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Reports of Officers in charge of Districts. Extracts from the annual reports of officers in charge of districts are hereto annexed. J. CuLLEN, Commissioner of Police.

EXTRACTS FROM ANNUAL REPORTS OF OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF DISTRICTS. Superintendent Kiely, Auckland District. The authorized strength of the Force in the Auckland District on the 31st March last was 181, as against 179 the previous year, an increase of 1 sergeant and I constable. The actual strength on the 31st March last was 182. A sergeant has been appointed to charge of Otahuhu Station, and a station was opened at Owen's Road, Epsom. A building has been purchased at Houhora for use as a police-station, where a house was formerly rented. One constable was discharged medically unfit, 2 retired on superannuation, 3 were called upon to resign, and 5 resigned voluntarily. The total number of offences reported during the year 1915 was 6,375, as compared with 5,535 for 1914, being an increase of 840. Of the 6,375 offences reported 5,950 resulted in prosecutions, so that over 93 per cent, of all the offences reported were detected. The principal increases occur under the following headings : Breaches of the peace, 19 ; common assaults, 62 ; indecent assaults, 21 ; deserting merchant vessels, 26 ; disobeying orders of the Court, 52 ; drunkenness, 134 ; failing to maintain wives and children, 66 ; gaming offences, 16 ; neglected children, 31 ; receiving stolen property, 24 ; soliciting prostitution, 28 ; theft (undcscrfbed), 212 ; theft by servants, 28 ; theft from dwellings, 46 ; vagrancy, 106 ; murder, 2.- Decreases : Disorderly and riotous conduct, 22 ; false pretences, 1.4 ; assaults causing bodily harm, 8 ; abortion, 2 ; sly-grog selling, 21 ; theft from the person, 12. Ten constables were fined for breaches of the regulations, and one was removed from charge of a station and placed on beat duty in the city. With these exceptions the conduct of the members of the Force during the year has been good.

Superintendent O'Donovan, Wellington Djstrict. On the Ist October, 1915, Superintendent J. W. Ellison took up leave in view of his retirement; and on the 2nd November, 1915, I arrived on transfer from Dunedin to take charge of the district. The strength of the Force in this district at the 31 st March, 1916, was 1 Superintendent, 1 Inspector, 1 Sub-Inspector, 4 senior sergeants, 14 sergeants, 141 constables, 1 Chief Detective, 4 detectivesergeants, 4 detectives, 1 surgeon, and I matron ; total, 173 ; being 3 constables short of the authorized strength. The authorized strength has been increased by 5 constables. An additional constable has been stationed at Upper Hutt and another at Featherston, on account of the military camps at those places. A constable has been placed in charge of a new station at Miramar, and 2 constables are employed on plain-clothes duty. A new station was built during the year in Lower Taranaki Street, to replace Manners Street Station, and was undergoing the finishing touches on the 31st March, 1916. The casualties in the district have been as follows : Death, 1 constable ; superannuated, 1 Superintendent ; resignation, voluntary, 1 detective ; resignations, compulsory, 4 constables. The total number of offences reported for the year 1915 was 6,921, being a net increase of 357 in comparison with the returns for 1914. The increases recorded in the following groups account for the principal increase in the total : Failing to maintain wives, children, &c, 70 ; indecent language and conduct, 89 ; military, naval, and marine offences, 129 ; drunkenness, 286. The conduct of all ranks has been very good. Only in five instances was it necessary to impose penalties under the regulations, but one of them was so serious as to result in the constable being compelled to resign. The officers and sergeants throughout the district have maintained a good standard of discipline, and set a good example in respect of conduct and zeal to their subordinates. All ranks have cheerfully carried out duties resulting from the condition of war.

Superintendent Dwyer, Christohurch District. The actual strength of the Force in the district on the 31st March, 1916, was 148, made up as follows : 1 Superintendent, 2 Sub-Inspectors, 4 senior sergeants, 13 sergeants, 115 constables, 1 Chief Detective, 3 detective-sergeants, 4 detectives, and 2 acting-detectives. There are also 2 matrons and 1 surgeon. I recommend that the second constable be taken away from Geraldine, as there is not sufficient work there now for 2 constables, and that he be stationed at Methven, where the police work has considerably increased of late. The police-station at Annat was closed, and one opened at Darficld instead. The casualties in the district during the year were 1 death, 4 resignations, and 1 retirement on superannuation.