H.—26

3

Peace, and in due course he brought an action in the Supreme Court against the officials of the racing-club for illegal arrest and ejection. Judgment was given in favour of the club officials, the Judge stating that the man was given in charge to secure his removal from the course, which he had refused to quit. This decision, lam glad to say, satisfactorily solves a hitherto difficult problem, and will relieve racing-clubs for the future from the operation of an admitted evil, and materially assist the police in dealing summarily with the " spieler " nuisance. 13. Cost of Supervision. —From the return attached, showing proportion of police to population, and cost of police per inhabitant in each of the Australian Colonies, it will be seen that New Zealand is far below any of her sisters in both these respects ; but I am of opinion that the time has now arrived that the police, at the centres at least, should be augmented, especially as a considerable number of what appear to be the criminal class are nocking just now to New Zealand, no doubt on account of the depression elsewhere. Another matter I also desire to draw attention to is that at no police-station in the colony have we a matron. There are at many stations a female searcher ; but when there are female prisoners, the searcher's duty ends when she has carefully searched the prisoner, who is then handed over to the care of constables, usually married men ; but lam strongly of opinion that, at the chief centres at least, there should be a matron on the strength of the police establishment, who, after searching the female prisoners, would have charge of them until such time as their cases are disposed of. It is extremely undesirable that constables, whether married or single, should at any time be in charge of female prisoners while they are under detention at a policestation. lam also of opinion that, at the larger centres, two mounted constables should patrol the suburbs nightly, during the long winter nights, for three hours, at uncertain hours; but these recommendations, if carried out, mean extra expense, and, therefore, a corresponding increase in the cost of police per inhabitant in this colony. Before concluding this report, attention is called to what appears to be a growing evil in this colony—viz., "baby-farming." That this evil exists there can be no doubt; and it appears that children, either by advertisement or otherwise, are placed in most unsuitable homes, where it is perfectly well understood that the sooner the child dies the better pleased all concerned will be. It appears to me that a similar Act to '' The Infant Life Protection Act, 1872," 35 and 36 Vict., chap. 38, might with advantage be placed upon the New Zealand Statute-book, which would meet the difficulties of the case as regards infants placed out to nurse by providing for the due registration of name, and home where children are so received; and, further, by directing inspection of such houses, &c. Another system of disposing of infants is by so-called adoption, where children are taken for a lump sum entirely off their mothers' hands, provided no more questions are asked. Sums from £6 to £20 are paid down as a premium ; and for such helpless infants there is absolutely no protection. The recent disclosures in Sydney considerably opened the eyes of the public on these matters, and I believe some legislation is now absolutely required to deal with this evil in this colony. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Defence. A. Hume, Commissioner.

Return showing the Proportion of Police to Population and Cost of Police per Inhabitant in each of the under-mentioned Places.

Note.—Populations are taken from official estimates, as on 31st December, 1892.

Place. Proportion of Police to Population. Cost of Police per Inhabitant. Remarks. Tew Zealand 1 to 1,439 s. a. 2 8J Number of police, 481; net expenditure (vide Appropriation Account for year ended 31st March, 1893), £94,198 Ss. lid. Population, 692,426 (including Maoris). Vide Estimates for 1891-92, viz.: Number of police, 1,535 ; vote, £293,400. Population, 1,107,329. Vide Estimates for 1893, viz.: Number of police, 1,715 ; vote, £324,639. Population, 1,191,050. Vide Estimates for year ending 30th June, 1893, viz. : Number of police, 386 ; vote, £84,782. Population, 331,721. Number of police, 784 (exclusive of Native trackers); vote, £159,759 (vide Estimates for 1892-93). Population, 421,297. Victoria .. 1 to 760 5 0 Tew South Wales .. 1 to 694 5 5 louth Australia 1 to 859 5 lj Queensland 1 to 537 7 7