9

H.—l6

No stations have been opened or closed during the year. One constable was discharged as medically unfit, and 6 constables resigned voluntarily. The conduct of the members of the Force, with few exceptions, has been good. The. population in the City and Suburbs of Auckland is rapidly increasing, and in many of the outlying parts of the district there is a steady increase. There is undoubted evidence of prosperity existing more or less throughout the district. During the year ended the 31st December, 1912, there were 6,833 offences reported, as against 6,622 the previous year. The increase is largely due to 183 cases under the Gaming Act resulting from raids made. 95 per cent, of the offences reported during the year were detected. The evil known as the " one-woman brothel " exists very largely in Auckland, and I would suggest that legislation be passed to cope with this nuisance. SUPERINTENDENT KIBLY, ChrISTCHURCH DISTRICT. On the 31st March last the strength of the Force was as follows : 1 Superintendent, 2 Sub-Inspectors, 4 senior sergeants, 10 sergeants, 105 constables, 5 detectives, and 5 acting-detectives. A matron and a surgeon are attached to the Christchurch Station. There was 1 death, 8 voluntary resignations, and 2 dismissals during the year. An increase of 5 constables to the strength of Christchurch Station is necessary to enable a further extension of the beats within the city. An additional constable will be required at Fairlie Station, owing to the very large district the constable in charge has to travel over, and the increase of population for some time past in the town and the locality surrounding it. A station will be required to be opened in the vicinity of Caroline Bay, a suburb of Timaru. The number of stations in the district is 45. There were none opened or closed during the year. New offices and quarters for men have been provided at Ashburton ; new sergeants' quarters have been provided at Rangiora ; and new constables' quarters have been erected at Temuka. Thirteen constables were punished by fine for breaches of the Police Regulations ; the offences were of minor description, but 2 constables were dismissed for drunkenness. The conduct of the men otherwise was very good. I am of the opinion that the discipline to be carried out under the new regulations will have a good effect upon the younger members of the service, who show occasionally an inclination to lapse into carelessness when on duty. It is in the best interests of the service that the men as a body should endeavour to maintain a high standard of good conduct and efficiency, and the new regulations contain all the instructions necessary for their guidance. The old regulations were obsolete and useless for modern requirements, and should have been discarded years ago. The total number of offences reported during the year ending on the 31st December, 1912, was 4,011, and the number of persons apprehended or summoned was 3,821. An increase of 40 offences is shown in comparison with the number of offences reported for the year 1911. The principal increases in offences for the year are as follows : Absconding from industrial schools, 37 ; assaults occasioning bodily harm, 6 ; assaults on police, 14 ; deserting from merchant vessels, 34 ; discharging firearms, 6 ; disorderly and riotous conduct, 19 ; failing to provide adequate maintenance for wives, &c, 54 ; forgery and uttering, 15 ; manslaughter, 6 ; mischief, 58 ; neglected and criminal children, 39 ; obscene and profane language, 19 ; obstructing and resisting police, 11 ; obstructing thoroughfares, 12 ; sly-grog selling, 12 ; suicide, attempted, 10 ; theft, attempted, 13. The principal decreases for the year are as follows : Assaults, common, 29 ; assaults, indecent, 7 ; breaches of the peace, 11 ; burglary, 8 ; disobeying orders of Court, 35 ; drunkenness, 69 ; offences under Fisheries Acts, 11 ; malicious injury to property, 20 ; theft (undescribed), 43 ; theft by servants, 18; theft from dwellings, 21 ; vagrancy, 27. lam pleased to have no serious outbreak of crime [in the district to report. In comparison with 1911 there has been an increase of 40 in the number of offences reported, but none of these call for any special mention ; and of the total number of all offences reported during the year, 4,011, there were 3,821 persons arrested or summoned, which indicates that the police of the district are efficient, and have shown that by zeal and energy they have succeeded in maintaining fairly good order. Superintendent Dwyer, Dunedin District. The authorized strength of the Force in the district on the 31st March was 106, made up as follows : 1 Superintendent, 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 senior sergeants, 11 sergeants, 86 constables, 1 Chief Detective, 3 detective sergeants, and 1 detective. There have been no new stations opened in the district, and no stations closed. The following casualties have taken place during the year : 2 constables died, 2 retired on pension under the Public Service Superannuation Act, 5 resigned voluntarily, and 1 was called upon to resign. The conduct of the sergeants and men in the district has, with few exceptions, been very good. The offences return as compiled for the 31st December last shows that 1,773 offences were reported, and 1,682 persons apprehended or dealt with by summons. These figures show a decrease of 167 reported offences as compared with the previous year's return, when 1,940 offences were reported. This decrease is accounted for by a falling-off in drunkenness, disobeying orders of Court, and thefts (undescribed).

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