5

H.-16

Sly-grog Selung. There were 45 prosecutions during the year for selling liquor without a license, resulting in 37 convictions, and there were also 107 prosecutions, resulting in 83 convictions, for other offences against the provisions of the Licensing Act in force in no-license districts. The fines imposed on sly-grog sellers during the year 1922 amounted to £1,424. The amount of fines in the various districts is as follows :— £ Whangarei .. .. .. . . .. .. .. 65 Auckland .. .. .. . . .. . . .. 175 Hamilton .. .. .. .. . . .. . . 60 Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 489 Palmcrston North .. .. .. .. . . .. .. 25 Wellington . . .. .. .. .. . . .. 425 Greymouth Christcliurch . . .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Timaru Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . . 90 Invercargill .. .. .. .. . . .. . . 75 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £1,424 The direct cost to the Department in detecting and prosecuting sly-grog sellers during the year was £339, this being £1,085 less than the amount of fines imposed. Gaming Offences. There were 324 prosecutions, resulting in 290 convictions, during the year under the Gaining Act, against 245 prosecutions and 194 convictions in 1921. Ckiminal Registration Branch. The finger-impressions of 3,003 persons were received, classified, searched, and filed during the year; 292 persons were identified as previous offenders either in this Dominion, the Australian States, or England ; 1,559 photographs were taken by the photographers attached to the branch ; the photographs of 1,999 prisoners (8,143 photographs) were dealt with, and 848 photographs were reproduced in the Police Gazette. In 25 cases of breaking and entering, finger-prints left by offenders when committing the crime were identified. In these cases the majority admitted their guilt. Two cases are worthy of note. A church was broken into and the safe blown open, and two other places were entered, from one of which a number of revolvers were stolen. Finger-prints were found which indicated that the offences were committed by a certain person, and these were the only evidence obtainable. He denied his guilt, but was convicted and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. In the second case a large sum of money was stolen from an hotel safe. The offender left the impressions of his fingers on a glass jug which contained some of the money. These prints were identified, and in consequence the offender, although ho strenuously denied his guilt, was found guilty and punished. On the 31st March the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 30,284 persons, an increase of 1,876 on last year's figures. The following table shows the increase of the finger-print collection since the introduction of the finger-print system of identification in March, 1903 : —

Year. Number of Prints in Collection. Increase on Previous Year. Prisoners traced as Previous Offenders. Year. Number of Increase on Prints in Previous Collection. Year. Prisoners traced as Previous Offenders. 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 3,500 4,200 5,000 6,151 7,622 8,718 9,919 10,905 12,097 13,552 3,500 700 800 1,151 1,471 1,096 1,201 986 1,192 1,455 117 72 88 104 123 138 140 148 178 183 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 .15,302 16,682 18,134 19,508 20,982 22,332 23,686 26,650 28,408 30,284 1,750 1,380 1,452 1,374 1,474 1,350 1,354 2,964 1,758 1,876 230 270 218 166 132 153 176 232 255 292