PRISONERS’ PAY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 278, 19 August 1932, Page 10

PRISONERS’ PAY

Earning’s by Industry SIXPENCE MAXIMUM Allocation of Marks With the object of establishing uniformity in the payment of prisoners for industry while in custody, amended regulations to the Prisons and Crimes Acts were gazetted yesterday. Briefly, prisoners are to receive a maximum of sixpence a day for industry marks, the maximum previously being slightly over this amount. Subject to certain exceptions, prisoners will be allotted industry marks up to a total of eight a day, after they have been in custody for three months, during which time they will be in the probationary grade. The allotment of industry marks will depend upon the conduct and diligence of prisoners. On the last Saturday of each month, and at the expiration of his sentence, there shall be credited to a prisoner industry earnings computed at the rate of three farthings for each industry mark allotted to him. The Minister of Justice may direct that the amount received in industry earnings shall be paid, in special cases, to the dependents of prisoners. After making allowance for disbursements, the balance of industry moneys standing to the credit of a prisoner shall be paid to him in a lump sum on his discharge, or by instalments as the Minister may direct. No reduction is made in industry wages paid to prisoners’ dependents, totalling about £10,900 a year, but a saving of about £6OO will be effected in the amounts paid to prisoners themselves. The total payments throughout New Zealand in this respect formerly amounted to £7360 a year. The effect of the alteration is to reduce industry earnings from 3/- a week to a maximum of 2/9.