H.—l6.

Police Buildings, etc. The following works in connection with police-stations have been carried out during the year by the Public Works Department:— A new police-station was erected at Tikitiki, and a new lock-up at Palmerston North. Additions were made at Auckland Central Station. A building for a police-station was acquired at Half-moon Bay (Stewart Island), and a site was purchased at Kaeo. Repairs, renovations, and improvements were effected at a number of stations, the principal being Aramoho, Balclutha, Bingsland (Christchurch), Birkenhead, Brooklyn, Christchurch Central, Clinton, Clyde, Ellerslie, Eltham, Fairlie, Fitzrov (New Plymouth), Frankton Junction, Greymouth, Hamilton, Havelock North, Hikurangi, Hokitika," Invercargill, Kanieri, Ivarori, Kihikihi, Kumara, Kurow, Levin, Lower Hutt, Lumsden, Lyall Bay, Mokau, Murchison, Ohura, Otorohanga, Papakura, Petone, Raglan, Raurimu, Ruatoria, St. Kilda (Dunedin), Shannon, Taihape, Tauranga, Te Arolia, Te Awamutu, Temuka, Thorndon (Wellington), Timaru, Tokanui, Training Depot (Wellington), Waipu, Waitahuna, Waitara, Wanganui, Waverley, Wellington Central, and Whangarei. As reported last year, a fairly heavy building programme will have to be faced within the next year or so, owing to the urgent necessity for new headquarter stations at various centres. General. Training.—The training depot was reopened in August, 1935. It had been closed for five years, due to the depression. Since the reopening of the depot two batches of twenty each have been put through a course of training extending over a period of four months. A third batch is now in the depot. An addition of fifty constables to the present strength of the Force is required to cope with the demands made upon the Service. Trans-port.-—Another motor-car is badly needed at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. These should be provided as soon as the necessary funds are available. Our means of transport at these centres is very limited, and in the interests of efficiency I would urge that another car for each of the three centres be supplied. Two new cars, one for Christchurch and the other for Wellington, have recently been supplied, and fill a long-felt want. lam at present going into the question of providing better transport throughout the whole Service, and hope within a short time to be able to recommend an improvement in the present system. Housing. Owing to the paucity of finance during the recent lean years, a great number of our buildings, offices, and dwellinghouses has got into a state of disrepair. Some new buildings are necessary, while others badly require repairs and renovations. Recently authority has been granted to the extent of some £8,000 to renovate the worst of them. These repairs are now under way, and it is hoped to be able to proceed with the others shortly. Efficiency and Conduct. The efficiency of the Service has been well maintained. The general conduct of the members of the Force has been excellent. Extracts from reports of officers in charge of districts are appended. D. J. Cummings, Commissioner of Police.

7