H.—l6.

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 1932 was 90-49, the figures of the preceding year being 89-03.

Serious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year : —

The number of murders, 15 (being an increase of two on the previous year), is regrettably high. Three are in respect to infante whose deaths were regarded as unlawfully caused. In two of these cases n<> arresi resulted.

Indecent and sexual offences were as under :—

2

Number of Offences Number in which p_i;._ r>j Q * r :,.(. Number of in which Arrests I no Arrests J OliUtJ I /LSI I l< I . > a. , i n n Utiences reported, or summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. Whangarei.. .. .. .. .. 1,366 1,264 102 Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 8,461 7,527 934 Hamilton .. .. .. .. .. 2,078 1,941 137 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 1,250 1,181 60 Napier .. .. .. .. .. 1,810 1,704 IOC, New Plymouth .. .. .. .. 1,147 1,083 64 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 1,191 1,098 93 I'iilnierston North .. .. .. .. 1,520 1,431 89 Wellington .. .. .. .. 6,002 5,323 679 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. 857 767 90 Greymouth .. .. .. .. 1,098 997 101 Christchurch .. .. .. .. 4,418 3,952 466 Timaru .. .. .. .. .. 758 647 111 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. 2,111 1,886 225 Invercargill .. .. .. .. 1,301 1,205 96 Totals .. .. .. 35,368 32,006 3,362

1931. 1932. *;;;;■ ■■' KSSi *-»■■< K£2 S= -sir" ■"«"- -£ Arson .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 28 33 27 Robbery and aggravated robbery .. . . . . 21 15 9 4 Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. .. 1,608 886 1,553 946 Forgery and uttenng .. .. .. .. 241 231 224 211 Murder .... .. .. I 13 9 15 13 Murder, attempted .. .. .. .. 5 5 2 2 Rape .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 7 3 3 Receiving stolen property .. .. .. 158 158 283 283 Wounding with intent .. .. .. .. 1 1 1 I Totals .. .. .. .. 2,084 1,340 2,123 1,490

Offences. 1931. 1932. Unnatural offence .. .. .. .. .. 5 Unnatural offence, attempted . . .. .. 3 2 Indecently assaulting a male .. . . . . .. 54 24 Incest .. ... .. . . . . 2 13 Indecent acts .. .. .. .. .. 6 28 Concealment of birth .. .. . . . . .. 7 6 Assault, indecent .. .. .. .. .. 102 82 Rape . . .. . . _ _ 7 3 Rape, attempted .. .. .. .. 7 7 Carnally knowing girls .. .. .. .. 69 74 Carnally knowing girls, attempted . . . . .. 7 11 Abortion, procuring, &c. .. .. . . . . 11 \\ Exposure of person and grossly indecent acts . . 209 180 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 489 441