9

H.—l3

the supervision of a civilian appointed by the county, in partly rebuilding the Scamperdown Bridge between Te Kapu and Wairoa, and the approaches to it reconstructed. Bush bridges, made of matai stringers and kopunga flooring, have also been constructed on the Opotiki and Ormond Road. Building Houses, Stables, §'c. —The stable at Tauranga has been repaired, and additions made. A cart-shed has been put up at the back of the stable at Opotiki Station. At Te Kapu Station tho barrack-room and library have been partly lined, there not being sufficient timber to complete them. Officers' quarters have also been repaired. At Onepoto a building 22 feet by 10 feet has been built at the back of the officers' quarters, and 4,400 feet of timber sawn for tho purpose of erecting a new barrack-room, which has been commenced, but not yet finished. The cutting of the above-mentioned timber necessitated a great deal of extra work, such as making a road from the saw-pits to the barracks, and building culverts, the distance being over half a mile. Two hundred and eighty feet of planking were also sawn for the purpose of building a new boat for Waikaremoana Lake. The messroom has also been floored and put in repair. A boatshed 36 feet by 12 feet has also been erected. Some of the stalls in the stable at Te Kapu Station have been paved with bricks, the yard raised and gravelled, and the building put in good repair. Two chimneys at Te Kapu, and one at Onepoto, have also been pulled down and rebuilt. Fencing Paddocks and Laying down in Grass. —ln consequence of a portion of the Government paddock at Tauranga being sold, one side of the fence had to be taken down and re-erected, two new gates made and placed on roadway, and the remainder of the fence kept in good order and repair. The Government paddock at Opotiki has been ploughed three times, well rolled and harrowed, and laid down in English grass. A small quantity of oats was sown with it to protect the grass from frost, &c. The paddock has been fenced with a good two-rail fence, and the ditch cleansed and kept in good order. The fences round tho paddocks at Te Kapu and Onepoto Statrons have been kept in repair. Ten acres of hay were cut, but owing to the long drought tho yield was very small. Two hundred posts and three hundred rails have been split at Onepoto Station for fencing purposes. Erecting and Bepairing Telegraph Lines. —Nil. Building Sea-walls. —Nil. General Remarks. The cemetery fence at Tauranga has been repaired, the soldiers' and sailors' graves cleaned, and the grave fences, head-boards, &c, repaired and painted. The well in the Government paddock has been sunk deeper, aud a new cover, windlass, &c, erected. The Defence Magazine has also been painted. One dray and two draught horses are constantly employed in carting forage and stores from Clyde to Te Kapu. The following changes have taken place in the district during the year: —-SubInspector Preece resigned June, 1577 ; Inspector Richardson's services dispensed with, January, 1878. There have been 14 non-commissioned officers and constables discharged; 10 constables transferred from, and 9 constables to, the district during tho year. Three deaths also have occurred during that time.

No. 3. Superintendent Shearman to the Hon. the Commissioner, New Zealand Constabulary. Superintendent's Office, Constabulary Department, Sir,— Wellington, 23rd June, 1878. In reply to your letter of the 23rd ultimo, No. 452, requesting me to furnish a report on the state of my district for the current financial year, 1 have the honor to inform you that I have as yet been unable to make a personal inspection of all the stations of tho police in the North Island, though I have visited the head-quarters and principal outposts in Auckland and Hawke's Bay, and have inspected all the stations in the Wellington and Taranaki Districts. Manual of Bules and Begulations. —The rules which the members of the Police Force are provided with were published expressly for the guidance of the Field Force. On examination, it will be found that further regulations are required for this branch of the service. For instance, the regulations for the guidance of city police and detectives are omitted. Rules were framed by the late Conference of police officers which would, if amended, be more suitable. I would recommend a short manual being compiled and issued to the Force. Economy and Efficiency.- —In preparing the proposed estimates for the next financial period, both features were taken into consideration : the total strength of the Force is 184, and the population 204,094. This allows one man to about every 1,109, which will compare favourably with similar establishments in other colonies. The expenditure per head of population is 3s. 4d. per annum. It would be a source of economy, and would tend towards efficiency, if suitable sites for stations and paddocks were set apart in all places likely to become centres of population. This would prevent now and hereafter large expenditure of public money, and would obviate the necessity for the purchase of forage to a large extent. As it will be found to be true economy to have the best men in the Force, I respectfully suggest that such inducements as are possible should be offered to render the service attractive. Of this character would be retiring allowances, good quarters, rewards for good conduct; but the most important of these is the provision for old age or infirmity, which has a tendency to induce men to make the Force a career to which they devote their lives, instead of a mere resource for obtaining employment till something better offers. Preserving the Peace, and Prevention of Crime —Though the population is rapidly increasing in every direction, I am happy to be able to say that the peace has been very creditably preserved by the police in this Island. Taking the strength of the Force into consideration, and the scattered position of the men over so large a space, the attached offences return will be found to be very satisfactory. 2—H. 13.