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Recent legislation is working smoothly. I have no recommendations to make as to any necessary alterations in the criminal law. Superintendent Hendrey, Auckland District. The only increase in the strength during the year was an additional constable each at Takapuna, Avondale, Mount Eden, and Onehunga Stations. Increase of strength is urgently required to the following stations : Freeman's Bay —Increase of one constable, to enable two constables to be kept for night duty ; present night-duty beat takes nearly two hours patrol, and should be divided into two beats. Queen Street Wharf —Two additional constables are, required at this station. The wharves are extending, and require closer patrol than present strength permits. City Station —Twenty constables are required to be added to authorized strength so as to permit of all beats being filled, &c. With present strength it is difficult to cover city and to fill points and positions that must be filled by police. St. Heliers Bay—One constable is required for a new station at St. Heliers Bay when buildings for police, purposes can be secured. Total increase of strength required, twenty-four constables. No new stations have been opened or closed during the year, but arrangements will require to be made to provide for new stations at St. Hollers Bay and Henderson, the growth of population in both these places being such as to require the protection of police. The offence return for the year ended 31st December, 1921, for this district shows that a total of 5,082 offences were reported, as compared with 5,214 during the previous year, a net decrease of 132. Of the 5,082 offences reported, 4,904 offences were accounted for by arrest or summons, leaving 178 cases undetected. Of the cases dealt with, 4-16 were committed for trial, 4,095 were summarily convicted, and 393 discharged; of the 416 committed for trial 382 were convicted. The principal increases shown in offence return are Indecent assaults, 15 ; house and shop breaking, 59 ; uttering forged documents, 10 ; exposure of person and indecent act, 68 ; vagrancy, 19 ; failing to maintain wives and children, 81.; stowing away on ships, 24. The principal decreases are —Assaults, 37 ; theft (undescribed), 37 ; theft? from dwellings, 10 ; drunkenness, 192 ; drunk and disorderly, 18 ; profane, indecent, and obscene language, 53 ; failing to pay maintenance-money, 58 ; absent from ship without leave, 33 ; embezzling -cargo, 35 ; breach of prohibition order, 134 ; brothel-keeping, 16 ; ill-treating children, 14. None of these figures call for special comment, as they represent the usual fluctuation in crime that occurs from year to year, for which no special reason can be given. On the 16th or 17th July last year a brutal murder took place at Grey Lynn, Auckland, a young man named Frank Edward Jew being battered to death with a wooden paling. A reward of £250 was offered for information leading to detection and conviction of the murderer, but up to date no arrest has been made, but the crime is still being carefully investigated. No other serious crime calling for special comment has occurred during the year. The conduct of the police, generally speaking, has been good. There has been about the average number of constables charged with breaches of the regulations, but nothing of a serious nature has occurred, and the men, who are mostly very young, show considerable keenness in the discharge of their duties. A charge, of assaulting a prisoner was preferred against one constable, and he was committed for trial and acquitted of the charge by a jury. The population of the city and surburbs of Auckland is steadily increasing, and now exceeds 150,000. There is some, unemployment, but there are indications that the depression is only temporary and that things will improve in the, near future. I cannot close this report without referring to the tremendous amount, of work the Police Department is doing for other Departments, some of which have full staffs here and should be compelled to do themselves at least a considerable part of the work that at present they send to the Police to do. We arc simply overloaded with our own work and the work of other Departments, and our present strength makes it difficult to do all we are asked and expected to do. Inspector Wohlmann, Hamilton District. This district was taken charge of by me on the sth March, 1922. During the year the strength has been increased by five constables and one detective, allotted as follows : One detective and three constables at Hamilton, one additional constable at Frankton, and one constable at Kerepehi. During the year a new station has been opened at Kerepehi, and a station at Karangahake has been, closed. ' At Katikati the temporary constable has been replaced by a regular constable. Increase in strength are required as follows : — Te Kuiti :An addition of one constable. The present strength there is one sergeant and two constables ; one of the latter is almost the whole of his time on patrol and inquiry duty in the country district. The growth of the town, the increase of population and police work render it necessary a constable should be on duty at night to protect property, visit night trains, and check the illicit importation of liquor. Morrinsville :At present one constable is stationed at Morrinsville. The growth of this rising town has greatly increased police work. The present constable's time is almost wholly taken up with Court and country work, leaving him no time to patrol the town, visit trains, &c. A second constable, is required. Frankton Junction : The very rapid growth of this portion of Hamilton demands further police supervision and protection of property. The population of 1,307 in 1916 increased to 1,861 in 1917, and is now estimated at over 3,000. In the immediate future provision will have, to be made for a substantial increase, of police at Frankton. I recommend the acquisition of a site for police

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