NEW ZEALAND PRISONS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15022, 17 July 1914, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PRISONS.

A SATISFACTORY BEC-OBD.

C -TEt-AL TO "THE I'R.ESS."'^ WELLINGTON, July 16. The report of tho Prisons Department was prc-cnted to Parliament to ; day. It shows that thero was an increase in the number of prisoner, received during the year, but this -was " duo to abuorraal conditions prevailing during a portion of tho year, and not. to a general increase of crime. The work of providing for more up-to-date pri-on buildings has been steadily pressed forward, and additions at Auckland and Invercargill have boen completed. Further additions to luese prisons aro in hand. A number of improvements in the moro unsuitable buildings—notably at Lyttelton, where the removal of the female prisoners to Addington has enabled the ioraalo wing to bo converted for the use of prisoners sentenced to reform treatment, and tho separation of awaiting trial prisoners and debtor.—have been carriod out. This is a distinct improvement on tne conditions hitherto prevailing at ttas prison. At _aikeria the work of erecting the new buildings is well in iiaud, and the hist section ..houkl _o completed in about twelve month- 1 time. . At no tiiuo iv tho liistory of prison administration in the Dominion has tne prontable employment of prisoners «ecu so groat as at tho present time, mo Srisoners at tho treo-planting camps arc omg work which will ultimately bo ol great value to the community, but it is, of course, not immediately remunerative. Its value from a roformativo poiut of view is recognised. Thero is, however, a large proportion of prisoners —what may be called the floating prison populatiou, persons who are continually in and out of prison on short sentences, many of them derelicts—for whom it will always be difficult to find profitable employment. In time, however, something may be done even for these. It is from the prison farms, says the UnderSecretary > that the best results may bo expected, and, properly dire.-ted and carried on, these institutions will witn out doubt in time become more than self-supporting, and relieve tlio community of a large portion of the cost of maintenance of prisoners. INSPECTOR.- REPORT. The Inspector of Prisons, in his report to the Under-Secretary for Justice, says that, in spit, or the industrial troubles that disturbed the Dominion towards tho end of the year, tho daily average of prisoners confined in tne gaols was below that for i'.i_. Tho departmental figures prove, however, that the majority ,of tho committals took plaeo too late "in the year to materially affect the average for tho whole period. Tho decrease in tho number of serious crimes, as evidenced by the length of tho sentences imposed, which was remarked upon in last year's report, still continues. At Invercargill a concrete blockmaking industry has been established, and blocks are being made for public buildings, and for salo to tho public for private dwellings. Vegetable'gardening is being carried on, and tho produce is sold to the public. A large reclamation scheme is being carried out for tho Borough Conn.il by prisoners, under tho supervision of the gaoler, who has been practically responsible for the whole work. Tho work-has included bridge-building, dredging, and tho various works incidental to such an undertaking. The total area reclaimed I is abont 2000 acres-. The return to tho Department for the prisoners labour will be tho acquirement of an area of 650 acres of first-class fa.m land, which, it is stated by those in a. pcation to judge, will be' worth at least £20 an acre. This land will be utilised as a prison farm, for the training of youthful offenders, surely a profitable work, both to the State* and io tho individual prisoner. engaged iv tho work . At ..aikeria, whore the Department has some 1500 acrrs of laud, the first prison farm in .Vow Zealand has been established, and. although only a short time has elapsed, somo 300 acres have boon clearod and brought into cultivation. Concrete bjpek-making has also been started there', and tho prison and farm buildings will be built by prison labour, with blocks made on the spot, thero being a largo quantity of splendid material availablo in tho river bounding tho property. Blocks will also be supplied for the erection of tho main buildings of tho Mental Hospital, which ■will bo located not veiy far away. The acquirement of an area of farm land in Canterbury, on which.an up-to-date prison can be built, to replace tho unsuitable building at Lyttelton, will afford further opportunity for tho extension of the policy decided upon of providing for tho employment in agricultural pursuits of .prisoners who are mostly derived from tho unskilled class, and tho training of youthful offenders in an occupation which will enable them to obtain suitablo employment on their release. LYTTELTON PRISON. Mr Polnton, in his report about the Lyttelton Prison, .ays there were in confinement on Jauuary Ist, 1913,13J maies aud 15 females. Tho numbers admitted during the year wero 555 males and 17 females, making a total of 694 males and 32 females dealt with. Discharges during the twolvo months numbered 571 males; and 32 females. Of the latter, 15, the total number m custody on April 17th . wero, on that date, transferred to tho Prison for. Females at Addington. Thero wero in custody on December 31st last.— Males, I_3; females, nil. Tho greatest number of both sexes in confinement at any one time was 160, the least number 116, and the daily average 132.05— Males 127.31. females 4.71. Tho health of tlio prisoners, generally speaking, was very good Most of tho cases of sickness-— _7 of which excoeded fortyeight hours in duration —were of . minor and trifling nature. Three males i and one female wero sent to tho dis- | trict hospital during tho year. On the wnole, tno conduct of prisoner, was good, and the degree of industry—with exceptions— satisfactory. Tho visiting Justices punished 21 males and 4 females for the commission of various minor prison offence.. There wore no attempts to escape, or aggravataJ nrison offences to record. AH articles" of diet supplied by the contractors wero of excellent quality. Complaint- in connexion therewith from prisoners were nii. Prisoners were employed, -is in the previous year, for tbo Lyttelton Borough Council, and the Defence Department at the Artillery Barracks and Ripa Island, quarrying stone, dressing stone, wall building, and much other miscellaneous work. A party of 10 prisoners was stationed at Add-ngton Prison for Females for somo months, effecting repairs and alterations thereto, and generally put- ; ting the premises in good order, sub--oquently" nullm" down many old building., cleaning away the debris aud putting the extensive grounds in o-der and planting the wholo outside i prison area with vegetable ■ feeds and , plant* A word of praiso is dne to officers' and prisoners alike for the good i work accomplished there. Alterations : and repairs to tho wing aero vacated ; by the female nrisonors aro neanng completion, and :i will soon be ready for occupation by unconvicted r pnsoners. those under sentences of rerorm- j ativo detention, and debtors, there point: ample provision for tho separation r-f"these three classes from one another, and from the ordinary hard-labour prisoners. Excellent work has been done by those prisoners employed in the prison workshop at boot-making, tailoriug. etc. Generally speaking, tho officers <

carried out their duties fairly satisfactorily. ■ ADDINGTON PRISON. The matron-report, that the health of the prisoners was good, there being only four cases, of sickness during the year, and oho of theso was of a trivial nature. Two cases .-wjero. sent-to tho Christchurch Hospital, "where ono diod. The rations supplied were of good quality, and no complaints had been made. The prisoners were employed in cleaning, sewing, knitting, washing, and repairing'the clothing for the Lyttelton prison, and keeping tho grounds in order. . ,