THE PRISONS REPORT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 745, 11 June 1886, Page 26

THE PRISONS REPORT.

The annual report of the Inspector of Prisons for the year ended 31st December, ISBS, has been presented to Parliament. It is accompanied by the usual tabulated details. On the whole, the Inspector reports that he has every reason to be satisfied with the manner in which the institutions under his inspection are conducted, as well as with the care and treatment of inmates. “in no instance,” he says, “ has there been any complaint brought under my notice regarding the quality of the rations supplied, and these, together with the clothing, bedding, and necessaries which are obtained by contract, have been carefully inspected before delivery, and found of good quality and according to sample.” For the year nine escapes, or attempted escapes, are reported. In each case the prisoner was re-captured or _ the attempt to escape frustrated without injury to the prisoner. Particulars are given of each attempt ; those at Mount Cook being described as follows: —“Of the Mount Cook es apes, one was attempted by a prisoner who could hardly he held accountable for his actions, and was immediately afterward removed to the Asylum. He was never lost sight of, and was recaptured at once. A more determined attempt, however, was made at this prison by two long-sentenced prisoners, who ran from off the works, and, though promptly followed by the officers on outpost duty, succeeded in o-oing some distance before they were recap, tured ; but the telephone being at once utilised, a large posse of the Constabulary ciuickly turned out in pursuit, as well as the Gaoler, who succeeded in cleverly recapturing the runaways himself. The last case at Mount Cook was by a prisoner who had previously attempted his escape from the works at Lyttelton, on which occasion he was tsvice fired on before he could be stopped. At the morning unlock of the Mount. Cook prison he was found to have cut a large piece out of the prison wall below his hammock, and doubtless, if not frustrated, would, with several of his comrades, have been at large early next night. The health of the prisoners has been good. Seven deaths occurred during the year as against nine in ISB4. f X'he number of prisoners ‘passed through’ the prisons m the year showed an increase of 85 males and a decrease of 36 females on the previous year ; and the average number of prisoners to population showed a slight decrease. Captain Hume says .__i m ust again record my annual protest against the prisons of the Colony being utilised for the detention of supposed lunatics and persons suffering from delirium tremens. In former reports I have called attention to persons being continually_ sent to prisons for medical treatment, and pointed nut the hardships of many such cases ; but I would draw your special attention to two somewhat glaring cases which have happened during the past year. In the one a prisoner was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for haying no visible lawful means of support, and the committing magistrate wrote as follows : Ihe man was employed some months ago on railway works, and, through over-straining himself, has almost completely lost the use of his eyesight. He has been in a hospital for some months, but, not being cured of the loss of his eyesight, he has been returned to , and has been kept here by the Benevolent Society for one week, but, being unable to keep him any longer, he was handed over to the police this morning, and sentenced as aforesaid. I am happy to be able to add that fcis Excellency, on your recommendation, was pleased to grant a remission of the sentence as soon as the matter was brought under his notice. In the other case the gaoler made the following report:—‘ A prisoner was sentenced a t , on the 11th instant, to three months’ imprisonment for having no visible means of support, and received at this prison at 3.15 o’clock, p.m., 13th instant, was at once examined by the prison surgeon, and admitted to the infirmary, suffering from heart disease and dropsy. The surgeon recommended his immediate removal to the hospital, commendation was acted upon on the morning of the 15th instant. The man had only a short time before been discharged from the Hospital, and, being without relatives or friends who could assist him, he, fiom sheer destitution, gave himself up to the police. The man has never been in gaol before, and the surgeon considers that he cannot live long, and may die at any moment. As I have already stated, this prisoner was removed to hospital on the 15th instant, where he died on the 21st of the same month.” The penal servitude prisoners show an increase of one. The net cost of maintining prisoners was L4l 7s, as against Xj44 Ids 5d in ISB4. The lowest gross cost per prisoner was at Mount Cook, L 39 4s 9d. It is noted, however, that Mount Cook has not been occupied by any of the expensive class of prisoners. An increase of 23 juvenile prisoners is shown on 1884, although there is a decrease in the number between 10 and 15 years of age. 339 prison punishments were awarded during the year. Considerable decreases are shown in the number of convictions for forgery and uttering, and indecent conduct and rape. 23 offences were recorded against officers against 32 in 1844. Classification, the Inspector reports, is almost at a standstill for want of proper accommodation, and little more can be done until the Auckland and Mount Cook new prisons are completed. The necessity for completing the prisons at Auckland, Mount Cook, and Dunedin is strongly urged. With reference to the Mount Cook prison, Captain Hume remarks—” Is was thought by many that this building would never be completed with prison labor, but it has now sufficiently advanced to disprove that assumption; and it will, I think, b& found, when finished, to have cost little over one half the estimate. Whatever the expenditure may be, I believe it will not only repay the outlay in the construction, but that it will ultimately leave a large credit-balance, derived from the reclaimed land. During the year about two millions of superior bricks have been manufactured.” In conclusion Captain Hume refers to the loss the department has sustained by the death of two painstaking Justices Lieutenant Colonel Header, and Mr Thomas Macfarlane.