POLICE DEPARTMENTAL REPORT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1061, 7 July 1910, Page 23

POLICE DEPARTMENTAL REPORT.

SLY-GROG SELLING

According to the report of the Police Department presented to Parliament last week, the criminal statistics show an aggregate net increase of 420 on the figures of the previous year, the proportion of offences to the population being 2-32 per cent., as against 2.33 the previous year. Cases of drunkenness increased by 314, burglary by 112, deserting wives and families by 10 8, vagrancy by 131, disorderly and riotous conduct by 102, sly grog-selling by 76, failing to support relations by 5 6, obscene language by 30, assaults by 12 7, forgery and uttering by 51. The number of all offences reported was 23,930, including: Auckland 6,0 63, Wellington 5,50 8, Christchurch 3,652, and Dunedin 2,116. In regard to drunkenness, it is reported that 40.89 per cent, of the males and 73.78 per cent, of the females had previous convictions recorded against them, and 7.4 5 per cent, of the males were not permanent residents in the Dominion. The number of persons charged with drunkenness at the principal districts were: Auckland, 2,100 males, 80 females; Wellington, 2,639 males, 254 females; Christchurch, 1,522 males, 145 females; Dunedin, 744 males, 69 females.

Figures for Sunday drunkenness at the four centres were: Auckland and •üburbs, 23 males'; Wellington and suburbs, 32 males, 6 females; Christchurch and suburbs, 19 males, 3 females; Dunedin and suburbs, 9 males, 3 females.

The number of prosecutions (213) against hotelkeepers' during the year shows an increase of 36, as compared with the previous year. In the various districts they were: Auckland, 49 prosecutions and 12 convictions; Thames, 8 and 5; Napier, 13 and 9; Wanganui, 19 and 9; Wellington, 28 and 17; Greymouth, 55 and 36; Dunedin, 16 and 8; Invercargill, 1 and nil. There were 235 prosecutions for slygrog selling, resulting in 154 convictions', against 158, and 127 convictions during the preceding The fines imposed totalled £2,358, and the direct cost to the Dominion in detecting and prosecuting sly grog-sellers was £1,090.