H.—l6.

Criminal Statistics. The criminal statistics (Appendix A) deal with offences reported to the police during the year ended 31st December last, and show an aggregate net increase of 906 on the figures of 1923. The proportion of offences to the population was 1-95 per cent., as against 1-93 the previous year. The principal increases during the year appear under the following headings, viz. : — Unnatural offence .. .. .. ..27 Assaulting, obstructing, or resisting police.. .. 70 Indecent assault on males .. .. 23 Unlawfully using motor-cars .. .. .. 84 Indecent assault on females .. .. 23 Gaming offences .. .. .. 35 Theft (undescribed) .. .. .. .. 242 Failing to maintain wives, &c. .. .. .. 150 Theft from dwellings .. .. .. 44 Ship-desertion, absence without leave, &c. .. 136 Mischief .. .. .. .. . .35 Being on licensed premises after hours .. .. 366 Drunkenness .. .. .. .. .. 434 There were decreases in the following : — Assault (common) .. .. .. .. 149 Cruelty to animals .. . . .. .26 Theft by clerks or servants .. .. .. 66 Vagrancy offences ~ .. .. , 32 Burglary, housebreaking, &c. .. .. 231 Supplying liquor to persons under twenty-one .. 65 Receiving stolen property .. .. ..35 Illegally supplying liquor to Natives .. .. 33 Forgery .. .. .. .. 48 Breaches of Aims Act .. .. .. 82 The following return shows the number of offences reported in each police district during the year, the number of cases in which arrests or summonses resulted, and the number in which no prosecution followed : —

Serious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year : —

2

Number of Offences Number in which Pi' ty tri f Number of in which Arrests no Arrests Offences reported. or Summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. I I Whangarei ... ... ... ... 808 | 798 | 10 Auckland ... ... ... ... 6,637 5,982 655 Hamilton ... ... ... ... 2,212 | 2,109 103 Gisborne ... ... ... ... 1,039 I 1,024 15 Napier ... ... ... ... 1,293 1,249 44 New Plymouth... ... ... ... 802 737 65 Wanganui ... ... ... ... 1,065 1,011 54 Palmerston North ... ... ... 1,239 1,165 74 Wellington ... ... ... ... 4,486 4,202 284 Greymouth ... ... ... ... 1,230 1,214 16 Christchurch ... ... ... ... 3,176 2,745 431 Timaru ... ... ... ... 772 706 66 Dunedin ... ... ... ... 1,326 1,208 118 Invercargill ... ... ... ... 940 898 42 Totals ... ... ... 27,025 25,048 1,977 The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from offences reported during the year 1924 was 92-68, the figures of the preceding year being 93-25.

1923. ! 1924. Crimes ' Number of dumber of Numfcer q{ ' Number of Offences T f Offences Offences m reported. | T* I ' I Arson ... ... ... ... ... 8 3 19 16 Robbery and aggravated robbery ... ... 10 8 3 3 Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. 743 498 512 294 Forgery and uttering ... ... ... ; 242 230 213 208 Murder ... ... ... ... ... 7 6 8 7 Murder, attempted ... ... 1 1 3 3 Rape ... ... ... ... 9 9 6 5 Receiving stolen property ... ... ... 121 121 86 73 Wounding with intent ... ... ... 3 3 3 3 Totals ... ... ... 1,144 879 853 612