H.—l6.

Gaming Offences. There were 432 prosecutions, resulting in 393 convictions, during the year under the Gaming Act, against 467 prosecutions and 386 convictions in 1924. Prosecutions of Bookmakers. The following return shows the result of prosecutions in connection with bookmaking during the year ended 31st March, 1926 : —

Criminal Registration Branch. The finger-impressions of 4,186 persons were received, classified, searched, and filed during the year —an increase of 1,422 over the previous year ; 292 persons were identified as previous offenders, either in this Dominion, the Australian States, or England; 1,325 photographs were taken by the photographers attached to the branch, an increase of 260 over last year; the photographs of 1,503 prisoners (5,964 photographs) were dealt with, and 600 photographs were reproduced in the Police Gazette. In thirty-four cases of breaking and entering, finger-prints left by offenders when committing the crime were identified, which is a record. Very few, if any, of these offenders would have been charged had it not been for the finger-print system. Of the thirty-four cases mentioned only three went for trial to the Supreme Court, and each resulted in a conviction. In the remaining cases the offenders pleaded guilty, thus effecting a great financial saving to the country. The most noteworthy of the trials were: Firstly, the case of the Wellesley Club, Wellington, which was broken into and a number of silver trophies stolen. From finger-prints found on a broken glass cover to one of the silver cups the Wellington detectives were informed of the identity of the offender. He was located in Wellington and arrested with a friend of his, who admitted committing the offence. Both were convicted and sentenced. Secondly, the Commercial Hotel and Rosenfeldt and Co.'s premises, Auckland, were broken into. Within three hours of the start of the examination of the articles from the Commercial Hotel for finger-prints a telegram was on its way to the Auckland Police informing them who the offender was. On the following day another telegram was despatched saying that the same person, according to finger-prints found, was responsible for dynamiting the safe at Rosenfeldt and Co.'s premises ; he was located, and pleaded guilty to both charges at the lower Court. On another occasion a police officer brought in some articles bearing finger-prints for examination, and was informed whose prints they were before he left the office, which was within half an hour of his arrival. The period covered by this report shows a considerable general increase in the work of this branch, especially considering the size of the finger-print collection, which is ever on the increase, therefore requiring longer and more tedious searches. The following table shows the increase since the introduction of the finger-print system of identification in March, 1903 : —

4

Offence Number of Number of I Amount of Fines Prosecutions. j Convictions. | imposed. £ Carrying on business of bookmaker .. .. 23 10 910 Keeping common gaming house .. .. 24 21 1,045 Found in common gaming house .. .. 20 j 19 39 Laying totalizator odds .. .. .. 14 ' 12 180 Publishing betting-charts .. .. .. 20 j 17 185 Street betting .. . . .. .. 9 j 6 340 Betting with infants .. .. .. 1 1 10 Totals .. .. Ill 86 £2,709

Number of Increase on Pri oners Number of Increase on Prisoners Year. Prints in Previous t ™ 0e ? as Year. Prints in Previous traced as <£= oS™. j j 1904 .. 3,500 3,500 117 1916 .. 18,134 1,452 218 1905 .. I 4,200 700 72 1917 .. 19,508 1,374 166 1906 .. 5,000 800 88 1918 .. 20,982 1,474 132 1907 6,151 1,151 104 1919 .. 22,332 1,350 153 1908 .. 7,622 1,471 123 1920 .. 23,686 1,354 176 1909 .. 8,718 1,096 138 1921 .. 26,650 2,964 232 1910 .. i 9.919 1,201 140 1922 .. 28,408 1,758 255 1911 .. I 10,905 986 ! 148 1923 .. 30,284 1,876 292 1912 .. 12,097 1,192 178 1924 .. 31,929 1,645 289 1913 .. 13,552 1,455 183 1925 .. 33,802 1,873 267 1914 .. 1 15,302 1,750 230 1926 .. 35,844 2,042 292 1915 .. 1 16,682 1,380 270