H.—l6.

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 1940 was 92-5, the figures of the preceding year being 93-07. 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 of Offences Number in which pi' tv + • Number of in which Arrests no Arrests 0 6 13 net. Offences reported. or Summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. Whangarei .. .. .. .. 1,491 1,415 76 Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 11,477 10,610 867 Hamilton .. .. .. .. .. 3,234 2,878 356 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 1,643 1,601 42 Napier .. .. .. .. .. 1,743 1,593 150 New Plymouth .. .. .. .. 1,087 1,072 15 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 1,567 1,476 91 Palmerston North .. .. 1,956 1,832 124 Wellington.. .. .. .. .. 8,700 8,080 620 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. 841 822 19 Greymouth .. .. .. .. 1,136 1,082 54 Christchurch .. .. .. .. 5,537 4,722 815 Timaru .. .. .. .. .. 790 742 48 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. 2,663 2,589 74 Invercargill .. .. .. .. 1,144 1,107 37 Totals .. .. .. .. 45,009 41,621 3,388

1939. 1940. Crimes. „ , f Number of , T , Number of Number of . Number of Offences in Offences in . j whichArrests , , which Arrests reported. resulted reported. resu , ted Arson .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 13 56 55 Robbery and aggravated robbery .. .. .. 17 14 28 13 Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. .. 1,603 1,012 1,733 1,285 Forgery and uttering .. .. .. .. 130 125 83 81 Murder.. .. .. .. . . . . 4 4 4 4 Murder, attempted .. .. .. .. 4 4 1 1 Rape .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 11 7 7 Receiving stolen property .. .. .. 176 175 139 ] 39 Wounding with intent .. .. .. .. 2 2 3 3 Totals .. .. .. .. 1,962 1,360 2,054 1,588

Offences. j 1939. j 1940. j | Unnatural offence .. .. .. .. .. 26 10 Unnatural offence, attempted .. .. .. .. 6 3 Indecently assaulting a male .. .. .. .. 68 105 Incest .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 13 Indecent acts .. .. .. .. .. 38 37 Concealment of birth .. .. .. .. .. 7 4 Assault, indecent .. .. .. .. .. 149 175 Rape .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 7 Rape, attempted .. .. .. .. .. 4 6 Carnally knowing girls .. .. .. .. 119 105 Carnally knowing girls, attempted .. .. .. 21 15 Abortion, procuring, &c. .. .. .. ... 10 16 Exposure of person and grossly indecent acts .. .. 242 193 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 709 689