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One of the very pleasant features of a Probation Officer's work is to renew acquaintances with probationers who have regained their self-respect and place in the world. During the past twelve months it has been very pleasing to meet many ex-probationers who have returned from overseas service, and in at least two cases probationers have been commissioned in the field and a number have been decorated for bravery. The number of persons being admitted to probation by the Courts each year is steadily increasing. This is evidence of the importance attached to probation by Magistrates and Judges, and in a city the size of Auckland post-war delinquency among adolescents, which is inevitable, will further increase the work of the Probation Officer here, and the necessity for larger office accommodation has been apparent for some time past and, in common with other Government Departments, is one which is an urgent necessity. The thanks of the Probation Officer are again due to many social workers: Capt. Banyard, the Anglican chaplain at Mount Eden Prison, the Rev. Jasper Calder, of the City Mission ; the Rev. George Moreton, secretary of the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society ; Dr. Delargey and Mr. M. Curran, of the Catholic Youth Centre ; officers of the Salvation Army ; members of the Police Force in Auckland ; and also police officers in other parts of the Auckland Province. I also wish to record my appreciation of the kindly and courteous treatment accorded me by Judges and Magistrates. Mr. W. H. Darby, District Probation Officer, Christchurch During the year under review our work has been carried out to the best of our ability and to the satisfaction, I hope, of all concerned. Probationers generally have responded very well and we have experienced little or no trouble with them. At the beginning of the year there were 29 persons reporting to this office under the Crimes Amendment Act, and at the close of the year, 30. Under the Offenders Act there were 57 reporting at Ist January, 1945, and 67 at 31st December, 1945. Quite a number of these men were in the services, and the majority of them were continually on the move from one station to another, with the result that many of them were seen rarely, if at all. During the year the sum of £283 2s. 6d. was collected by way of restitution and £l3 ss. 6d. by way of costs of prosecution. Reports for the Supreme Court have been considerable during the year, but only a very small percentage of those reported on have been released on probation, due, 1 think, to the fact that there has been an increase in certain types of crimes, particularly sexual crimes and breaking, entering, and theft, including safe-breaking. Before concluding my report, it gives me very much pleasure to say that the recently formed Discharged Prisoner's Rehabilitation Society has been doing splendid work during the year and we are looking forward this year to an enlarged sphere of influence. I cannot close without paying a tribute to the splendid contribution to the success of our work made by my assistant, Mr. Aitken, and also to the helpful co-operation of all Court officials. Mr. E. F. Mosley, District Probation Officer, Dunedin 1 have the honour to submit the annual report on the probation work in this centre for the year ended 31st December, 1945. Offenders Probation Act, 1920. —At the beginning of the year there were 57 probationers on the register,, since when 58 have been released on probation by local Courts and 12 have been received on transfer from other districts, making a total of 127 dealt with under the Act during the year. Of these, 45 were discharged after completing their term, 1 was discharged by the Prisons Board, 1 died, 22 were transferred to other districts, 2 went overseas, and 11 were brought before the Court on subsequent charges and sentenced to imprisonment, leaving a balance of 45 on t*he register.

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