H.—l6.

The principal decreases were — Assault, indecent .. .. .. 21 Theft of animals .. .. 38 Breaches of Arms Act .. .. 42 Theft by clerks or servants . . .. 31 Damaging telegraph equipment . . .. 61 Theft from dwellings .. .. 38 Offences by husbands whilst separation orders Theft (petty) .. . • • ■ ■ • 255 are in force .. . . . . 65 Trespass on racecourse . . . . 26 Receiving property dishonestly obtained .. 44 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 1937 was 93-39, the figures of the preceding year being 93-24. Seeious Crimes. The following is a return of the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year : —

Indecent and sexual offences were as under :—

2

Number of Offences Number in which p v TV + • Number of in which Arrests no Arrests e 1 ls nct - Offences reported. or Summonses or Summonses resulted. resulted. Whangarei .. .. .. .. •• 1,477 1,388 89 Auckland .. .. .. .. 7,739 ] 6,800 939 Hamilton .. .. .. .. .. 2,925 j 2,815 j 110 Gisborne 1,560 I 1,511 49 Napier 1,699 1,591 108 New Plymouth .. -• •• .. 1,329 1,263 66 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 1,120 1,061 ! 59 Palmerston North .. .. .. .. 1,761 1,692 j 69 Wellington .. .. .. .. 7,616 7,384 232 Nelson .. .. .. .. . • 886 847 39 Greymouth .. .. .. .. 1,112 1,030 82 Grristchurcli .. .. .. .. 4,666 4,266 400 Timaru .. .. .. .. .. 733 607 126 Dunedin 2,892 2,774 118 Invercargill .. .. .. .. 1,114 1,049 65 Totals .. .. .. .. 38,629 36,078 2,551

1936. 1937. Crimes. XT i. c Number of . , T , c Number of Number of . i Number of Offences Offences in oflences Offences in Onences whichArrests l Oflences whichArrests reported. resulted reported. IeBxdte d. Arson I 15 14 12 8 Robbery and aggravated robbery .. .. .. 9 8 8 8 Burglary, breaking into shops, dwellings, &c. .. 1,063 774 1,116 819 Forgery and uttering .. .. .. . . 104 92 173 159 Murder.. .. .. .. .. .. 8 4 4 4 Murder, attempted .. .. .. .. 5 4 5 4 Rape .. .. .. .. •. .. • • . • 5 5 Receiving stolen property .. .. .. 166 166 122 123 Wounding with intent .. .. .. .. 2 2 3 3 Totals .. .. .. 1,372 1,064 1,448 1,133

Offences. 1 1936. j 1937. ! | . Unnatural offence .. .. .. .. .. 16 16 Unnatural offence, attempted .. .. .. .. 8 12 Indecently assaulting a male .. . . .. .. 66 73 Incest .. .. .. . . .. .. 13 20 Indecent acts .. . . .. .. .. 11 19 Concealment of Birth .. .. .. .. .. 3 4 Assault, indecent .. .. .. .. .. 133 112 Rape .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Rape, attempted .. .. .. .. .. 5 15 Carnally knowing girls .. .. .. .. 74 92 Carnally knowing girls, attempted .. .. .. 17 9 Abortion, procuring, &c. .. .. .. .. 11 18 Exposure of person and grossly indecent acts .. .. 202 222 _ _ Totals .. .. „ 559 617