H.—l6

2

The principal increases during the year appear under the following headings, viz. : — Absconding from industrial schools .. 34 Furious riding and driving . . 81 Abusive, insulting, or threatening words or Gaming offences .. .. . . 193 behaviour .. .. . . . . 114 Malicious injury to property .. 82 Deserting or absenting from merchant vessels 120 Mischief .. . . ... 80 Discharging firearms . . .. 37 Neglected or criminal children .. 54 Drunkenness .. .. .. .. 185 Soliciting prostitution .. . . 30 Failing to provide for wives, children,- or [ Stowing away on board ships .. 53 relatives . . .. .. .. 76 j Sureties of the peace .. .. . . 118 Forgery and uttering .. . . .. 37 ] Theft of cattle and horses . . 22 The principal decreases were, — Assaults, indecent .. ... ... 19 Maliciously killing or maiming animals .. 17 Breaches of the peace .. .. 73 Sly-grog selling .. .. .. 65 Cruelty to animals .. .. ..25 Theft from dwellings .. .. ..14 Disobeying orders of Court and summonses.. 24 Theft of sheep .. .. .. 20 Illegally on premises .. .. 24 Vagrancy . . .. . . 30 Indecent exposure or behaviour .. .. 70 The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from all offences reported during the year 1912 was 95-59, the figures of the preceding year being 93 r 97. 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 :—

Sebious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the preceding year :—

During the last ten years the number of serious crimes as above described has varied from 520 to 759, the present total (617) being slightly below the average.

District. Number of Offences Number in which Number of all i in which Arrests no Arrests Offences reported. or Summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. ■ Auckland Thames Napier Wanganui Wellington Greymouth Christchureh Dunedin Invercargill 6,833 971 2,197 2,445 6,025 1,013 4,011 1,773 713 6,478 961 2,156 2,370 5,720 976 3,821 1,682 673 355 10 41 75 305 37 190 91 40 25,98L 24,837 1,144

1911. 19 .2. Crimes. Number of Number .of Offences i f reported. j whlcb rr , es H F resulted. Number of Offences reported. Number of Offences in which Arrests resulted. Arson ... ... ... Assault and robbery ... Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. Forgery and uttering Murder Murder, attempted ... Rape Eeceivitig stolen property Shooting with intent 15 19 371 122 5 1 5 42 13 16 284 108 5 1 5 42 12 19 367 159 3 1 6 46 4 12 19 312 148 2 1 6 46 4 ■ 580 474 617 550