Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1905-01-27 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

CRIME IN THE BOROUGH.  CHIEP CONSTABLE HARRISS' ANNUAL REPORT.  The annual report of Chief Constable Harriss has just been submitted to the memberr of the Watch Committee. From this we make the follewing extracts:— Strength of Force.—On the 31st December, 1904, the authorised strength of the Police Force was 41, viz.:—Chief Constable, 2 inspectors, 6 te,rgoants, and 32 constables, the average age being 3'2 year. and 5 months, and average length of service 9 years and 3 months.  Variations and Conduct—An additional inspector has been added to the force during tke year, and I am glad to report that the conduct of the men has been excellent, two police-constables have been awarded the merit badge for meritorious conduct, and • : sergeant has been allowed to receive a money gift as an honorarium for tact and ability shown in a case of larceny. St. John Ambulance Certificates.—Thirtynine members of the force have passed an examination in first aid to the injured, and hold the certificate of the St. John Ambu lance Asi,ciation, seven have passed the second, and 26 the third examination, and the latter number hold the medallion of the ailsociation. Population. -- The pcpubition of the borough by the census of Ist April, 1901, was 40,329 or 983.f3 to each member of the force, land the area of the borough in acrea is 3,610 lor 88.05 to each constable.  Criminal Statisties.—A very gratifying roduction is shown in the number of crimes reported to the police under the heading Of " Offences against property without violence" (simple larceny, etc.), while in the number of persons proceeded against for drunkenness there is a reduction of 58. The considerable increase in the number of persons proceeded against for breeches of borough bye-laws is due to the prevalence of obscene language, the use of which, I regret to say, is very common. The total number of persons proceeded against (luring the year was 332 males and 110 females, total 442; last year's figure. being 374 males and 98 females, total 472; showing a decrease of 30. Indictable Offences.—Seventy-eight indicttable offences were reported to the police, and 77 persons have been proceeded against, 17 of whom were committed for trial, the remainder being dealt with by the magistrates. The following table classifies these offences, and also makes a comparison with those reported during the year 1903, by which it will be seen there is a decrease of 46. Offences against the persons, 4 in year 1903, 1 in year 1904 offences against property with violence, 8,4; offences against, property without violence, 110, 58; malicious injuries to property, 1,0; miscellaneous, 3; 5; total, 124 for 1903, 78 for 1904.  Value of Property Stolen, etc.—The eetimated value of the property stolen in the borough during the year amounted to £lOO Gs. 91d., and of this amount property to the value of RGS •2s. Id. was recovered by the  Licensed Houses.—There are in existence in the borough 102 licences granted by the magistrates for the sale of intoxicating liquor:— Licensed victuallers, 62: boor seller. (on), 16: hoer sellen. (off), 15; wine licences, 9: total. 102.  Supervision by the Police.-1,067 visits have been made to the varimvs houses. Proceedings have been taken against one licensed victualler for being drunk on his own licensed premises. and one beerhouse-keeper for supplying drink to a drunken person. They were both convicted. Inquests.—Twenty-eight inquests have been held by the Coroner, the verdicts returned being as follows:-14 natural caneee, 9 accidental, '2 found drewned, 2 accidentally drowned, 1 suicide, total 28. The cost of maintenance of the force  (luring 1904 was lls. al., as against , £4.003 13s. 04. in 1903.  The Manchester Coroner returned to the finnw.lette danger on Wednesday, and nninted out that GO or 70 per cent, of the burning cases last year were doe to the wearing of flannelette. Sooner or later, he saM, it would be made compulsory for manetorturers ta fireproof "this stuff" If they did not do so for humanity's sakn they ought to be eompflied to do an.