Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Northern Rhodesia.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1932]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Northern Rhodesia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    37/54 (page 35)
    The general conduct of the Native Courts has been satisfactory and the progress made is encouraging. Disputes and offences appear to be dealt with adequately and judgments given in accord¬ ance with native custom. Police. The total number of cases dealt with by the Police during 1932 was 10,510 an increase of 2,718 on the figures for 1931 made up as follows : Increase of offences by Europeans. Common Law Statute Law 2. 119. Increase of offences by natives. Common Law 638. Statute Law 1,959. The figures quoted below will indicate the number of more serious cases dealt with as compared with 1931 : Crime. Europeans. Natives. Total. Affray 3 146 1932. 149 1931. 80 Arson — 24 24 13 Assault, Common 38 185 223 199 Assault O.A.B. harm 22 141 163 87 Indecent Assault. 1 21 22 34 Indecent Curiosity — 16 16 —* Burglary ... — 94 94 100 Embezzlement ... 1 — 1 9 Forgery and Uttering ... 8 189 197 64 Fraud and False Pretences 56 41 97 19 Housebreaking and Theft — 185 185 43 Theft (all forms) 47 987 1,034 1,036 Manslaughter 1 16 17 22 Murder — 24 24 15 Attempted Murder 1 13 14 4 Perjury . 5 6 11 8 Rape and attempted rape 2 25 27 21 Robbery ... — 1 1 1 Assaults on Police 3 20 23 28 Indecent Exposure — 4 4 1 Extortion . — 5 5 1 Incest — 1 1 — It will be seen that there has been a large increase in cases housebreaking and theft, fraud and theft by false pretences, affray, forgery and uttering, and assaults, undoubtedly due to unemploy¬ ment caused by the retrenchment of both Europeans and natives from the Copper Mines and elsewhere. Owing to the general depression it was found necessary to close certain stations and effect retrenchment in the European and native personnel during the latter part of the year. The figures quoted do not include those cases heard at stations where police are not available.