'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎11v] (21/137)

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UOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[KO7-1908.
Police.
Vagrants.
Wild animals
and snakes.
Criminal
Justice.
11 . The total strength of the Police force oE the . Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. , inclusive of
the Police employed on Railways and in Sind, is slightly below that of last
year in spite of additional appointments to the superior grades under the
reorganisation scheme. The conduct of the force, measured by the number of
punishments, shows some improvement. On the other hand, the standard of
education, low as it is, is practically stationary. The shooting of the Armed
Police, as a whole, is steadily improving, but cannot yet be described as
satisfactory. It is regrettable that those measures of reform m respect of the
conditions of service in the lower ranks which in accordance with the recom
mendation of the Police Commission have already been introduced at consider
able expense have not, in their present form, tended to an increase in efficiency
among the rank and hie. The general deterioration suggested by the year’s
returns, as well as the increasing number of resignations, and the difficulty every,
where experienced in obtaining suitable recruits, are attributed to inadequate
pay, the unpopularity of the increment system, and dissatisfaction on the part of
the men with their prospects of advancement. Turning to the figures of crime,
there was a noteworthy decrease in the number of offences, both real and reported,
due partly to the favourable season, but partly also to more accurate registration,
better supervision over bad characters, and increased activity generally under
the preventive sections of the law. It is satisfactory that the number of excluded
cases—complaints which turned out on investigation to be untrue or mistaken-
still further declined. Unsatisfactory features in the year’s statistics are an in
crease in the amount of property stolen and a smaller proportion of recoveries 5
an increase in the number of pending cases, in spite of the decline in cases for
disposal; and a larger percentage of failures in the detection of true crime.
It is however satisfactory to note that in respect of these statistics the Bombay
City Police showed good results.
12. There were 175 inmates in the male and 8 in the female workhouse.
Emplovment was found for 37 of the former and 2 of the lattei. The average
cost was Rs. 319-1-3 for a male and Rs. 14-5-7 for a female.
13. The figures of mortality from wild animals and snakes among human
beings show a slight increase over last year. The largest number of deaths
from wild animals occurred in Nasik (17) and Kanara (16), and in both districts
man-eating panthers were largely responsible. Ratnagiri accounted for 21 per
cent., and Hyderabad and Thana each for 10 per cent., of the deaths from
snake-bite. The number of cattle killed decreased somewhat. Eighty per cent,
of the casualties occurred in Sind and 74 per cent, were due to wolves. The
amount paid in rewards was less than last year, but the number of wild animals
killed rose from 744 to 821.
14. Though the number of offences reported and brought to trial is less,
the number of persons involved is larger than last year. The variations, how
ever, are not important enough to call for comment. There was an increase in
crimes oE petty violence reported, but as usual the ratio of convictions in
such cases was exceedingly small, only 7 per cent, in cases of hurt, and 5 per
cent, in cases of criminal intimidation. Serious offences, except theft, show
a decrease on the whole. The number of murders fell from 274 to 252. Crime
was most prevalent in the great cities—Bombay, Ahmedabad, Karachi, and
Poona heading the table of comparative criminality in tbe order given. Turning
to the punishments inflicted, the percentage oE nominal fines and short sentences
of imprisonment is lower than last year. Pines of Rs. 10 and under still form,
however, 92 per cent, of the total number. Whipping was resorted to less