N.Z. Gaols.

Southern Cross, Volume 9, Issue 30, 26 October 1901, Page 3

N.Z. Gaols.

During the debate in Parliament on the vote of £30,886 for prisons, members wanted to know why Wellington gaol cost so much more than the Auckland gaol in regard to management. It was stated that the total net cosr of keeping each prisoner for the past 12 months amounted to :

Auckland ... £l9 1 3 Lyttelton ... 21 10 9 Wellington ... 26 8 3 Invercargill ... 29 9 1 Dunedin ... 38 11 8 Napier ... 48 7 7 Hokitika ... 66 11 3 Wanganui ... 68 11 3 New Plymouth 69 10 2

Under the heading of “ medicine and medical comforts,” each prisoner cost ;

Invercargill ... £1 3 0 Napier ... 1 12 0 Lyttelton ... 1 13 0 Dunedin ... 2 10 Auckland ... 2 7 0 Wellington ... 3 0 0 As regards bedding and clothing, the returns were :

Dunedin ... £0 7 6 Invercargill ... 0 7 7 Lyttelcon ... 0 8 0 Auckland ... 010 0 Napier ... 015 0 Wellington ... 1 10 0

From the above figures it will be seen,that the Invercargill gaol compares favourably with those of larger centres, and Gaoler Bratby and his staff can still give the inmates more medical comforts, etc, and be on the safe side so far as cost is concerned.

It was mentioned during the discussion that ‘ medical comforts ’ in prison did not, as some people were apt to imagine, consist wholly of liquids, and none of them were spirits. Milk, rice, sugar, cocoa, oatmeal, butter, cheese, tea, and tobacco were supplied under the above head. The vote was finally agreed to.