17

H.—lo,

A comparison of the criminal statistics of last year with those of 1872 and 1873 shows but a slight difference either in the total number of arrests, or classification of offences during these years; the number of arrests for drunkenness being somewhat less each year, and for other offences perhaps somewdiat greater, but not such as to call for any special notice. Could statistics alone be taken as a proof of freedom from crime, it would be a matter for congratulation that, considering the largo annual increase in the population of this province, no increase has taken place in the criminal records; but, although the population is exceedingly orderly, it would be erroneous to suppose that no increase in crime has really taken place. Each year settlement becomes extended, and population increases in the outlying districts; but, as the police duties in those districts are performed by special constables who are merely constables in name, and not in utility, no notice is taken of the crime committed there, although it is well known that sheep and cattle stealing is carried on to a large extent. The necessity of altering the present system, and of affording police protection to outlying settlements, as well as to centres of population, has been often brought under the notice of the Provincial Government but, owing to the state of the provincial finances, without effect, notwithstanding which I think it necessary to recur to the subject, in the hope that ultimately a system which only tends to bring the law into contempt may be abolished, and in this view have, in the accompanying estimates, set down a sum for the maintenance of nine constables to replace the special constables stationed at Whangaroa, Whangarei, Mahurangi, Mangawai, Port Albert, Waiuku, Hokianga, Panmure, and Worth Shore. As the suppression of crime, as well as the detection of criminals, is part of the duty of police, I feel it necessary to state that it is by taking children off the streets, and removing them from tho evil influence of fathers who are thieves, and abandoned mothers, any great improvement is likely to be made in this respect; and in this view would strongly urge the necessity of liberal grants being made towards the maintenance of industrial and training schools. Since the establishment of the Industrial School in this place numbers of children who must have adopted a criminal career have been reformed and sent to fill respectable situations in the country ; and with the formation of the training school lately established here more benefits still are likely to arise. As bearing directly upon the matter, I think it well to bring under your notice the operation of the Destitute Persons Relief Ordinance. The general bearing of this Ordinance is to make the desertion of wives and families a very venial offence indeed. It authorizes Magistrates to summon husbands who desert their wives and families, and, upon their being brought before them, to inflict a fine not exceeding five pounds for the offence. The time taken for the return of summonses from one province to another affords an opportunity to the offender to leave the country ; but should he not do so, and fail to appear at Court, or to comply with the order made upon him, the cost of bringing him back to the province from which he deserted is so great, and the utmost fine which can be inflicted upon him is so paltry, as practically to render the Ordinance inoperative. Were the Ordinance altered so as to allow a Magistrate to issue a warrant in the first instance, and were the depositions taken in the Court in which the warrant was issued made evidence in the Court before which the offender was brought, so to enable the Magistrate to commit to some local prison at once and for some substantial term, the Provincial Governments throughout New Zealand would not be put to the vast expense they are at present in having to support such a large number of women and children whose husbands and fathers have deserted them ; nor would so many children, homeless waifs in the streets, have to be provided for in the industrial schools. The estimate for the ensuing year shows an increase in the numerical strength of the Force here of one sub-inspector, one detective, five sergeants, and twenty-two constables in excess of the provincial vote for the current year ; and as the stations they are intended to form and augment are given in detail in the estimate itself, perhaps it is unnecessary to state further than that nine of the constables would replace the special constables already referred to, four of them would be stationed at Ohinemuri and Tairua, four as an augmentation to the city police, and the remaining five at Mongonui, Northern Wairoa, Otahuhu, Parnell, and Newton. The five sergeants would be posted as follows :—One at Russell, an important sea-port, where one constable has hitherto endeavoured to perform the duty; one at Onehunga, also an important port; one at Ohinemuri; one at Coromandel; and one at the Thames. The detective would attend to cases of crime occurring in the country, and so obviate the necessity of detaching one of the two city detectives to attend to such matters, as has hitherto been the custom; and the sub-inspector would assume general charge of the city police, and prosecute police cases before the Court, so as to allow the inspector to attend more to the supervision of the district, and free him from daily attendance at the Police Court. In my last annual report I was compelled to bring under your notice the large number of constables who had resigned the Force in this district during the year. I regret being unable to state that any improvement has since taken place in this respect. Out of a force of eighteen constables employed in the city, no less than fifteen have resigned within the year, partly in consequence of the low rate of pay they receive, and partly from being overworked, owing to the insufficient number of men employed, which compels them to perform more duty than would otherwise have to be imposed upon them. Owing to the continual change of constables, the Force loses half its efficiency; and, with a view to some improvement in this respect, I would strongly urge the necessity of some steps being taken to introduce a Pension Act, similar to those in force in Victoria and New South Wales; otherwise, unless the pay is largely increased, it cannot be expected that constables will remain in the Force for any length of time. It takes a training of some years to give a constable a knowledge of his duty, but under existing circumstances such acknowledge is rarely acquired, as the men leave the Force after a few months' experience, and new and inexperienced men supply their places, only to leave in a similar manner. In the hope of temporarily checking the large number of resignations, I have placed a small sum upon the estimates as an allowance to the constables in lieu of clothing. That an augmentation to the city police is required is so apparent, that I think it unnecessary to dwell further on the matter than to point out the danger of allowing the Force to remain numerically 3—H. 10.