H.—l6.

Growth or Department. The following return shows the growth of the Department, the continued increase of the population, and the total number of offences (irrespective of by-law offences) reported, and in which arrests or summonses resulted, at each tenth year since 1877, prior to which date each province in the Dominion had its own Police Force. The figures for 1939 and 1940 are also shown

Police Prosecutions. The following is a return of the number of convictions for which fines were imposed and the total amount of such fines in respect of prosecutions instituted by the police during the year ended 31st March, 1940 :—

Criminal Registration Branch. At Headquarters during the year the finger impressions of 3,522 persons were received, classified indexed, and filed ; 248 persons were identified as previous offenders who, had it not been for the finger-print system, would have passed as first offenders; 2,200 photographs were taken by the photographers attached to the Branch ; the photographs of 3,123 prisoners (5,934 photographs) were received and dealt with ; 752 photographs were reproduced in the Police Gazette ; 16 wanted persons located ; and 2 unknown deceased persons identified by finger-prints. Finger-prints left by offenders when committing 30 crimes were identified as belonging to 24 persons, who were prosecuted. All pleaded guilty with the exception of 2, one of whom was convicted at the Supreme Court on finger-print evidence, and the other proved that his finger-print was legitimately left on the exhibit. : In one of the cases mentioned above, the offender when arrested was informed that his fingerprints had been discovered at the scene of the crime. He admitted the offence, and implicated 3 other persons, with the result that 4 offenders were convicted of fifteen crimes. In another case, when informed of the evidence, the offender admitted the charge concerned, also eight additional offences of breaking, entering, and theft. These cases serve to illustrate the value of the finger-print system qf identification. Finger-prints of 372 persons were received for inquiry from other countries, of which 36 were, identified as those of persons previously convicted in New Zealand ; the finger impressions of 111 New Zealand offenders were sent overseas for inquiry, 47 being identified as having been previously convicted outside this Dominion. It is interesting to note that in New Zealand the finger-print system has, to date, been responsible for the identification of 7,472 persons. . n In conjunction with the Arms Bureau, a number of micro-photographs of bullets, &c., were taken, with very satisfactory results in each case. . Instruction regarding the classification, filing, and searching of finger-prints, dealing with fingerprint exhibits found at the scenes of crimes, our general office routine, and photography was given to two commissioned officers of the Fiji Police.

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$ & g o oj m Offences Arrests for Year ' « fe I I T0taL Population. Ration. £££» S'cMcTin" jg g £ -2 a " ' Summonses " Offences O i?i'| q £ resulted. reported"). 1878 25 90 14 329 458 1 to 944 * 432,352 14,157 13,959 6 668 1888 13 69 17 388 487 1 to 1,328 3/lf 646,913 12,897 11,854 5'387 1898 7 56 16 457 536 1 to 1,435 2/8 768,910 16,378 14,730 5'532 1908 15 83 32 604 734 1 to 1,331 3/2J 977,215 23,510 22,484 lo'343 1918 20 111 38 732-f 901 1 to 1,274 4/6| 1,147,391 19,067 18,043 7'228 1928 23 127 54 913f1,117 1 to 1,301 5/9 1,453,517 33,138 30,622 6 601 1938 26 145 93 1,16411,4-28 1 to 1,123 7/6 1,604,479 44,308 41,618 5 446 1939 27 148 91 l,173f1,439 1 to 1,129 7/5f 1,624,714 46,378 43,162 5*935 1940 27 149 90 l,191f 1,457 1 to. 1,126 7/8£ 1,640,901 * Not obtainable. j- Includes temporary constables.

Fines payable to Number of Total Amount of Convictions. Fines imposed. Consolidated Fund .. .. .. .. .. 16,498 31 13 1) Main Highways Revenue Account (section 24, Motor-vehicles Act, 1924) 7'833 2 0 Local authorities (by-law offences) .. .. .. .. 265 156 7 6 Total •• •• •• 24,596 £45,493 2 6