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offenders of all ages, with gratifying results. During the year 1919, the last complete year under the original First Offenders Probation Act, a total of 226 persons were admitted to probation. Of that number 126, or 55-8 per cent., were under the age of twenty years, the remaining 44-2 per cent, being over that age. During the past year 572 persons were granted probation, and of that number 370, or 64-7 per cent., were over twenty years of age, leaving 353 per cent, of offenders under twenty years. The work of the honorary and police Probation Officers has continued at the high standard that was set some years ago, and I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of their practically gratuitous but highly efficient services during the past year. They have not contented themselves with the routine duties as set out in the Act and regulations, but have taken a personal interest in the welfare of the probationers under their control and have given material assistance in helping them to make good. C. E. Matthews, Chief Probation Officer. REPORTS OE HONORARY PROBATION OFFICERS EOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1924. W. J. Campbell, General Probation Officer, Auckland. I have pleasure in submitting this, my second annual report as Probation Officer of the Auckland District, for the year ended 31st March, 1924. Court Probationers. —From the figures appended for the year under review it may fairly be claimed that the working of the Offenders Probation Act, 1920, in so far as this centre is concerned, has been in a large measure successful in attaining the beneficial ends for which this Act was placed, on the statute-book. There have been failures, but these, viewed in the light of the 1 , numbers concerned, are few, amounting as they do to less than 9 per cent, of the total. During the year 143 males were admitted to probation for varying periods by the Auckland Courts, the numbers and periods being as follows : 1 for three months, 3 for six months, 28 for twelve months, 1 for eighteen months, 69 for two years, 33 for three years, I for three and a half years, 7 for five years. Added to these, 39 were received on transfer from other districts, making a total of 182 received during the year. The following table shows tin; complete figures for the year : — Probationers reporting at Ist April, 1923. . .. .. .. .. 162 Probationers received from Auckland Courts .. .. ..- 143 Probationers received on transfer . . .. .. .. 39 182 344 of whom there were— Discharged by Prisons Board .. .. .. .. .. 6 Completed probation .. .. .. .. .. :, 51 Transferred to other districts .. . . . . .. 55 Sentenced for lapses after being admitted to probation .. .. 14 — 126 Total on register at Ist April, 1924 .. .. .... 218 During the year 8 probationers were convicted of breaches of probation and sentenced to short terms of imprisonment, reverting to probationary conditions on their release. Of the 218 on the register at the end of the period, 7 absconded during the year and have not been traced. These, with 14 sentenced on. other charges, and 8 sentenced for breaches of probation, make a total of 29 defaulters, constituting, as previously mentioned, less than 9 per cent, of the number dealt with during the year. Not the least gratifying phase of the year's working is the amount of restitution and costs of prosecution received from probationers. Restitution to the sum of £1,002 18s. Bd., and costs to the sum of £171 7s. Bd., were paid, a total of £1,1.74 6s. 4d. The restitution was duly paid to the aggrieved parties in the several cases, and costs of prosecution to the Public Account. Probationers are almost without exception, weekly-wage earners, and the necessity of having to make restitution by instalments does much to impress them with a sense of the folly of wrongdoing, and curtails in many cases previous extravagant habits. There are cases on record where this compulsory thrift has engendered voluntary thrift and resulted in the opening of a savings-bank account when the compulsory payments were completed. With few exceptions, the conduct of the probationers has been good throughout, and the attention paid to reporting as required has been gratifying. In this connection it is interesting to note that for the year ended 31st March, 1924, approximately over three thousand monthly reports on probationers have been forwarded to the Chief Probation Officer, and, as the majority of probationers report weekly, this shows over nine thousand personal reports to the Probation Officer. Crimes Amendment Act Probationers. —The numbers in this class who reported during the year are as follows : April, 63 ; May, 60 ; June, 59 ; July, 61 ; August, 63 ; September, 58 ; October, 56 ; November, 62 ; December, 73 ; January, 80 ; February, 73 ; March, 69.