REPORT ON GAOL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1154, 20 May 1870, Page 3

REPORT ON GAOL.

Kapler Gaol, May 12, 1870. Sir, — I have, the honor to furnish the Annual Report of the Department under my charge. The daily average of prisoners has been 25 and f for the last twelve months — 5 prisoners daily over the average of the previous year — and all the prisoners have been kept employed in pursuance of the sentence passed on them. The hard labour gang has been mostly employed on the roads and streets about town. There has been a good deal of work done on the premises by the prisoners. They have completed the new building for the Lunatic Asylum, according to the plan approved of by his Honor the Superintendent ; also, 250 feet of very substantial close board fencing, about ten feet high, enclosing a yard for female prisoners and lunatic patients, and one large yard for male lunatic patients ; also, a yard for the performance of all works, and keeping all tools and materials in, so that no prisoners can have access to them but the men actually employed. There has been a draw-well sunk on the Gaol premises, and a supply of good water found at the depth of sixty feet, which has proved a great benefit during the dry weather. The old cooking-range, having become quite unserviceable, has been replaced by two large boilers, furnaces, and oven, which are more suitable for the work, and will be a considerable saving in fuel. The buildings have been all painted, and are in very good repair. There has been a number of other improvements made, which are of great benefit to the establishment, and a great has been effected ..by the employ--m&BZol prison Jabour on these works. sc — There w ei-e tin co p* iouueiv made their escape on the night of the 6th & a ,\ )r ,*~Tj” — the nature of which I made a^Sport to. your Honor at the time. Two of the pri- ' soners have been recaptured. The Visiting Justices made an investigation, and expressed themselves satisfied that no neglect or blame could be attributed to the officers of the gaol ; they also strongly recommended a night watchman ; and that some of the cells should be made secure, and capable of holding men undergoing long sentence and of desperate character. I have to inform your Honor of the cause of the over expenditure in the ration and contingent account, which is in consequence of the large increase in number of prisoners confined in gaol, compared with the previous year. I would draw your Honor's attention to the Lunatic Asylum being a separate department, and would recommend that a separate vote be made for its maintenance. There has been, and most likely will be, for the next twelve months, a daily average of four patients ; say the sum voted for rations and contingencies at the rate of £22, for each patient ; total, £88, which sum may be deducted from the gaol ration and contingent account, as they have been provided for in tho proposed gaol estimate. I beg to enclose a copy of the last twelve months' accounts, from which your Honor will see that the department has been nearly self-supporting. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most Obedt. Servant, William Miller, Gaoler. To His Honor the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay.