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The Offences Eeturn already furnished to your office shows an increase of 122 offences; the numbers being 3,310 for 1894, and 3,432 for 1895. Of these, 130 were committed for trial, 2,527 summarily convicted, and 468 discharged. The return does not call for particular notice, there being no great difference between it and the previous year. The City of Wellington continues to make great progress, a large number of fine buildings have been erected during the year, and the population must have increased considerably. Larrikinism and offences of the kind have been kept well in hand, and very few complaints have been received. The members of the Force of all ranks have worked well together, and have been very successful in preventing and detecting crime in the district. I may state that on several occasions strangers have remarked to me that the City of Wellington is a particularly quiet and orderly place. With your permission, I again beg to ask your consideration of my suggestion to erect cottages for the married members of the Force. In consequence of the increase of the population of the city, it is very difficult to get cottages unless at places a long distance from the central station. The rents charged in all cases are very high indeed, and in order to keep within their means married men with families have a very hard struggle and are compelled to occupy an inferior class of houses. The result is that the married men in the city are unsettled, and are constantly on the look out to get transferred to some country station, where they can keep their families at a more reasonable cost. The only remedy that I can suggest for this state of things is for the department to erect a number of suitable cottages on a section close to the central station and let them to the married men at a reasonable cost. I believe if this plan was adopted it would add very much to the comfort of the men and at the same time increase the efficiency of the Force generally. I need scarcely point out that it would be a great advantage to the department in a city like Wellington to have the men located together and available in cases of emergency, instead of being scattered as they are now all over the city. I therefore recommend this matter for your favourable consideration.

Inspector F. McGovern, Nelson and Westland. The present strength is as follows—viz.: one Inspector, five sergeants, thirty-three constables, and two district constables, being an increase of two constables since the 31st March, 1895. During the year a station has been opened at Seddonville. There has been an increase, as compared with last year, in the number of offences reported, but I am happy to say they are chiefly composed of offences of a minor kind, this district being, comparatively speaking, free from crimes of a serious nature. There was an increase of four cases of " theft from a tail-race," but the punishment meted out to two offenders who were detected, will, no doubt, have a salutary effect, and reports of offences of this kind are now few and far between. Drunkenness has slightly increased, some sixty-three additional cases having been dealt with; these cases are, in a great measure, due to the recent mining booms, which have caused money to be rather more plentiful. There is still an increase in the number of offences in connection with the maintenance of parents, relatives, illegitimate children, Sec The larrikin element is, on the whole, kept well in hand and it is only from out-of-the-way townships, devoid of permanent police supervision, that occasional offences of this nature are reported. Sly grog-selling is not flourishing on the West Coast, but during the past year convictions were obtained against two offenders. The publicans, a numerous class in Westland, seem to observe the law and give the Police little or no trouble. The majority of the licensed houses are in good condition and suitable to the requirements of the community. Towards the end of March last the terrible disaster at the Brunner Mine occurred in which no less than sixty-five men perished. This unfortunate calamity cast quite a gloom over the whole coast and caused a deal of additional policework. Willing hands came from all parts eager to take part in the rescue of the entombed miners. Notwithstanding the large number of strangers assembled at Brunnerton everything passed off without a hitch. The departmental buildings throughout the district have been kept in repair, and are now in good condition. A new building has been erected at Nelson, and is now in the occupation of the sergeant in charge. The quarters at Mokihinui and Hokitika have been completed and are now occupied. The conduct of the members of the Force throughout the district has, on the whole, been good, and the police and numerous additional duties have been satisfactorily performed.

Inspector T. Broham, Canterbury and North Otago. The criminal statistics for the year 1895 were forwarded to your office on the 11th March last. These statistics show that for that year 2,743 cases of crime of various kinds were reported to the Police, and 2,559 persons were taken into custody or proceeded against by summons. During the year 1894 2,573 cases of crime were reported ; it thus appears that an increase of 170 cases occurred