H.-16

5

The amounts of fines in the various districts are as follows : — £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 270 0 0 Hamilton ... ... ... ... ... ... 536 0 0 Napier ... ... ... ... ... ... 150 0 0 Wanganui ... ... ... ... ... ... 163 0 0 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... 157 10 0 Greymouth ... ... ... ... ... 90 0 0 Christchurch ... ... ... .. ... ... 155 0 0 Dunedin ... ... ... ... ... 45 0 0 Invercargill ... ... ... ... ... 147 10 0 Total ... ... ... ... ... £1,714 0 0 I'he direct cost to the Department in detecting and prosecuting sly-grog sellers during the year was £543, this being £1,171 less than the amount of fines imposed. Gaming Offences. There were 206 prosecutions, resulting in 133 convictions, during the year under the gaming laws, against 345 prosecutions and 301 convictions in 1912. Criminal Registration. This branch of the Department has been completely reorganized, and is now iii a most efficient and satisfactory state. The police, generally, are taking greater advantage of its assistance, and in return are receiving considerable help from it. There has been a large increase in the work performed, and a consequent corresponding advance in its value. Within the year the general correspondence increased per cent.; the Police Gazette increased in volume by 131 pages (16J per cent.), and is now the largest and most complete publication of its class in Australasia; the finger-impressions of 3,143 prisoners were received, classified, and searched, 230 prisoners were identified as previous offenders in this Dominion, Australia, South Africa, or England; the identity of 4 deceased persons was established by their finger-prints; 571 photographs were taken by the photographers; and 3,971 portraits of discharged prisoners were dealt with. On the 31st March last the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 15,302 offenders, being an increase of 1,750 on the previous year. The following table shows the increase of the finger-print collection, and prisoners traced thereby, since the introduction of the finger-print system of identification in March, 1903 :—

Candidates for Force. Eighty men were taken on during the year, their nationalities, religions, and occupations being as follows: —Nationalities: Australia, 4; England, 10; Ireland, !); New Zealand, 45Scotland, 12. Religions: Baptist, 4; Church of England, 29; Lutheran, 1; Methodist, 2; Presbyterian, 29; Roman Catholic, 15. Occupations: Asylum-attendant. 1; blacksmiths, 3; boilermaker, 1; butcher, 1; carters, 4; carpenter, 1; clerks, 2; engine-drivers, 2; ex-con stables, 21; ex-soldiers, 2; farm labourers, 8; iron-workers, 2; labourers, 22; machine agent, 1; miners, 5; railway surfacemen, 2; shop-assistant, 1; upholsterer, 1. First Aid to the Injured. During the year ended 31st March, 1914, 48 probationers presented themselves, at the conclusion of their course of training at the depot, for examination in " first aid to the injured," the examinations being held under the auspices of the St. John Ambulance Association. Of the 48 men who sat, all passed. The maximum number of marks was gained in one case, the average of those who passed being 8683. (Maximum, 100; bare pass, 50.) The lecturer was in each case Dr. Henry, Police Surgeon, and the examiners different medical men appointed by the Association.

Year. Number of Prints in Collection. Increase on Previous Year. Prisoners traced as Previous Offenders. * 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 3,500 4,200 5,000 6,151 7,622 8,718 9,919 10,905 12,097 13,552 15,302 3,500 700 800 1,151 1,471 1,096 1,201 986 1,192 1,455 1,750 117 72 88 104 123 138 140 148 178 183 230