H.—l6.

Criminal Statistics. The criminal statistics (Appendix A) deal with offences reported to the police during the year ended 31st December last, and show an aggregate net increase of 3,445 on the figures of 1924. The proportion of offences to the population was 2-16 per cent., as against 1-95 the previous year. The principal increases during the year appear under the following headings, viz. :— Assault (common) .. .. .. 184 Drunkenness .. .. .. .. 809 Theft (petty) .. .. .. 48 Unlawfully using horses, motor-cars, &c. . . 64 Theft from dwellings .. .. .. 30 Trespassing on racecourses .. .. 51 False pretences .. .. .. 93 j Failing to maintain wives, children, &c. .. 163 Burglary, housebreaking, &c. .. .. 127 Ship-desertion .. .. .. 95 Receiving stolen goods .. .. 30 Offences against discipline on ships .. 697 Forgery .. .. .. 25 Selling liquor after hours .. .. 58 Breaches of the peace .. .. .. 174 Breaches of Motor-vehicles Act .. .. 494 There were decreases in the following : — Unnatural offences .. .. .. 27 Breaches of Arms Act .. .. .. 187 Conspiracy to defraud .. .. .. 21 Being found in gaming house .. .. 66 Assaulting or obstructing police .. .. 36 Offences against Licensing Act in Native Unlawful betting .. .. .. 42 proclaimed areas ~ .. .. 63 Drunkenness or offensive behaviour on railways .. . . •• 41 The following return shows the number of offences reported in each police district during the year, the number of cases in which arrests or summonses resulted, and the number in which no prosecution followed : —

The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from offences reported during the year 1925 was 94-08, the figures of the preceding year being 92-68. Serious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous vear :— i ;

2

Number of Offences Number in which Pnli>B District I Number of in which Arrests no Arrests Offences reported. or Summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. . - : - Whangarei ... ... ... ... 949 927 22 Auckland ... ... ... ... 8,544 7,885 659 Hamilton • ... ... ... ... 2,501 2,367 134 Gisborne ... ... ... ... 1,024 1,008 16 Napier ... ... ... ... 1,467 1,436 31 New Plymouth... ... ... ... 882 829 53 Wanganui ... ... ... ... 1,172 1,122 50 Palmerston North ... ... ... 1,033 953 80 Wellington ... ... ... ... 4,709 4,494 215 Greymouth ... ... ... ... 1,274 1,252 22 Christchurch ... ... ... ... [ 3,460 3,182 278 Timaru ... ... ... ... 927 861 66 Dunedin ... ... ... ... 1,493 1,357 136 Invercargill ... ... ... ... 1,035 995 40 Totals ... ... ... 30,470 28,668 1,802

1924. ' 1925. CrimeS ' Number of dumber of Number q( Number of Offences i ??? f 8 ln . Offences Ounces in r":is* "*"»'■ J r I Arson ... ... ... ... ... 19 16 22 J8 Robbery and aggravated robbery ... ... 3 3 4 3 Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. ... 512 294 639 445 Forgery and uttering ... ... ... 213 208 222 210 Murder ... ... ... ... ... 8 7 6 5 Murder, attempted ... ... .. ... 3 3 2 2 Rape ... ... ... ... . 6 5 11 8 Receiving stolen property ... ... ... 86 73 116 116 Wounding with intent ... ... ... 3 3 1 1 Totals ... ... 853 612 1,023 808