H.—l6.

Indecent and sexual offences were as under : —

Drunkenness. There has been a decrease of 423 in the number of prosecutions for drunkenness during the year as compared with the previous year. The number charged with drunkenness in 1926 was 7,854 (7,489 males and 365 females), whereas in 1925 the number was 8,277 (7,899 males and 378 females). From the following table it will be observed that 33-26 per cent, of the males and 48-76 per cent, of the females had previous convictions recorded against them, and 6-32 per cent, of the males were not permanent residents of the Dominion.

Return showing the Number of Persons charged with Drunkenness during the Year 1926, and the Number of Previous Convictions against them, so far as is known.

Number of foregoing who were members of the crews of vessels in port .. .. 474 The following table shows the convictions for drunkenness per ten thousand of the population for each year from 1921 to 1925 in Australia and New Zealand : — 1921. 1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. Commonwealth .. .. .. 96-9 101-8 102-9 98-7 97-3 New Zealand .. .. .. 69-0 48-4 52-2 52-7 58-6 Prosecutions against Hotelkeepers. The number of prosecutions against hotelkeepers during the year shows a decrease of forty-nine as compared with the preceding year. There were 511 prosecutions, resulting in 285 convictions, during 1926, as against 560 prosecutions and 294 convictions in 1925. Sly-grog selling. There were seventy-five prosecutions during the year for selling liquor without a license, resulting n sixty-two convictions, and there were also twenty-four prosecutions, resulting in twenty-one convictions, for other offences against the provisions of the Licensing Act in force in no-license districts. The fines imposed on sly-grog sellers during the year 1926 amounted to £1,101.

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Offences. j 1925. j 1926. Unnatural offence ... ... ... ... 6 7 Unnatural offence, attempted ... ... ... 5 4 Indecently assaulting a male ... ... ... 52 36 Incest ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 16 Indecent acts ... ... ... ... ... 42 30 Concealment of birth ... ... ... ... 7 3 Assault, indecent ... ... ... ... ... 106 112 Rape ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 8 Eape, attempted .. ... ... ... ... 12 8 Carnally knowing girls ... ... ... ... 55 47 Carnally knowing girls, attempted ... ... ... 9 14 Abortion, procuring, &c. ... ... ... ... 16 10 Exposure of person and grossly indecent acts ... ... 224 312 Totals ... ... ... ... 552 607

: Males. Females. | Total. I Not previously convicted .. .. .. 4,998 187 5,185 One previous conviction .. .. .. j 823 56 I 879 Two previous convictions .. .. .. 471 20 497 Three previous convictions .. .. .. 306 17 323 Four previous convictions .. .. .. 203 12 215 Five previous convictions .. .. .. 199 21 220 Over five previous convictions .. .. 489 46 ; 535 Totals .. .. 7,489 365 7,854