H.—l6

10

No new stations have been opened in the district, and no stations closed during the year. The station at Cass was shifted to Bealey Flat. The casualties in the district during the year were —3 constables resigned; 1 constable retired on pension; 1 constable was discharged for misconduct; and 1 constable transferred to the Prison service. The number of all offences reported during the year ending the 31st December, 1913, was 3,937, as compared with 4,011 for the previous year. The principal increases, as compared with the previous year, were —Threatening behaviour, 28; common assaults, 25; failing to provide for wives and children, 263; gaming offences, 15; indecent exposure, 10; obstructing thoroughfares, 13; theft, undescribed, 58; and vagrancy, 45. The principal decreases, as compared with the previous year, were —Assaults on police, 11; cruelty to animals, 10; deserting from merchant ships, 45; drunkenness, 70; disobeying orders of Court, 40; forgery and uttering, 16; malicious injury to property, 34; mischief, 41; neglected and criminal children, 79; obscene language, 21; obstructing and resisting police, 13; refusing to quit licensed premises, 14; slygrog selling, 14; soliciting prostitution, 16; theft by servants, 29; and thefts attempted, 12. Ihere have been no serious crimes committed in the district during the year calling for special mention but one —a foul murder committed on a married woman at Mayfield, near Ashburton, for which the offender paid the death penalty. The conduct of the members of the Force during the year has, with few exceptions, been very good. Only six constables have been punished for breaches of the regulations.

Superintendent Mitchell, Dunedin District. The strength of the Force in this district on the 31st March last was —1 Superintendent, 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 senior sergeants, 11 sergeants, 86 constables, 1 chief detective, 2 detective sergeants, 1 acting-detective, 1 matron, and 1 surgeon. No stations have been opened or closed during the year. During the year 2 constables retired on superannuation, 7 resigned, and 1 compulsorily resigned. The number of all offences reported was 2,006, as against 1,773 during the preceding year. Of this number, less than 6 per cent, remains undetected. The increases are mainly made up as follows: Common assaults, 11; breaches of the peace, 19; disobeying orders of the Court, 9; disorderly conduct, 7; drunkenness, 216 (Dunedin 151, and Port Chalmers 37); false pretences, 5; furious riding, &c, 27; illegally on premises, 34; mischief, 10; obscene language, 25; resisting police, 10; and attempted suicide, 8. It is very difficult to account for the increase in drunkenness. With few exceptions, the general conduct of the Force during the \ear has been good. There was no increase in serious crime, and what was committed was of a general and ordinary description, and calls for no special comment.

Inspector Wilson, Wanganui District. 1 have the honour to submit, for your information, the annual report on the Police- Force in this district. The authorized strength is 1 Inspector, 1 Sub-Inspector, 2 senior sergeants, 5 sergeants, 68 constables, 3 detective sergeants, 1 acting-detective, and 1 district constable. A second sergeant is urgently required at Wanganui. Ihe senior sergeant's time is so much taken up with office, Court work, inquests, &c, that the constables on the beat do not get the supervision they need to make them efficient and zealous in the discharge of their duties. I would also recommend an additional constable at Hawera. I suggested this addition last year, and since then the work has increased, owing to increased population. It is also expected that during the year the Opunake Railway will be started—it branches from main line to Te Roti, some eight miles from Hawera. An additional constable is required for Ohakune at the present time. There are, in addition to the resident population estimated to be about 2,200, about 200 navvies employed on the construction of the Ohakune-Raetihi Railway. These men are a very rough lot, and require constant and unremitting supervision. I would also recommend the erection of a police-station at K'aponga and the stationing of a constable there. The casualties during the year were —1 constable died; 1 constable discharged as medically unfit; and 2 constables resigned voluntarily. The offences return shows a decrease in the number of offences. In 1912 there were 2 445 offences reported, and in 1913 the number was 2,277. Of the latter, only 92 were undetected, which means only 4 per cent, were unaccounted for. Drunkenness has decreased by 8 per cent., and of forgery 12 less cases were reported. Petty thefts and vagrancy charges 'show an increase. The conduct of the members of the Force has been good, the men realizing that it is to their own interests to carry out their various duties so as to give satisfaction. There is still a small trade carried on in sly-grog selling in the prohibited areas of Upper Wanganui and King-country, and during the year there has been a number of prosecutions for this offence.