H.—l6,

Experience has shown that the percentage of crimes against property rises with hard times and falls during periods of prosperity. The increase in the number of thefts, burglary, and shop-breaking is a phase that can be expected to pass with the approach of better times. 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 : —

The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from offences reported during the year 1930 was 90-53, the figures of the preceding year being 92-18. Serious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year : —

Indecent and sexual offences were as under :—

2

Number o£ Offences Number in which p .. n . , , , Number of in which Arrests no Arrests o ice is ric . Offences reported. or Summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. Whangarei ... ... ... ■■■ 1,028 974 54 Auckland 8,607 7,287 1,320 Hamilton ... ... ... ... 2,060 1,889 171 Gisborne ... ... ... ... 1,755 1,717 38 Napier ... ... ... ... 1,855 1,723 132 New Plymouth... ... ... ... 1,309 1,268 41 Wanganui ... ... ... ... 1,516 1,465 51 Palmerston North ... ... ... 1,447 1,366 81 Wellington 6,057 5,558 499 Nelson ... ... ... ... 1,182 1,067 115 Greymouth ... ... ... ... 1,840 1,799 41 Chriatchurch ... ... ... ... 4,217 3,499 718 Timaru ... ... ... ... 1,097 1,048 49 Dunedin ... ... ... ... 1,723 1,582 141 Invercargill ... ... ... ... 1,521 1,448 73 Totals ... ... ... 37,214 33,690 3,524

1929. I 1930. Crimes. XT , . Number of AT , , Number of Number of . Number of Onences in Offences in Onences , . , . , Onences , . , . , , which Arrests . A which Arrests reported. reported. Arson ... ... ... ... ... 56 50 68 64 Eobbery and aggravated robbery ... ... 2 2 31 23 Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. ... 1,092 783 1,263 804 Forgery and uttering ... ... ... 146 131 208 196 Murder ... ... ... ... ... 6 5 7 7 Murder, attempted ... ... .. ... 5 5 3 2 Rape ... ... ... ■ ... ... 16 14 10 10 Receiving stolen property ... ... ... 140 138 142 142 Wounding with intent ... ... ... 4 4 1 1 Totals ... ... ... ... 1,467 1,132 1,733 1,249

Offences. 1929. | 1930. Unnatural offence ... ... ... ... 11 6 Unnatural offence, attempted ... ... ... 1 2 Indecently assaulting a male ... ... ... 37 40 Incest ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 3 Indecent acts ... ... ... ... ... 23 21 Concealment of birth ... ... ... ... 4 3 Assault, indecent ... ... ... ... ... 93 127 Rape ... ... ... ... ... ... 16 10 Eape, attempted .. ... ... ... ... 11 7 Carnally knowing girls ... ... ... ... 47 68 Carnally knowing girls, attempted ... ... ... 19 8 Abortion, procuring, &c. ... ... ... ... 6 5 Exposure of person and grossly indecent acts ... ... 285 305 Totals ... ... ... ... 561. 605