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7. Now, as regards the proposed control of licensed houses, it was stated last year and is now reiterated, that what is required on our Statute-book is clause 25 of the Imperial Licensing Act, 1872, in toto, and not as at present merely the last few lines of that clause. 8. Then the larrikin nuisance. I am glad to be able to report that considerable success has attended the endeavours of the Police to cope with this evil during the past year, but it cannot be effectually put down till power is given to arrest, instead of merely summon, lads and boys who loiter about street-corners and make themselves generally objectionable to the annoyance of passers, more especially to unprotected females. This matter is drawn special attention to in the extract from the report of Inspector Broham. 9. One great disadvantage the Force labours under, and it becomes more apparent every year, and requires no inquiry to find it out, is that many of the sergeants and some of the constables have passed the age of activity required to fill the positions; but, owing to there being no superannuation scheme in force, it seems somewhat heartless to turn away an honest and willing servant, who has given the best part of his life to the service, and grant him merely twelve months' pay as a compassionate allowance, and from this cause the efficiency is doubtlessly impeded. I should like to see such billets as messengerships in Government buildings given as a reward for long service to some members of the Force who are now from old age unfitted for the active life of a policeman. 10. There has been little or no promotion during the last few years, owing to the rank of sergeant being overmanned; and I hope the classification scheme I submitted last year may receive your favourable consideration. I believe such a classification would give general satisfaction and remove many sores caused by men being promoted for considerations other than those of merit and seniority. I have no hesitation in saying that if the proposed scheme of pay and advancement were adopted good standards of efficiency and discipline must be the result. 11. Owing to fears of interference with the surveyors in the King-country by the Maoris, Inspector Emerson and twelve members of the Force, accompanied by a strong detachment of the Permanent Militia, under Lieutenant Hume, proceeded to Te Whaiti at the end of April, 1895, and remained up there till early in August last, and no doubt their presence was the means of putting an end to any obstruction that may have been contemplated, so that their services were not actually required. When the main body was withdrawn a police-station, with a sergeant and four constables, was established at Te Whaiti, and by gradual reductions the strength there is now one constable. 12. Owing to the continued absence of so many of the Permanent Force, as referred to in the foregoing paragraph, it was found that qualified men could not be provided to fill the existing vacancies in the Police by the Permanent Militia, and consequently the department for some time was considerably hampered through vacancies remaining unfilled; and when the Force returned from the King-country, there were so many vacancies existing that there were not enough qualified gunners to fill them, and after all that fulfilled the requirements had been taken there still remained many vacancies to be filled in the Force, and resource had to be had to men who had not previously served in the Permanent Force; and by a careful selection on your part of duly qualified men, those admitted have so far given entire satisfacton, and are proving a valuable addition to the Force. 13. It will thus be seen that the system of recruiting for the Police from the Permanent Force entirely broke down, and this is only a forerunner of what is certain to happen should war break out, and the Permanent Force be required for active service. The fact of selection for the Police being limited to the ranks of the Permanent Force, or about 180 men, renders the field of choice altogether too limited, and allows no scope for picking and choosing ; whereas if a selection was made from the general community, a much better stamp of men for constables could be secured. The system of taking the best men from the Permanent Force for the Police no doubt seriously affects the efficiency of that Force, and though I see no reason why a man who shows aptitude for the Police should be debarred from joining it because he is a member of the Permanent Force, still the regulations making it compulsory to recruit the Police from that body should be at once cancelled. There is at present a list of some 200 applicants for the Force, who from their physique, education, general character, and recommendations should make good constables, so that there is not likely to be any difficulties in filling vacancies in future. Another advantage in recruiting outside the Permanent Force is, that those selected are strangers to each other, and have not a large circle of friends in the various towns ; whereas those joining from the Artillery have been comrades in barracks, and have played football and joined in other sports with the citizens, amongst whom they have to perform police duty afterwards, which hampers them considerably in properly carrying out their duties. 14. The object of confining the recruiting for the Police to the Permanent Force was to provide a reserve of trained gunners, to he available for augmentation in time of war; but owing to the fact of the constables composing this reserve being scattered all over the colony, it is extremely doubtful whether they could be concentrated in the centres expeditiously enough to permit of their being of any real value. It has also been found that men who have gone through their service in the Permanent Force with exemplary characters are often unable to resist the temptations which naturally beset the path of constables. 15. The criminal statistics for the past year show an increase of 480 in the total number of all offences reported in the colony during the year as compared with the previous twelve months. The principal increases are : Abortion, procuring, 7 ; assaults, common, 76 ; assaults, occasioning bodily harm, 20; burglary, breaking into shops, 63; coinage offences, 15; cruelty to animals, 47; deserting and failing to provide for wives and children, 160; drunkenness, 42; failing to support near relatives, 53 ; gaming offences, 33; murder, 8 ; murder (attempted), 4 ; obscene and profane language, 45 ; obstructing railway-lines, 5; sly grog-selling, 23 ; sodomy, 3 ; theft as bailee, 27; theft of cattle and horses, 21 ; theft of sheep, 18 ; theft from dwellings, 49; theft from the person, 51; vagrancy, 38. Other crimes have decreased as follows : Arson, 9 ; assaults, indecent, 19; assaults on police, 8; breaches of the peace, 56; embezzlement, 16; false pretences, 25; forgery and utter-