5

H.—l6

The amount of fines in the various districts are as follows :— £ Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 355 Hamilton ... .. ... ... ... ... ... 830 Napier ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 200 Wanganui ... ... ... ... ... ... 210 Palmerston North ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 110 Greymouth Christchurch ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 Timaru ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 Dunedin Invercargill ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... £1,820 The direct cost to the Department in detecting and prosecuting sly-grog sellers during the year was £495, this being £1,325 less than the amount of fines imposed. Gaming Offences. There were 324 prosecutions, resulting in 224 convictions, during the year under the Gaming Act, against 225 prosecutions and 176 convictions in 1918. Criminal Registration Branch. During the year the finger-impressions of 2,686 prisoners were received, classified, and filed, being an increase of 453 on the previous year ; 176 prisoners were identified as previous offenders in this Dominion, Australia, England, &c.; 1,130 photographs were taken by the photographers attached to this branch; the portraits of 1,524 prisoners were dealt with; and 448 photographs of discharged prisoners were reproduced in the Police Gazette. On the 31st March the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 23,686 offenders, being an increase of 1,354 over the previous year. The value of the finger-print system of identification has been shown during the year in several criminal cases, the most noteworthy being that of the murder of the Postmaster at Ponsonby, Auckland. In this case finger-prints found on a cash-box in the Ponsonby Post-office, which had been broken into, were identified at the Criminal Registration Branch within twenty-four hours of receipt, and led ,to the arrest of the offender. The finger-print evidence formed the principal link of the chain of circumstantial evidence upon which the accused was subsequently convicted of murder and executed. In another case a set of prints was received in the ordinary course, and some of the impressions were discovered to be identical with those on a piece of glass found eighteen months previously at the scene of the breaking and entering of a large drapery emporium. The identity of the finger-prints was the principal evidence in this case, and a conviction resulted. The following table shows the increase of the finger-print collection since the introduction of the finger-print system of identification in March, 1903 : —

CANnIDATES FOR FORCE. One hundred and thirteen men were permanently appointed to the Force during the year, their birthplaces, religions, and occupations being as follows: Birthplaces—New Zealand, 75; England, 11; Scotland, 8; Ireland, 13; Australia, 6. Eeligions—Church of England, 42; Presbyterian, 40; Roman Catholic, 27; Methodist, 3; Baptist, I. Occupations —Asylumattendants, 2; artilleryman, 1; bakers, 5; bacon-curer, I; blacksmiths, 2; bricklayer, 1; butcher, 1; carters, 2; carpenters, 5; clerks, 5; coach-driver, 1; custodian, 1; drainage inspector, 1; ex-constables, 13; engine-driver, 1; farrier, 1; farm labourers, 19; gardener, 1; grocer, 1; labourers, 22; machinists, 2; miners, 5; motorman, 1; motor mechanic, I; moulder, 1; painters, 2; plumber, 1; sawmill hands, 3; seamen, 3; shepherd, 1; steward, 1; storeman, 1; taxi-driver, 1; timber-measurer, 1; tram-conductor, 1; traveller, 1; warder, 1.

Year. Number of Prints in Collection. Increase on Previous Year. Prisoners traced as Previous Offenders. 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 3,500 4,200 5,000 6,151 7,622 8,718 9,919 10,905 12,097 13,552 15,302 16,682 18,134 19,508 20,982 22,332 23,686 3,500 700 800 1,151 1,471 1,096 1,201 986 1,192 1,455 1,750 1,380 1,452 1,374 1,474 1,350 1,354 117 72 88 104 123 138 140 148 178 183 230 270 218 166 132 153 176