The only other place I know of, and believe might be available as a range for the Depot, is the shingle bed between Evans' and Lyell's Bays, but this is distant from the barracks, and also very exposed, though I do not consider this latter point so objectionable as is often supposed, holding that the purpose of musketry training should be to teach men to shoot under all circumstances, and not merely to enable them to make a high score under the most favourable conditions. I therefore think a rifle range may be too sheltered. Civil Duties. During the session of the General Assembly, three constables were placed daily at the disposal of the Hon. the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives, for the maintenance of order in the galleries and passages of the House. The men in training at the Depot have lately been called upon more frequently than hitherto to exercise the functions of constables in confining persons found drunk. This arose from the great number of immigrants who arrived during the year, and who have been stationed for a time at the neighbouring Upper Mount Cook Barracks. In nearly every case of this kind in which the Armed Constabulary have acted, they have done so at the request of the custodian of the Immigrant Barracks ; and these cases have been by no means numerous, considering the many new arrivals: the conduct of the immigrants after landing having been, upon the whole, quiet and orderly. Public and Useful Woeks. Cleaning and repairing the buildings comprised in the Armed Constabulary Depot, and keeping the parade ground and roads through the barracks in proper order, are nearly sufficient to occupy the men during fatigue hours (three per diem), for the very worm-eaten state of the most part of the buildings renders them the more difficult to keep clean, and necessitates constant repair. The greater portion of the Government property at Mount Cook has been re-fenced during the year, and a large piece of ground made and added to the parade, and also walled in. This last work I find a most important accessory for the purpose of drill, the old parade ground having been quite too limited for the requirements of the Depot. The exterior of nearly all the buildings has recently been re-painted. Fatigue parties, of the average strength of twenty men, were detailed for seven days, under charge of the Depot Sergeant-Major, to improve Polhill's Gully rifle range. They considerably enlarged the excavation for the targets and marker's butt, and formed a passable path of 4 feet wide throughout the length of the range to the 600-yards point, where, before, there had been nothing that could be properly called a track. I visited the working parties, in conjunction with the officer commanding the Volunteers, whose wishes with regard to the plan of the work were carried out, and who expressed himself well satisfied with what had been done. Fatigue parties have been frequently furnished to the various departments of the public service, when required. Telegraphic communication between the Lunatic Asylum and the Barracks has been established, so that assistance may be at once rendered, if needed. Annual Mtjsketet Peactice. Annual Musketry Practice Return. —The annual course of musketry has been carried out in accordance with the new system promulgated for Her Majesty's Army, in the General Order dated Horse Guards, Ist March, 1872; it is, therefore, impossible to institute a comparison between the figures of merit of the force this year and last, and no authoritative record has as yet reached me, showing what the standard of merit for Her Majesty's Army now is, if indeed this has been fixed under the new system. The advantages of the change are very apparent, the chief of which are, I think, that every man fires now kneeling as well as standing, and at distances up to 600 yards; whereas, under the old system, if a man did not get out of the third class, he never fired kneeling in class firing, nor at any greater distance than 300 yards. Some men —though not many —improve in shooting comparatively as they get away from the target, and many can shoot well kneeling who cannot do so standing.
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The percentage of marksmen in the force is nearly the same as it was last year, which was good under the old system of scoring. Drill and Practice Returns. —These returns appear to have been carefully, and, upon the whole, correctly kept in the various districts ; and the more care was necessary, as the printed forms are not exactly suited to the change made in the mode of classification, and the alterations in the system had to be conveyed to officers commanding districts entirely by your circular memoranda. Firing for Armed Constabulary Prizes. —As with regard to the figure of merit, so with regard to the firing under this head, a comparison cannot be drawn with results in former years, it having been decided that the sum (£150) apportioned by the Government for Armed Constabulary prizes this year, out of the amount voted by the House of Representatives for prize shooting, should be allotted to marksmen in class firing, under the terms laid down in your Circular Memorandum No. 134, dated 17th October, 1873, instead of, as hitherto, in a few larger prizes to the highest scorers in a distinct competition for the purpose. I enclose an extract from the Annual Musketry Return, showing the distribution of prizes in accordance with that circular. I believe that this alteration has given an additional incentive to the mass of the men to excel in their class firing, and therefore, to be generally beneficial to the force; but I beg to suggest that reports from officer's commanding districts on the subject might be useful to you in framing regulations for a future occasion of the kind. I must here notice that no return of the competitive practice of the mounted men in the Taranaki district has been received, although the district return showed five men qualified to compete for Armed Constabulary prizes. Colonial Prize Firing. —Forty-two members of the force qualified for the Colonial Prize Firing this year, being twenty-five over the number qualified last year ; and eleven prizes were carried off by the Armed Constabulary at the Colonial Prize Firing as against six in 1873. Aems, &c. The arms, accoutrements, and ammunition which have come under my inspection, were serviceable and in proper order. Remarks. —The physical condition of the non-commissioned officers and men at the Depot, during the past twelve months, has been as formerly, very good, their health having been unbroken by any illness of a serious nature. The conduct of all ranks lias been generally excellent, and in this remark I desire especially to include the two detachments of the Native Contingent that have been stationed here for training. The first detachment, consisting of 1 officer, 1 sergeant, and 20 men, arrived in January last, and remained for four months; tho progress which they made in drill during the time was considerable, notwithstanding the difficulty which necessarily arose from their want of knowledge of the language spoken by their instructors. This detachment went through the course of musketry, and their firing was very creditable. The second detachment (1 officer, 1 sergeant, and 21 men) have only been here since the 7th instant, and from the commencement they have made in drill, I anticipate the best result, if they are here sufficiently long. In conclusion, I would state that in addition to the detachment of Native Contingent, four drafts, averaging 24 of all ranks, were sent hence to the Waikato and East Coast districts during the year. I have, &c, W. G-. Stack, Captain, The Commissioner, Instructor of Musketry, Commanding Depot. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.
Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure No. 8. EXTRACT from the ANNUAL RETURN of MUSKETRY PRACTICE of the ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE for 1874, showing the Distribution of Prizes for the Year. MOUNTED.
2 ■2 6 s Bank and Name. District. 111 PM S =3 No. of Prize. Amount. Remarks. 326 1726 1583 1664 1684 1962 1033 1807 Constable J. Steele ... „ T. P. Gilpin „ J. Hinton ... „ E. George ... „ B. Reed ... P. Connell... „ A. Craigg ... „ P. Oalbraith Waikato Patea Waikato Waikato Wairoa Waikato Taupo Poverty Bay :so 25 24 23 21 21 21 20 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th £ 6 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Prizes, £20. 54 in 1st Period. 51 in „ 46 in „
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Enclosure 9. Inspector Bboham to the Commissioneb, Armed Constabulary Force. Sic, — Constabulary Office, Auckland, 3rd June, 1874. In compliance with the instructions contained in Circular No. 47, of the sth June, 1871, I have the honor to report upon the Constabulary of this district during the past year. I attach a statistical return of crime for the year 1873 ; the estimate of the cost of police for the ensuing year I have already sent to you. The total number of persons arrested during the year 1873, as will be seen by the return, was 2,385. Of these, 1,292 were charged with drunkenness, 233 with being drunk and disorderly, 218 with breaches of the Vagrant Act, such as having no visible lawful means of support, using obscene language in public, habitual drunkenness, &c. ; 70 were charged with common assaults, 35 with assaults on the police, 187 with petty larceny, 53 with lunacy, 3 with murder, 2 with attempting to murder, 7 with manslaughter, 6 with breaking and entering houses, 4 with indecent assaults, 6 with incendiarism, 36 under the Neglected and Criminal Children's Act, and the remainder with various offences enumerated in the record. There were also 683 persons summoned by the Police for breaches of the City by-laws, Municipal laws, Licensing Acts, &c. A comparison of the criminal statistics of last year with those of 1872, shows a decrease in the number of arrests of a total of 321, which was caused principally by the charges of drunkenness having been less by 258 than they were during 1872; but, as regards all other offences, a very slight variation has occurred either in the number or classification, during the last three years, although crimes with 3—H. 12.
iXTEACT FEOM THE FNUAL Iepoet o: -TTSKETET (EAi !tice — com niC( Foot. s -4J O •Br" ID Poii its in Rank and Name. District. Total. No. of Prize. 4& O a Remarks. 1458 1223 982 1914 1669 365 1233 9 992 1248 279 1218 1291 1126 1966 1263 1262 616 1387 1802 348 1200 1904 1956 1933 1679 1982 1837 129 1459 1673 1740 1877 1997 1701 1980 739 1367 1898 1356 477 318 1844 1677 1886 1868 Constable Joseph G-allagher „ W. H. Eoberts „ A. Wotherspoon Proby.-Sergt. W. P. Lorigan ... Constable W. Murray „ B. Megan 1st Class Sergt. C. M. Taylor ... Sergt.-Major A. Heaney Constable G. Blake „ M. Eocho „ P. Dolan „ E. Harrison „ T. Lloyd „ C. Button „ W. Stanger 2nd Class Sergt. F. Stanhope ... Constable N". Scott „ E. Collins „ C. A. Bead „ E. C. Lockett M. Hill 2nd Class Sergt. J. V. Riddle ... Constable J. Finnerty „ C. O'Brien „ E. C. Lowe „ J. Annabell „ C. Brunning Proby.-Sergt. A. G. Withers ... Constable W. Brodkorb „ J. Gilbert „ L. Stott „ T. Crowhurst „ R. G. Deighton „ E. C. Walmsley „ H. Blick „ B. Gray „ G. Daveron „ B. Gateley 2nd Class Sergt. John A. Ealph Constable J. J. Hay „ T. Baker 2nd Class Sergt. W. Bond „ „ C. E. S. Rose... Constable James Lawton „ W.E.Allen C. Grey Taupo Taranaki Taupo PoTerty Bay Waikato Waikato Waikato Bay of Plenty ... Wanganui-Patea... Wanganui-Patea... Wanganui-Patea... Taranaki Wanganui-Patea... Taupo Waikato Poverty Bay Taranaki Wanganui-Patea... Bay of Plenty ... Taupo Waikato Wanganui-Patea... Poverty Bay Waikato Taranaki Wairoa Poverty Bay Wairoa Bay of Plenty ... Taupo Taupo Wanganui-Patea... Wairoa Bay of Plenty ... Taupo Wanganui-Patea ... Bay of Plenty Poverty Bay Kepdt Taupo Taupo Waikato .%. Waikato Wanganui-Patea... Bay of Plenty ... Taranaki 54 84 55 47 48 45 51 40 41 42 43 47 3:1. 35 39 40 40 43 44 38 38 40 43 32 40 36 37 35 39 32 35 38 35 31 33 35 36 36 33 3L 32 32 31 51 50 40 25 43 22 29 27 28 22 32 31 28 27 23 35 34 30 28 2S 25 23 28 28 26 23 32 24 27 26 27 23 28 25 22 24 27 25 23 22 22 24 25 24 22 22 27 21, 28 79 77 77 76 75 73 73 72 72 70 70 70 69 69 69 68 68 68 67 66 66 66 66 64 64 63 63 62 62 60 60 60 59 58 58 58 58 58 57 56 5G 54 53 78 74 68 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th 36th 37th 38th 39th 40th 41st 42nd 43rd 44th 45th 46th £ 10 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Prizes ... £110 Badges ... 20 Total £130 62 in 1st Period. 59 50 in 1st Period. 44 50 in 1st Period, 38 ~\ Failed in Judging > Distance Practice, ) 2nd Class. W. ■uctor h St. ifMi i.CE, ( isketr iaptain, r, A.C. Force. Inst:
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violence were somewhat more numerous last year than they were during the two preceding ones; a result which can only be accounted for by the large number of men who have been massed together engaged in the public works of the province. The decrease which has been noted in the number of arrests for drunkenness during 1873 has been continued up to the present, and has mainly arisen from the increase of prosperity throughout the country, the growth of Good Templarism, the absence of many confirmed drunkards from the city, who have left for other places, and the continued efforts of the police and the Magistracy to suppress vagrancy. For many years past Auckland has been infested with a number of idle vagrants, who have lived by begging in the public streets, and went to swell the criminal lists of drunkards and vagrants. These, I am happy to say. are no longer an eye-sore to the public, having been forced by the operation of the Vagrant Act to turn to some other means of obtaining a livelihood. Formerly, such offenders, having perhaps a list of fifty previous convictions against them for drunkenness, vagrancy, and petty larceny, received sentences of one month or so; but latterly, the Bench has thought fit to increase the term to twelve months' imprisonment, and the change has been in every way beneficial, having tended already to clear the town of vagrants and beggars. Not knowing if any criminal statistics are published in any of the other provinces, I cannot say whether less crime prevails here than elsewhere; but so far as I can judge, a comparison would not be in our favour, more especially as regards vagrancy and drunkenness. That a reduction could bo made in the crime of the district I have no doubt, effected by largely increasing the number of constables, and expending a liberal sum in maintaining an efficient police force. The number of lunatics taken in charge during the year is worthy of note. The majority, perhaps, of the fifty-three arrested were suffering from delirium tremens, arising from the effects of drunkenness and adulterated liquors. It is well known that most of the spirits sold here and elsewhere throughout New Zealand, are highly adulterated, and if taken in large quantities are a dangerous poison. " The Adulteration of Food Act, 1866," could, with a few amendments, be made effective in the prevention of the sale of such spirits ; but in its present form it must remain a nullity, as it compels the purchaser of food or drink to deposit a sum not exceeding five pounds, with the view of having the article analyzed by the Colonial Analyst. If the Act were left to the police to enforce, a vast improvement would soon be effected in the quality of liquors sold in public-houses. You will observe that 36 children were taken in charge tinder the Neglected and Criminal Children's Act. Most of these were either deserted by their parents or were the children of criminals. A few of them were known petty thieves, but, in the absence of a reformatory, were sent to the Industrial School along with the other children. Their unfitness for that institution became soon apparent, as they not only absconded from the school themselves, but caused some of the other children to follow their example, and created such disorder that it is quite evident such a class of children should not be admitted. The question of education has lately engaged the attention of the public here to a large extent.' The Education Act introduced last year has been highly beneficial in causing a large increase in the number of children who attend school, and in affording education to the children of the back lanes and alleys of the city, who, before the Act was passed, received no education whatever. Much still remains to be done in this respect; but so long as the Act has been in operation, its good effects have been clearly visible. During the year a large number of destructive fires have occurred in the city, and property of the value probably of £115,000 has been destroyed. The number of fires in Auckland do not perhaps exceed those of other places with as large a population, and with the same class of wooden buildings, but they are much more destructive, from the fact that we are, I may say, entirely devoid of a water supply ; and our fire brigade bears no comparison in point of efficiency to the brigades of the southern provinces. "When a fire occurs, it usually burns while it has got materials to feed upon, and only ends when it reaches an open space, or comes in contact with a brick building. There is no evidence to show that any of the late fires were the result of incendiarism, although the probability is that some of them were ; but the difficulty of detection in such cases I need scarcely mention. A crime which can be committed by the mere act of throwing away a lighted match, which may be done through mere carelessness (and a jury will always believe that such was the case, when it comes to be a question of whether it was done carelessly or wilfully, and which can only be judged of by the intention), requires an amount of ingenuity in its discovery beyond the ability of any detective skill; and the few convictions which have ever taken place for this offence, have occurred through the want of prudence or judgment on the part of the offender, who, by some omission, left a clue by which detection followed. The absence of a water supply tends much to the growth of incendiarism, as the materials used in raising the fire are invariably destroyed in the conflagration ; and the close competition amongst insurance offices is another source from which incendiarism arises. In the desire of increasing business, insurances are effected on premises without due inquiry. The large amount of insurance offers a strong temptation to the person insured; and when to this is added a decline in business, the inducement becomes too great, and crime follows. A case in point occurred here lately. A person insured his stock for £60; some time afterwards he increased his insurance to £100, without any inquiry being made by the office. Shortly after this, the place was discovered on fire early in the evening, at a time when no person was on the premises, and in a place where it could not well have been the result of accident. Fortunately, a few of the neighbours discovered it, and quickly succeeded in extinguishing it. After doing so, the police got a competent person to value the stock, who stated that it was worth, at the outside, not more than £35. I cannot say that the fire was the work of an incendiary, but it bears a very suspicious appearance. The Act for the regulation of quartz crushing machines, which was brought into force shortly after the date of my last annual report, has operated most satisfactorily in the suppression of specimen tealing. Owing to the exertions of Sub-Inspector Bullen and the Thames Constabulary, several convictions have taken place under it, in the last of which the defendant was fined in the sum of £200— a punishment which, no doubt, will deter many from following his example. The society formed hero for the prevention of specimen stealing has expressed its approval of the conduct of the police, and signifies its intention of supporting them to the utmost in enforcing the law.
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I am compelled to bring under your notice the large number of constables who have left this district from various causes during the year. Out of a total of 45 of all ranks, 10 men have resigned, 4 have been dismissed, and 3 transferred to other districts at their own request. The cause of this is not far to seek, and lies entirely in the low rate of pay the men receive. Formerly the rate of wages throughout the province was exceedingly low ; at that time there was no difficulty in keeping constables in the force, but at present, when labourers receive Bs. per diem, mechanics 10s. and 125., and the constabulary of the southern provinces Bs. 6d. and 95., it is needless to expect that efficient constables will remain in the service at 6s. Some time ago the men memorialized for an increase of pay. I strongly recommended that an advance of at least Is. per diem should be made to the different grades, from the sergeant-major downwards, but I regret to say that up to the present no increase has been given. The Provincial Council is now in session, and from a press copy of the proposed estimates I observe that it is intended to increase the pay of the constables only by 6d. per day, without any increase to the sergeants. Believing the latter to be an error, I have written to His Honor the Superintendent pointing it out. It is much to be desired that the Council could see its way towards granting the men the increase recommended, as it is the only means of inducing them to remain; and were the difference between an intelligent and an ignorant body of police only taken into consideration, and the good or evil likely to result from the employment of either, it would not long remain a question whether the men should get an advance of 6d. or Is. From a knowledge of our criminal laws, acquired by many years police experience, I am enabled to say that the enforcement of those laws depends, in a great measure, on the class of men employed in the police. Tear by year the Colonial Parliament, the different Provincial Councils and Municipalities, pass laws and by-laws, depending entirely on the police for their intelligent operation. By the employment of ignorant and unsuitable men in tho police, these laws would become a source of oppression to the community, and instead of being a public good, would occasion much evil. On the other hand, if the police are intelligent and wisely directed, the laws will be enforced in the spirit in which they were intended, and will be likely to realize the expectations of their framers. None but those who have inquired into the matter can be aware of the powers the police possess, whether for good or evil. They can increase or decrease litigation by their advice and counsel; they can daily settle a thousand small matters which would constantly employ the time of Police Courts in investigating ; they can cause any law to become a dead letter by failing to see breaches of it committed, or they can enforce any law in such a way as would defeat the object of the Legislature. Occupying such a position, it ought not to be a question whether their pay was increased 6d. or Is. a day, when all they receive at present is 6s. In the estimate for the ensuing year submitted to you, the total cost of police, including the Thames Gaol and the erection of a lock-up at Gisborne, is set down at £9,024 10s., being an advance on the cost for 1873, of £2,393, which is occasioned by the proposal of an increase in the men's pay, as above noted, by an increase in the cost of the travelling expenses of constables, which last year amounted to £328 12s. lid., by the proposal of the expenditure of £220 for the erection of a lock-up and station at Mercer, which are much required, and by an increase of six constables in excess of the vote for 1873. Two of these have already been allowed by His Honor the Superintendent, one for night duty on the wharf, and one as an addition to the water police, which before only numbered two men, a force totally inadequate for a port of this importance. The other four are intended as an augmentation to the city police, and have been urgently required for years past. The entire strength at present enables me to place two constables on each relief on the town during the day, and one on the wharf and three in the town during the night; but, when men are unfit for duty from illness or injuries received in the discharge of their duty, a common occurrence, less than this number have to serve during the day, in order to keep up the strength for night duty. I have so often brought under your notice the insufficiency of the police force of this district, that I must apologize for again reverting to it; but to furnish an annual report without noting what is a pressing want, would be to omit the most important part of it. I have frequently quoted the cost of different police forces, not with the view of drawing a comparison favourable to this place, but of showing how grossly inadequate the vote for police in Auckland is. The vote of our Provincial Council for 1873 was for forty-three men at a cost of £6,300, while the rate in Otago for the same period was for ninety men at a cost of £20,300. I do not believe that the cost of the Otago police for the year was excessive, but there can be no question that the vote for police in this province was totally insufficient. It may be thought by some that a smaller police force is required here than in Otago, but so far as I can judge there is no reason for this conclusion, and a glance at the criminal record attached will show that a large reduction in our crime is desirable. An efficient police force would cost as much here as in Otago, making due allowance for the difference in population, which amounts to IG,OOO, and for the employment of escorts, which are not needed here. In the year 1865, when the population of the province was perhaps some 45,000, the police'vote was £9,382 Is., while at the present time, with a population of 68,000, the vote is £3,000 less than it was then. Allowing for the disturbances of those days, and the peace of these, it would still be supposed that with such a large increase of population the police vote would at least equal what it was in 1865. I have already stated that an outcry is raised here in favour of education, and a reduction in crime is one of the advantages which it is said will arise from the spread of learning. I could have wished that the attention of the public was also turned toward the Police Department, and means afforded to improve its efficiency. While believing that vast benefits will arise from the increase of education, I cannot but think that it will cause little or no reduction in the number of such offences as forgery, embezzlement, frauds, false pretences, larceny by bailees, &c, and that as offenders will possess more intelligence from increase of education, a more intelligent, and consequently more expensive police, must be employed to detect them. Having estimated for so large an advance in the cost of police for the ensuing year, I shall only indicate the numerous other wants of the department without stating their cost, in the hope that next year provision may be made for carrying my recommendations into effect. I would point out the necessity of purchasing sites and erecting police stations and lock-ups at Parnell and Newton, at which places constables have been stationed for years, who reside in private cottages rented by the Govern-
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ment at 10s. per week each ; but as no lock-up is attached to either, the constables lose half their efficiency in being unable to dispose of drunkards and disorderly persons ; and a notice has been served on the department that'the rent of the Newton station is about being raised to 13s. per week. The Government possess a suitable site at Papakura for the erection of a station, upon which a lock-up has been already built, but the constable resides in a cottage rented by the Government at Bs. per week, which is situated about a quarter of a mile away from the lock-up, a most inconvenient distance. A station should be built as soon as possible. New stations are also required at Whangarei and "Waiuku, at which places lock-ups have been erected for some time past; but the police duties are performed by special constables, who, as I have frequently stated, are so circumstanced that they cannot perform their duties as they should, being labouring men in receipt of £20 per annum for acting as special constables, but depending upon the surrounding settlers for other means of a livelihood. At each of these' places ordinary constables should be employed. A new station and lock-up are also wanted at Ponsonby or Dedwood, a suburb of Auckland now under the charge of the constable at Newton. This is a most important district, and each day the want of having a station there becomes the greater. The constable at Newton has a population of more than 3,000 to look after, and it is impossible that he can attend to the wants of the Ponsonby district. An extra constable is also required at Onehunga, which has risen in importance since the opening of the railway. The population of the place is between 2,000 and 3,000, a number quite beyond the control of the one constable who has been stationed there for some years past. The duties of the Thames sub-district have been performed under the charge of Sub-Inspector Bullen during the year in a most satisfactory manner. The duties of licensing officer under the Arms Act, and Registrar under the Act for the registration of quartz crushing machines, have also been added to Mr. Bullen's care, none of which has led to any advance in his salary, while imposing upon him much additional labour. I have already noted Mr. Bullen's efforts in the prevention of specimen stealing, and have to add that it is entirely owing to his exertions this crime has been seriously checked. Owing to the small body of police employed here, and to the resignation of so many constables, much extra labour has devolved upon Sergeant-Major Pardy and the sergeants of this station, and to these and to the detectives the department is indebted for their exertions in having so well, and with so many disadvantages, preserved the peace of the district for the past year. I have, &c., Thomas Beoham, The Commissioner, Inspector A.C Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.
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RETURN showing the NUMBER of PERSONS brought before the POLICE COURTS in the AUCKLAND CONSTABULARY DISTRICT by the ARMED CONSTABULARY, from the 1st January to the 31st December, 1873.
Abbests. 1 1 Number of Convictions. Number Discharged. it b^-r 1 Summons. I Is 2ff Eemabks. Bemabzs. 1,292 4 1,094 1 M. T. M. F. ■a g 1° 31 Nature of Offence. 3 En «l fcg Nature of Offence. 187 31 9 40 I Drunkenness ... ... Drunk and Disorderly Threatening Language Breach of Vagrant Act Assault, common Assault on Police Assault, indictable Larceny, summary Larceny, indictable ... Forgery and Uttering ... Embezzlement Obtaining Money, &c., by False Pretences Malicious Injury to Property ... Neglected and Criminal Children Breach of Master and Apprentices Act ... Lunacy Arson Attempting Suicide, summary ... Attempting Suicide, indictable ... Keceiving Stolen Property Rape Breach of Foreign Seamen's Act Breach of Merchant Shipping Act Breaking and Entering Houses Manslaughter ... ... Indecent Assault ... Attempt to Murder Scuttling a Vessel ... ... ... Breach of Customs Regulations... Libel Breach of Municipal Police Act Horse and Cattle Stealing Perjury Breach of Arms Act ... Personation at Elections Murder Breach of the Peace ... Disobeying Summons ... Illegally Pawning ... ... Breach of Quartz Crushing Regulations ... Robbery from Post Offices Bobbery with Violence Absconding Witnesses Stealing from Vessels Sheep Stealing ... Attempt to procure Abortion ... 233 26 218 70 35 7 187 25 5 5 7 36 30 1 53 6 3 3 3 27 35 6 7 4 2 3 2 1 6 6 2 3 10 4 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 201 22 132 67 33 6 159 24 5 5 7 33 15 1 37 6 3 2 3 1 27 36 6 5 4 2 3 2 1 6 6 2 2 9 3 9 2 198 32 4 86 3 2 1 28 1 1,065 193 16 106 41 29 5 105 16 5 2 5 28 15 32 4 72 3 2 8 4 27 26 4 1 54 8 1,252 225 20 178 44 31 5 127 16 5 2 5 31 29 8 6 40 26 4 2 60 9 965 of these were first convictions ; the remainder reconvictions. 193 of these were first conviction b ; the remainder were re-con-victions. Breach of Municipal Police Act Drunkenness Breach of Dog Nuisance Act Breach of Vagrant Act Illegal Sale of Poison Breach of Impounding Act Breach of City By-laws Breach of Protection of Animals Act Breach of Licensing Act ... Breach of Arms Act Breach of Kural Police Act Breach of Slaughter-house Act Larceny, summary Assaults on Police Breach of Millers and Bakers Act ... Breach of Destitute Persons Belief Ordinance Breach of Quartz Crushing Regulations Breach of Neglected and Criminal Children's Act Malicious Injury to Property Breach of the Peace 294 10 40 19 3 12 179 17 55 2 20 3 6 1 5 248 9 29 12 2 9 168 14 31 46 1 11 7 1 3 11 3 24 2 6 2 13 22 1 14 3 1 1 5 3 2 5 3 2 5 1 1 12 5 2 1 2 '5 ... 3 15 3 14 "l 16 28 1 1 2 1 1 25 22 5 4 2 13 1 9 5 2 3 41 1 1 2 1 1 26 22 5 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 ... 1 1 12 1 1 7 1 "2 "l 5 2 2 13 1 2 2 2 ... ... "2 2 13 1 3 2 2 2 ... "l 2 ... ... "l 2 "l ... 1 6 1 "*5 2 2 9 1 1 ... ... "- 6 1 5 2 2 9 1 1 ... - ... ... ... 1 2 2 2 8 2 1 2 1 ... 2 9 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 .... 1 "l 1 ... 1 1 2 1 1 "l 1 1 2 "l ... ... ... ... ... "l ... 1 "l 1 ... Totals 2,385 1,987 398 1,751 357 237 40 2,108 277 Totals 557 I 126 683 Note. —This Return does not include the Waikato, Tauranj or Poyert' Bai Constabular Districts.
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Table No. 1. RETURN showing the MONTHLY STRENGTH of the ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE, from 1st July, 1873, to 30th June, 1874.
Table No. 2. RETURN of MEN ENROLLED for the ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE, from 1st July, 1873, to 30th June, 1874.
Table No. 3. RETURN showing the NUMBER of OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, and CONSTABLES struck off the Strength of the ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE, from 1st July, 1873, to 30th June, 1874.
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Offii iers. No i-commissii Officers. med Hori >C9. Year. Month. |5 CD £U co CO rt a p in Is 5 o I A ■ .sgSS ° o Is I* O en 02 CO I .2 3 -A he II 3 E S o '5 s i B 02 to ■g m D OQ 8 1 I So s ■ 1 B Pn QD D E o w 3 o H S B o S o 1873 July ... 8 1 15 7 3 4 2 8 33 40 588 709 7 102 37 14, 160 )) August ... 8 1 15 7 3 4 2 8 35 40 583 706 7 103 41 18 169 » September 8 1 16 7 3 4 1 2 8 35 43 580 707 7 103 41 18 169 » October... 8 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 35 43 577 704 7 107 41 13 168 )} November 8 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 35 42 581 707 7 109 41 13 170 I December 8 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 35 44 581 709 7 108 42 12 169 1874 January... 8 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 35 42 554 680 7 105 42 17 171 M February 8 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 33 43 557 682 7 107 40 16 170 B March ... 7 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 7 33 43 554 677 7 112 40 16 175 April 7 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 34 43 541 666 7 113 40 16 176 j) >» May 7 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 32 44 535 659 7 130 40 16 193 n June 7 1 15 7 3 4 1 2 8 33 42 545 668 7 129 40 18 194
Year. Month. Number of Men Enrolled. 1873 1874 July August September October November December January February March April May June 8 15 7 22 18 7 5 18 0 !) 25 18 Total 156
Cause of becoming Non-efft ictive. Total. Discharged. Deserted. Deceased. Dismissed. Transferred to Detective Branch, under Arms Act. 2 *150 + 3 41 197 • Includes Inspect t Includes Inspeci tor C. Dean Pitt, who : ;or George J. Cumininj resigned 3rd March, 1874, ;, who died at Te Kapu, 8th Jul; 1873.
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Table No. 4. RETURN showing the STRENGTH and DISTRIBUTION of the ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE, also the STATIONS occupied by them, on 30th June, 1874.
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Sul i-Ins] lectors. Sergeants. M ■ 1—1 E o o ■ a M O S3 o o S o E □ I tn a o I I so r 1 o Sen Ma »ts.--ior. Constables. rn H O 1—1 g w t— ( o 1st !lass. !nd Class. O a E ■ Q H 1st /lass. 2nd Class. Jj a 03 A 3 cm O "3 Stations. c o I 4J a 9 4 3 i o 1 t a a o 4S § 4J 13 I o G O I I i i to 5 Cambridge Alexandra... Auckland ... Ford Eedoubt* ... Hamilton ... Harapipi ... Hokianga ... ... KihiKibi Ngaruawahia Orakau Paikuku* Pukekura ... Raglan Te Awamutu Rotorangi... Mangapiko Road Party* 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 12 4 1 27 10 3 6 11 3 1 9 3 6 3 12 1 49 17 5 7 14 3 1 14 3 7 4 15 1 2 18 i 1 2 6 % M M l 2 i 2 1 "i 1 2 i 1 i 16 1 1 1 1 15 18 1 kj 1 5 1 1 2 8 1 8 22 126 178 si New Plymouth ,,, Pukearuhe Waiiti Urenui Okato Mimi Bridge Road Party* 1 1 ... | 1 ... I ... I ... i "i 1 1 i i 1 2 4 2 2 4 8 21 16 27 3 2 4 L 9 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 12 38 61 if Opepe Napier Runanga ... Tapuaeharuru Tarawera ... TeHarato* Niboo te Kiore *... 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 i 1 8 1 2 2 44 2 11 13 11 2 1 "l 61 3 16 18 16 2 1 M B if si M p 1 1 3 1 1 3 4 5 13 84 1 117 Ormond ... Gisborne ... 1 1 i 1 i 4 1 14 5 1 22 8 1 1 1 1 l 5 19 1 30 I Te Kapu Clyde Onepoto Maru Maru Ohuka* 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 l i 3 1 1 1 1 15 16 6 2 22 2 19 9 4 EH I "i 1 1 2 2 1 3 7 39 56 If fil B a-1 Tauranga ... Maketu Matata TeTeko Whakatane Opotiki 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 i l 1 3 1 i l 17 1 4 4 27 3 1 1 6 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 7 26 45 fi r i Patea Waihi Hawera ... Manutahi... Wairoa Waitotara... Wanganui... Otaki* 1 1 1 1 I 1 t i 2 4 3 2 1 7 23 2 3 2 2 17 29 3 3 2 2 2 4 i "i ... ... "4 1 I 1 2 j 1 l 3 4 10 39 62 1 ... Dep&t 1 1 1 1 j 1 i 2 1 1 1 4 5 54 72 1 Auckland 1 1 1 3 5 1 35 47 *New Stations. By Authority j Geobge Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—187-1 * Wee 1*.
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Bibliographic details
ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE. (ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMISSIONER.), Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, H-12
Word Count
19,253ARMED CONSTABULARY FORCE. (ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMISSIONER.) Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, H-12
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