5

H.—l6.

The amounts of fines in the various districts are as follows :— £ Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 54 Hamilton .. .. .. .. .. .. ~ .. 1,775 Napier . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 40 Wanganui .. ~ .. .. .. .. .. .. 326 Wellington .. .. . . . . .. .. . . 180 Greymouth .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55 Christohurch .. . . . . ... . . . . . . 50 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 145 Invercargill . . ~ . . .. . . . . . . 90 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £2,715 The direct cost to the Department in detecting and prosecuting sly-grog sellers during the year was £567, this being £2,148 less than the amount of fines imposed. Gaming Offences. There were 214 prosecutions, resulting in 181 convictions, during the year under the gaming laws, against 270 prosecutions and 228 convictions in 1914. Criminal Registration Branch. This branch of the Department continues to be of great value to the Police Force. During the year the finger-impressions of 2,972 prisoners were received, classified, searched, and filed, and 218 prisoners were identified as previous offenders in this Dominion, Australia, England, &c. ; 537 photographs were taken ; the portraits of 1,446 prisoners were dealt with ; and 368 photographs of discharged prisoners were reproduced in the Police Gazette. The identity of one deceased person was established by his finger-prints. The Police Gazette increased in volume by 69 pages of printed matter. In two noteworthy cases —-viz., the attempt to break and enter the Bank of New South Wales at Eltham, and the breaking and entering of the Borough Council Chambers at Miramar, Wellington— the finger-print evidence was of the utmost importance and was responsible for bringing the four offenders concerned to justice. On the 31st March, last the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 1.8,134 offenders, being an increase of 1,452 over the previous year. The following table shows the increase of the finger-print collection since the introduction of the finger-print system of identification in March, 1903.

Candidates for Force. Fifty-eight men were taken on during the year, their nationalities, religions, and occupations being as follows : —Nationalities: England, 13; Scotland,, 4; Ireland, 10; New Zealand, 29; Australia, 2. Religions : Church of England, -21 ; Presbyterian, 12 ; Roman Catholic, 20 ; Methodist, 4 ; Church of Christ, 1. Occupations : Asylum attendant, 1 ; bakers, 2 ; butcher, 1 ; bushman, I ; carpenters, 7 ; carters, 4 ; contractor, 1 ; ex-constables, 10; ox-soldier, 1 ; farm labourers, 11 ; footman, 1; joiner, 1; labourers, 7; miners, 2; railway porters, 4; surfaceman, 1 ; railway fireman, 1; tram-conductor, 1 ; wheelwright, 1. First Aid to the Injured. During the year ended 31st March, 1916, 47 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.

Year. Number of Prints in Collection. Increase on Previous Year. Prisoners traced as PreviouB Offenders. 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 I I i i i ♦ 3,500 4,200 5,000 6,151 7,622 8,718 9,919 10,905 12,097 13,552 15,302 16,682 18,134 3,500 700 800 1,151 1,471 1,096 1,201 986 1,192 1,455 1,750 1,380 1,452 117 72 88 104 123 138 140 148 178 183 230 270 218