5

H.—l6

Sly-grog Selling. There wen; 81 prosecutions during the year for selling liquor without a license, resulting in 57 convictions, and there were also 95 prosecutions, resulting in 88 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 1923 amounted to £1,640. The amount of fines in the various districts is as follows :— £ £ Whangarei .. .. 150 Greymouth Auckland.. .. .. 113 Christchurch .. .. 215 Hamilton.. .. .. 125 Timaru .. .. .. 90 Gisborne .. .. .. .. Dunedin .. .. 110 Napier .. .. .. .. Invercargill New Plymouth .. .. 15 Wanganui .. .. 631 Total .. .. £1,640 Palmerston North .. .. 12 - Wellington ... .. 174 The direct cost to the Department in detecting and prosecuting sly-grog sellers during the year was £325, this being £1,315 less than the amount of fines imposed. Gaming Offences. There were 435 prosecutions, resulting in. 358 convictions, during the year under the Gaming Act, against 324 prosecutions and 290 convictions in 1922. Criminal Registration Branch. The finger-impressions of 3,071 persons were received, classified, searched, and filed during the year; 289 persons were identified as previous offenders either in this Dominion, the Australian. States, or England ; 988 photographs wen; taken by the photographers attached to the branch ; the photographs of 1,875 prisoners (7,015 photographs) were dealt with, and 664 photographs were reproduced in the Police Gazelle. In several cases photographic enlargements and plans were prepared and. produced, as exhibits in the Supreme Court. One unknown deceased man was identified by his finger-prints. In 16 cases of breaking and entering, finger-prints left by offenders when committing the crime were identified, the most notable being a series of breaking and entering in Auckland, in which the offender was identified from the finger-print exhibits sent to this branch. When arrested he pleaded guilty to each offence ; he was a stranger to Auckland and previously unknown to the police there. On the 31st March the finger-print collection consisted of the impressions of 31,929 persons, an increase of 1,645 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 : —

Appointments to Police Force. Ninety-four men were permanently appointed to the Force during the year, their birthplaces, religions, and occupations being as follows : Birthplaces : New Zealand, 60 ; England, 14 ; Scotland, 8 ; Ireland, 9 ; Australia, 1 ; Tahiti, 1 ; Fiji, I. B-eligions : Church of England, 40 ; Presbyterian, 34 ; Roman Catholic, 14 ; Salvation Army, 1 ; Baptist,!; Methodist, 3 ; Unitarian,!. Occupations: Bushmen, 2 ; carpenter, 1 ; carter, 1 ; cheeseraaker, 1 ; clerks, 2 ; cooper, 1 ; ex-constables, 9 ; electrician, 1 ; farm labourers, 27 ; fire-brigadesmen, 2 ; guide, 1 ; labourers, 25 ; mailman", 1 ; machinist, 1 ; miners, 3 ; motor mechanic, 1 ; painter, 1 ; roadman, 1 ; signalman, 1 ; storemen, 3 ; seamen. G ; sheep-farmer. 1; warehousemen, 2 ; watchmaker, 1.

Year. Number of Prints in Collection. Increase on Previous Year. Prisoners traced as Previous Offenders. 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 3,500 4,200 5,000 6,151 7,622 8,718 9,919 10,905 12,097 13,552 15,302 3,500 700 800 1,151 1,471 1,096 1,201 986 1,192 1,455 1,750 117 72 88 104 123 138 140 148 178 183 230 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 16,682 18,134 19,508 20,982 22,332 23,686 26,650 28,408 30,284 31,929 1,380 1,452 1,374 1,474 1,350 1,354 2,964 1,758 1,876 1,645 270 218 166 132 153 176 232 255 292 289