H.—lo
1880. NEW ZEALAND.
NEW ZEALAND CONSTABULARY (ANNUAL REPORTS ON).
Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Qommand of His Excellency.
No. 1. Lt.-Colonel Reader to the Hon. the Defence Minister. New Zealand Constabulary Commissioner's Office, Sir, — Wellington, 31st May, 1880. I have the honor to forward you the Annual Reports in connection with both branches of the Constabulary for the year ending 31st March, 1880, furnished me by the Officers in Charge. Since the commencement of the present year a redistribution of the Police Supervision of the Middle Island was found necessary to avoid the delay and consequent inconvenience of the whole of the Police Correspondence, of that Island, having to be referred to Dunedin before reaching Wellington, thus, the Nelson and Marlborough Districts were attached to the North Island under Superintendent Shearman, Canterbury and Westland were placed under Superintendent Broham, and Otago and Southland under Superintendent Weldon. This arrangement is working most satisfactorily. The Armed Constabulary in the Waikato Frontier, Taupo, and Opotiki Districts, is under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Lyon, and that quartered in the disturbed districts of Patea and Taranaki under Lieut.-Colonel Roberts, N.Z.C. Both these officers speak most favourably, in their reports, of the efficiency of their men. There has been very little road making in the Waikato, during the past year, as the division of Constabulary, located there, being chiefly composed of recruits, the time, until recently, had to be wholly devoted to training. It will be seen by Lieut.-Colonel Roberts' report that his men have been principally engaged in road making, building redoubts, etc., and he speaks most highly of the zeal of the officers and good conduct of the men. It was to have been expected that in so largely increasing the force, in so short a time, notwithstanding every precaution, a proportion of bad characters would find their way in, but the comparatively few, of this class, who joined were soon found out, got rid of, and replaced by good men. It is a matter of congratulation that in a force of upwards of 700 men, the majority of whom have been under canvas, exposed to very wet weather, but one casualty from sickness has occurred during the year. I have, &c, H. E. Reader, The Honourable the Defence Minister, Wellington. Commissioner.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1. Superintendent Shearman, to the Commissioner, New Zealand Constabulary. New Zealand Constabulary Depot, Sir,— Wellington, Bth April, 1880. In compliance with your letter of the 19th February (No. 75), I do myself the honor to submit the following report, relating to the Police in the Northern Division of the Colony, for the twelve months ending the 31st March : — There are nine police districts —Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Tauranga, Thames, Auckland, Taranaki, Wanganui, Nelson, and Marlborough. These are divided into sub-districts, the latter into patrols, and the cities and towns into beats, entailing the direct responsibility of the persons in charge for the preservation of peace and the detection of crime throughout the Division. The selection of sites for police buildings and paddocks in suitable places throughout the Division has been continued during the past year. It is important for reasons of economy as well as efficiency that no time should be lost, as the difficulty of obtaining them in suitable positions will increase with the population. The barrack accommodation is gradually improving ; the mounted division of the force is provided with revolvers and rifles, and the foot with batons ; the records and books as a rule are correctly kept, and the horses when possible are grass-fed. I—H. 10.