FORESTRY COMMISSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 20 May 1913, Page 3

FORESTRY COMMISSION.

PRISON TREE-PLANTING

■T TBLEGEAPH —PEFBB ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON, May 19. In the course of his evidence before the Forestry Commission to-day, Mr Jordan. Under-Secretary for Justice, stated that the employment of prison labor by the Department had been satisfactory. It seemed to be the only ! thing tjiat had any reformative influence whatever on prisoners. Some prisoners did not like the camps, and had asked to be taken back to. gaol. They found they had to work too hard, and wanted to be Back in the towns, where they could hear the, latest news, It had to be remembered that the cost of prisoners in camps was almost double that of the average gaols. The Justice Department was not allowed anything for the work of the prisoners. The Hammer tree-planting camp was the least profitable of those run by the Department. "It has occurred to me," witness added, "that we might close it up. In fact, we propose to do so as far as the Department is concerned." In reply to questions, witness said it would be better to have one camp in each island and concentrate on treeplantinc by means of prison labor. Br Hay, Inspector of Mental Hospitals and Prisons, quoted figures showing that in 1911 the cost of planting one thousand trees, including clearing ground and digging pits, was £1 5s at Waiotapu, £2 6s at Hanmer, and £1 9s at Waipa.