H.-16

8

maintenance of order, and relieved the police of a great amount of anxiety and arduous duties which would have undoubtedly devolved upon them had licenses been granted. The employment of a detective from the Sydney and Melbourne Police Forces, and the arrangements made with the Police Departments of the Australian States in respect to criminals leaving for this colony, proved effective, and resulted in a number of criminals being shadowed on arrival, and subsequently returned to Australia. The temporary employment at Christchurch during the Exhibition of an expert from the Finger-print Branch resulted in the tracing of prints in various burglary cases, in the identification of the offenders, and in proving their guilt, thus breaking up two parties of burglars during the commencement of the Exhibition, and preventing further depredations by them. The conduct of the police, and the gunners from the Permanent Artillery, employed in the Exhibition, as also the police employed in Christchurch City and suburbs, was, on the whole, highly satisfactory, and the extra duties devolving upon them during the occasion were willingly and efficiently performed. Much credit is due to the detective staff for their untiring exertions in shadowing criminals and bringing offenders to justice. As His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman's observations at the close of the criminal session of the Supreme Court, 16th May last, appear to be applicable to the occasion, I venture to quote them. His Honour said that "he desired to make one observation in regard to the session just ended, and the previous session in February. Generally speaking, the crimes investigated at the two sessions had been of an ordinary character and not numerous. The Exhibition had been in full swing all through the period covered by the sessions, and that was the kind of occasion that usually resulted in the gathering-together of numbers of the criminal class. It spoke well for the police management during a somewhat trying period, in which the police must have been charged with many extra duties of the ordinary kind, that there should have been so little crime. It was creditable to the administration of the city that there should have been practical freedom from crime." Attendance at the Exhibition. Days. 6,000 to 10,000 persons attended the Exhibition ... ... ... 41 10,000 to 15,000 „ „ ... ... ••• 62 15,000 to 20,000 „ „ ... ... ... 23 20,000 to 25,000 „ „ ... ... ■•• 7 25,000 to 30,000 „ „ ... ... •■■ 4 35,000 to 40,000 „ „ ... ... ••• 1 40,000 to 45,000 „ „ ... ... ■■■ 1 45,000 to 47,000 „ „ ... ■■■ ••• 2 Highest daily attendance ... ... ... 46,852 Aggregate attendance ... ... ... ... 1,966,861 Average daily attendance ... ... ... 13,949

Return of Offences committed at the New Zealand International Exhibition from 1st November, 1906, to 15th April, 1907.

Number of articles reported to police as lost ... ... ... ... 370 found ... ... ... ... ... ... 498 „ claimed ... • ... ... ... ... 264

Offences. Number of all Offences reported Number of Offences in which Arrests or Summonses resulted. Committed for Trial. Persons apprehended or summoned. Summarily convioted. Discharged. I lS1g M. P. M. F. M. F. Drunkenness ... Illegally on premises Indecent language Obscene language Obstructing police Sly-grog selling Theft (undeseribed) Breaches of the Exhibition Regulations 5 1 1 1 1 8 32 3 5 1 1 1 1 8 25 3 5 1 i ... I ••• i i 5 1 1 1 1 8 25 S 3 22 3 i 2 47 40 35 i 40