H.—l6

8

to other members of the Force. The rate of pay has a strong bearing upon discipline, for if men can obtain higher wages outside the Force than in it they are not inclined to submit to the discipline of a well-organized Force. As pointed out in my last annual report, it would greatly strengthen the hands of the police if the Licensing Act were amended to make it an offence for any unlicensed person to keep liquor for sale in a licensed area, and to throw upon such person keeping an unreasonable quantity the onus of satisfying the Court that it was not kept for sale, the same as is the case in no-license areas (see subsection (d) of section 146). Another defect in the Licensing Act is in section 146, subsection (1), paragraph (iv). This paragraph would be more workable if the words " To take into such district " were inserted at the beginning of the paragraph. We find much difficulty in dealing with persons taking considerable quantities of liquor into the no-license area in bags, sacks, &c., which are not labelled as containing liquor. The liquor is not " sent " or " delivered " within the meaning of the Act when the person found taking it in is accosted by the police, and several cases, where considerable quantities of liquor were involved, have had to be abandoned on the grounds that no " delivery " or " sending " could be proved, although the liquor was not labelled. The Arms Act, 1908, might, I think, be suspended with advantage in the North Island as in the South. It is, in my opinion, completely out of date. The conditions under which it was passed have altogether altered, and to attempt to enforce its provisions now would be irksome both to Natives and Europeans.

Inspector Dwyer, Napier District. The offences return for the Napier District furnished to your office for the year ended the 31st December last shows that during the year 1,874 offences of all descriptions were reported, and 1,833 arrests or summonses resulted. The figures show a decrease of 196 of all offences reported on those of the previous year. This is largely due to the decrease in the number of arrests for drunkenness, the figures for the year 1910 being 1,211, and for the year ended the 31st December last 1,035. The district has, on the whole, been very quiet during the year, and no crime calling for any special remark was committed. That portion of my district included in the Horouta Maori District, extending from Waipiro Bay to Hicks Bay, has been brought under the provisions of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910, and Natives are now prohibited from being supplied with liquor anywhere within that area. The prohibition came into force on the 9th March last, and up to the present I have not received any complaints that the law is not being observed by the hotelkeepers in that district. I am pleased to be able to state that the conduct of the members of the Force has, on the whole, been very good during the year in this district. They have been very attentive and active in the discharge of their duties. The time has arrived when a police-station will have to be opened at Nuhaka, a place distant some thirty miles from Wairoa and forty miles from Gisborne. The district is fast becoming settled, and, as it will embrace the districts of Morere and Mahia, there will be ample work for a constable. At present the work is performed from. Wairoa Station, and sometimes one of the constables is absent from there for days at a time, thus causing the Wairoa residents to complain that the town is unpoliced.

Inspector Wilson, Wanganui District. The authorized strength is 1 Inspector, 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 senior sergeants, 6 sergeants, 66 constables, 2 detective sergeants, 1 detective, 1 acting-detective, and 1 district constable. The population of the district is approximately 150,000. The present strength is 84 —this includes Ongaruhe, Raurimu, and Taumarunui Stations; so that we have about 1 constable to each 1,785 of the population. The conduct of the men on the whole has been good. They have been zealous, careful, and attentive to the discharge of their duties. The criminal statistics for the year 1911 show a small increase—viz., 100 offences. 2,663 offences were reported, and 2,558 arrests or summonses were made, leaving 105 offences undetected—about 4 per cent. When it is remembered that quite a number of these alleged offences are not reported until some time after the occurrence, it is obvious we have not a fair opportunity to inquire and discover the offenders. On referring to the annual offences return it will be found there was an increase of 112 cases of drunkenness, so that there is an actual decrease of the more serious offences. I can only attribute the increase of drunkenness to the continued prosperity of the country and better wages paid to all classes of labour.

Inspector Ellison, Wellington District. The authorized strength of the district on the 31st March was 149, being an increase of 4 over the preceding year. During last year 27 recruits were appointed to the district, including 3 sworn in on the 29th March who are waiting to be transferred. Six constables resigned, 5 were called upon to resign, and 1 retired on superannuation. The new buildings at Otaki and Johnsonville which were commenced the previous year have been completed, and thereby the monthly rent account of the Department has been reduced. Considerable addition has been made to Mount Cook Station, which is found very useful.