PRISON SERVICE.

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1925, Page 4

PRISON SERVICE.

NEW CONTROLLER-GENERAL

ME. M. HAWKINS APPOINTED,

The Public Service Commissioner announces the appointment of Mr. Michael Hawkins, Inspector of Prisons to the position of Controller-General of Prisons, in succession to the late Mr. C. E. Matthews.

Mr. Hawkins was bom in Belfast, Ireland, in 18G2 and joined the Prison Service as a tradesman warder in 1885, and he is the first officer in that service who has risen from the ranks to the control of the Department. After undergoing training for a period of twelve months at Invercargill, he was transferred to Dunedin as trades instructor. In the following year he was transferred to Timaru, and appointed acting-gaoler in 1890. On the closing of the Timaru Prison lie was transferred to Lyttelton, and then, in 1891, to Invercargill as principal warder. In 1907 he was appointed gaoler, Invercargill, and in 1915, in addition to his office as gaoler, was appointed Supervisor of Prison Works and Labour, later on in the year being transferred to Wellington in the same capacity. In 1916 he was relieved of the duties of gaoler and appointed Deputy Inspector of Prisons, in addition to his other duties. In 1920 he was promoted to the position of Inspector of Prisons and Supervisor of Prison Works.

During Mr. Hawkins' long association with the Prison Service lie has at various times had control of every one of the main prisons and institutions under the administration of the Prisons Department. He was for many years in charge of the Borstal Institution at Invercargill, and was largely responsible for tlie big reclamation scheme carried out by prison labour for the Invercargill Borough Council, whereby 2500 acres of land were reclaimed from the sea and converted into magnificent pasture lands.