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1943 NEW ZEALAND

THE POLICE FORCE OF THE DOMINION (ANNUAL REPORT ON)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

The Commissioner op Police to the Hon. the Minister in Charge op Police Department Wellington, 21st May, 1943. I have the honour to present the annual report on the Police Force for the year ended 31st March last. Strength of Force. —On the 31st March last the number of members of the Force of all ranks was 1,640, being an increase of 41 during the year. The total is made up as follows : 5 Superintendents, 17 Inspectors, 7 Sub-Inspectors, 43 senior sergeants, 132 sergeants, 978 constables, 346 temporary constables, 10 senior detectives, 39 detective-sergeants, and 63 detectives. There were also 3 district constables, 1 Native constable, 20 police-women, 7 matrons, and 15 police surgeons. The following are the losses in personnel for the year ended 31st March last: Retired on pension under the Public Service Superannuation Act, 3 ; retired as medically unfit, 2 ; died, 7 ; resigned voluntarily, 15 ; discharged, 4 ; dismissed, 18 : total, 49. Stations. —New stations were established during the year at Ngongotaha, Ohakea, and Norsewood, and the stations at Kopuawhara, Charleston, and Ormondville were closed. 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 decrease of 3,951 on the figures of 1941. The percentage of offences to the population was 2-11, as against 2-35 the previous year. The number of offences reported during the year was 34,608, the number of cases in which arrests or summonses resulted was 30,790, leaving 3,818 cases in which no prosecution followed. The percentage of arrests or summonses resulting from offences reported during the year 1942 was 88-96, the figures of the preceding year being 93-09. There was an increase in the number of serious crimes as compared with the previous year, and also in the number of indecent and sexual offences. Drunkenness. —There has been a decrease of 1,886 in the number of prosecutions for drunkenness during the year as compared with the previous year. The number charged with drunkenness in 1942 was 3,001 (2,856 males and 145 females), whereas in 1941 the number was 4,887 (4,752 males and 135 females). Seven hundred and sixty-nine males (26-92 per cent.) and 44 females (30-34 per cent.) had previous convictions recorded against them, and 5-25 per cent, of the males were not permanent residents of the Dominion. Prosecutions against Hotelkeepers.—The number of prosecutions against hotelkeepers during the year shows an increase of 4as compared with the preceding year. There were 518 prosecutions, resulting in 373 convictions, during 1942, as against 514 prosecutions and 409 convictions in 1941. Sly-grog Selling.—There were 225 prosecutions during the year for selling liquor without a license, and there were also 117 prosecutions for other offences against the provisions of the Licensing Act in force in no-license districts. The fines imposed on the sly-grog sellers during the year 1942 amounted to £3,496 Bs. Gaming Offences. —There were 304 prosecutions during the year under the Gaming Act, against 500 prosecutions in 1941. One hundred and fifty-six prosecutions in connection with bookmaking during the year ended 31st March, 1943, resulted in 156 convictions, the amount of fines imposed being £6,064. I—II. 16