OUR GAOLS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 22 August 1908, Page 7

OUR GAOLS.

THE ANNUAL REPORT. "As the past year," states tho Inspector of Prisons in his annual report, "shows a decrease in tho daily average number of tho prisoners and a slight inereaso in tho number on probation, I think these figures will be considered satisfactory when all tho surrounding circumstances aro taken into consideration." The cleanliness, sanitary arrangements, and tho discipline) of tho institutions, examined on surprise visits, had all been found to bo satisfactory. There had been few complaints of any moment. There was a demand for warders' cottages. Though, as . tho outcome of repeated protests, the practice of .sending intemporates, acute alcoholics, etc., to prisons for medical treatment had considerably diminished, it would bo a mattor' for great congratulation when such cases wero entirely excluded from tho prisons. v Tho First Offenders' Act continued to givo satisfactory results, and it was believed the Act had done more to savo those just entering a career of crime from thoir downward career than could hnvo been expected from its most sanguine promoters. SOME FIGURES. There wero 13'cscapes last year, as against 10 in 1900, viz., 4 from Lyttelton, 2 from Uokitika, 1 from New Plymouth, 2 from Hanmer, 2 from Waiotapu, and 2 from Point Halsivell. All were recaptured. Six deaths in prison occurred during 1907, as. against 10 in 1906. In each case an inquest was held, and verdicts of deaths' from natural causes returned, with tho exception of the death of Diimgree, which was accidental; and a verdict returned "Death from drowning, and ■no blamo attached to any person. There wero no executions: 'one prisoner was sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted to imprisonment with hard labour for life. At the commencement of tho year there wero 812 males and 79 females undergoing detention in tho various gaols of tho Dominion, whiio at its close thero wero 764 males and 83 females, a decrease of 48 males and an increase of 4 females. In 1907, 5815 males and G63 females passed through tho various prisons, as against 5461 males and 585 females in tho previous year, an increase of 354 males ana 78 females; but if thoso numbers aro accurately looked into it will bo found that 739 males and 198 females are included more than once, so that the actual numbers of persons who passed through the prisons during the year 1907 wero 5076 males and 465 females, or a total only of 5541 persons. This decrease is the more satisfactory when it is rememberod that with cash session legislation is brought in making imprisonment a penalty . for offences which could previously have boen dealt with by fines. It is impossible to make any reliable comparison of crimo to population in the Dominion' and othor countries without talcing into account tho various statutes under which imprisonment can, or may, bo awarded in tho various countries concerned.

During tho year 1907 tho daily avorago number of prisoners in the different prisons of tho Dominion has been 791.35 males and 80.90 females, a decrease of 10.73 males, and an increaso of 0.17 females.

According to figures supplied by ■ tho Rogistrar-Goner.al, tho population of the Dominion at tlio end of tho past year was 524,408 males and 405,152 females, a total of 989,560, while the number of prisoners at the samo date was 547. The avorago percentage, therefore, of prisoners to population' was 0.0355, as again'st 0.0931 in the previous year.

Tho fact of fifty persons having been detained in prisons for thp purpose of ascertaining their fitness or otherwiso for mental hospitals in unsatisfactory alike to t-ho persons under surveillance and to those • who have to look after them.

Prisoners in tho town prisons wcro maintained last year at a gross cost per head of £50 os. 6d., as against £47 Bs. 7d. in tho previous year.

In Wellington it cost £1578 7s. Bd. to feed a daily avorago of 145.37 prisoners, while iii Auckland it only cost £18S3 13s. 9d. to provision a daily avorage of 24G.55. At New Plymouth it cost £399 4s. fid. for a daily avorago of 31.62, while ill AVanganui it only cost £270 Os. Bd. for a daily avorago qf 27.18, notwithstanding that rations aro of tho same quality and amount, and are tendered for in tho samo way all over tho Dominion. •

' As regards tho expenses of prisoners at tree-planting prisons, at Dum'grco (since abolished),.whore there wore three officos arid twenty-eight prisoners, tho gross annual cost .per prisoner was £55 7s. 6d. -At Waotapn, whoro thore were six officers and sixty prisoners, tho gross annual cost per prisoner was £44 3s. lid. At Hanmer, whero thero wero three officers and twenty-four prisoners, tho gross cost per prisoner was £47 os. lOd. At Waipa, whore there wore three officers and twonty-five prisoners, tho gross cost per prisoner was £47. At present there are 13 officors and 109 prisoners employed at tree-planting prisons. Out of a total of '5003 males and 584 females received during tho past year, 40 males and one female wore of superior education, 4663 males and 534 females wero able to read • and write, 88 males and 16 female could road only, whilst 212 males and 33. females could neither read nor write. HABITUAL CRIMINALS. It was stated in last year's report that some suitable placo should bo selected for a reformatory, undor 1 tho . Habitual' Criminals and Offenders' Act, 1906, and a wing of the New Plymouth Prison had been selected for that purpose; So far, thero was only one prisoner under detention as . an habitual criminal, and ho was not associated or confined with other prisoners, so that he was virtually undergoing solitary confinement; but this would bo overcome in a few montKs, when others would come under detention in tho reformatory. There was ample accommodation for all that are likely to be declared habitual criminals within the next few years at New Plymouth, and time would prove tho necessity or otherwise of building a central reformatory in tho Dominion. Since ■tho Act became law some of tho gaol-birds had flown' from the Dominion, and others were earning an honest living, so that there was reason to hope tho list .of habitual criminals would never bo a very long one. TREE-PLANTING. "It is satisfactory to bo able to report," says tho Inspector, "that during tho past year situations have been found for several deserving ■ prisoners on their discharge on remission, and tho system introduced by the Hon. the Minister for Lands, of giving employment at tree-planting to those who have* by their industry and conduct, proved themselves worthy of it, is working out very satisfactorily both for tho discharged prisoners and the Forest Department." The amount of work dono at the treeplanting prisons, as shown by tho gaolors' reports, is creditablo to all concornod, and has given entire satisfaction to tho Forest Department. Diroctly an escapo is reported, judgment is passed without evidenco by those who know nothing about the matter and will not take tho trouble to inquire. During tho .past year there havo been four oscapcs from tree-planting prisons, viz., two from Waiotapu and two from Hanmer, and in each case tho escapees wore speedily recaptured ; but it is thought that tho Courts beforo which such offenders, aro brought do not always view tho offence as seriously as tho case deserves, and tho penalty is therefore not deterrent. Tho object,of tho Department has been to mako tho tree-planting establishments special prisons for good-con-duct prisoners. It is possiblo that mistakes are sometimes made in the selection of prisoners for treo-planting, but the Department claims to be judged by results, and when it is found that 619 have passed through theso establishments and 23 havo escaped, while in no ease has any porson suffered any personal injury at the hands of any escapee, it must bo admitted that thoso "dangerous prisoners" aro not so bad as they aro painted, and are not yet beyond the bounds of possible reformation. No human being is without somo good characteristics in his nature, no matter how depraved ho may have become; and it is for thoso in charge of prisoners to endeavour to tho best of their ability to find the good qualities and cultivate them. Tho aim of the Department

has been °to help those who arc trying to help themselves, and our energies havo not been wasted in many cases." FIRST OFFENDERS' PROBATION ACT. One hundred and eleven persons were placed on probation last year, as again 101 in 1906. Of tho 111, 23 satisfactorily, carried out the terms of their licenses and wore ..discharged, 6 were re-arrested, 3 absconded, and 79 still remain under the: supervision of the Probation Officers. Tho amount ordered to bo paid by the various Courts amounted to £471 19s. Id., of which £258 17s. 4d. had been already paid. Tho approximate cost of keeping these offenders had they been sent to prison would havo been £3648 Is. 6d., which sum, added to the' amount of costs actually paid, made a total saying of £3906 18s. lOd. Of tho 1980,.persons placed on probation since the passirig'bf tho First Of-, fenders Probation Act, 1886, 1676 had, been discharged after satisfactorily carrying out tho conditions of their licenses, 110 had been re-arrested and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, 1 committed suicide, 4 died, 2 were sent to industrial schools, 42 absconded, and 143 still remain faithfully fulfilling the terms of thoir"licenses. It appeared, therefore, that while a percentage of 84.64 have done well, a,percentage,.of ,only, 2.12 havo eluded the vigilance of the Probation Officers. - ' . WELLINGTON GAOL. Tho report of the Wellington Gaoler was as follows: —Tho number 'of prisoners received during tho year was 1042 males and 193 females, total 1235 an increase of 30 males and 42 females over-.last year. ... The actual number of individuals "reccived -'was 927 during the year, 303'! prisoners having boon received more than onco. The daily average, 121.94 males and*23.43 females, is respectively 16.06 less arid 2.43 greater than last year. The total average, 145.37 of both sexes, is 13.63 less than last year. The contractors' supplies' were good, and' punctually delivered. Tho health "of"'tho': prisoners was good. Three, male prisoners were admitted to tho. district hospital and returned on recovery ; one femalo prisoner who had been over twelve .months..in. hospital suffering from an incurable disease had tho remainder of her seutenco remitted; and onemale prisoner was sent to the mental hospital. Thirty-eight males and five females for. medical treatment, and four supposed lunatics, were received during the year. As this subject has been brought to notice year after year, I feel suro somo steps will be taken to remedy the matter -at an early date. Two prisoners escaped from Point Halswell Prison. Both were recaptured and sen-' tenced to additional terms' .of imprisonment; Two officers' incurred report - during the' yoar: one .of them was permitted to resign, tho other was fined and'" cautioned. The prisoners were employed at Mount Cook brick-making, on defence work at Point Halswell,. and for a portion of tho yoar at Somes Island. .