REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF PRISONS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1882 Session I, H-06

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1882. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF PRISONS.

Presented to both Blouses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Fxcellency.

The Inspector of Prisons to the Hon. the Minister of Justice. Sir, — Office of Inspector of Prisons, Wellington, Ist May, ISB2. I have the honor to report, for your information, that I have visited the different prisons in the colony during the past year, on the dates stated on the annexed return marked A, and have generally found them clean and in good order, the prisoners healthy, and the sanitary arrangements properly attended to. 2. My visits having been made at uncertain times, and in many cases, perhaps, when I was least expected, leads me to conclude that this satisfactory condition and cleanliness prevail at all times. 3. There has been some overcrowding at Napier which was unavoidable, but the difficulty has been overcome by the removal of prisoners, and steps have been taken to prevent any excess of the numbers which can be properly accommodated being located therein future. 4. The conduct of the prisoners generally has been good, and there are no really serious prison offences to report. 5. The washing and bathing arrangements, which I reported as defective last year, have been considerably improved. 6 All complaints made by prisoners have been duly inquired into, and their petitions invariably submitted to His Excellency the Governor for his consideration. 7. The much-needed work of prison reorganization and management is proceeding steadily and systematically ; and, taking into consideration the fact that it has been necessary to contend with the old and, it may be said, disorganized state of things (the growth of many years), the rearrangement has progressed as well as could be expected; and I am gratified to be able to report that most of the drawbacks incidental to the preliminary steps of remodelling are now in a fair way of being overcome. 8. At the outset, very naturally, the question arose how, with the resources at command, to initiate that reformatory treatment of convicts most likely to be attended with the best possible results ; but here, unfortunately, a difficulty presented itself in the condition of the existing prison buildings, which do not possess adaptability for the classification of prisoners. Nevertheless, so far as it is possible, and pending the erection of penal-servitude ones, the present prisons are being utilized to the best advantage. 9. This, of course, necessitates the reconstruction of many of them. That reconstruction is now in gradual progress, and it is hoped will in most cases be continued, at comparatively small cost, by the employment of prison labour. 10. That all-important subject, the classification of prisoners, is receiving due attention, in order that juvenile offenders and adults convicted of comparatively trivial crimes, and those convicted of more serious offences, but not habitual criminals, may, for obvious reasons, be kept apart from the habitual or hardened criminals, and subjected to such corrective treatment as will be calculated to produce the most beneficial results, special consideration being given to the inculcation of habits of industry in connection with labour of a reproductive nature, which may act as a set-off against the cost of the different prisons. 11. During the past year considerable expense has been saved by the transfer of tradesman prisoners from one prison to another, where they were required for some special work, which, had they not been available, would have caused additional expenditure. lam satisfied that by such transfers alone, carried out by careful inspeclion and a knowledge of where to find certain prisoners capable of performing certain labour, a large outlay, otherwise unavoidable, can annually be saved. Under the old system it was not unnatural that a gaoler, on being formally applied to for such skilled labourers, would feel reluctant to part with those whom he believed useful to him, and whose work would be a credit to his establishment. The advantages, however, which are derivable from these transfers are sufficiently apparent, and, from constantly visiting the different prisons, I am in a position to know when particular prison-labour redundant in one place can be most profitably employed in another, and to recommend removal accordingly. 12. Against this arrangement it may be argued that, under it, criminals are brought from other districts, and. on the termination of their sentences, liberated in a town whose inhabitants do not desire any such addition to their population. The invariable practice, however, is that a prisoner who has been transferred as above described is, on his release, sent back to the district in which he was convicted. This is the system adopted in England, and it is one which I hope will be continued at every prison in the colony. 13. The majority of male criminals in New Zealand prisons is, I am glad to find, not of the habitual and hardened class, but is composed rather of incidental offenders, who have been driven to crime under the stimulus of drink, and many of them may therefore be deemed not wholly dishonest or irreclaimable. To give to such prisoners opportunity of redeeming their characters is what prison discipline ought to aim at. Every possible effort should be made to prevent the cultivation of such a criminal class as springs from gregarious associations, some of the horrors of which, that have come

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under my notice, both in Great Britain and India, would hardly be credited; and, though I believe it to be next to useless to attempt the reformation of old and hardened systematic drunkards, we may save juvenile and incidental offenders from the fate of the habitual criminal by a system of training and separation which shall deter them from further crime, and remove them from the pernicious teaching of confirmed offenders. 14. The reformatories and industrial schools already in existence are no doubt very valuable institutions for training such juveniles, but the scope of such training requires extension so as properly to increase its beneficial results ; and I believe an establishment similar to the Philanthropic Society's Farm School for the Reformation of Criminal Boys at Redhill, Surrey, might be opened with great advantage somewhere in the colony, where the boys, after learning farm-work for a certain portion of their sentences, might be apprenticed to farmers willing to take them, who, as long as the boys continued to behave well, would give them employment, and take an interest in their future welfare. 15. The female criminal population of the colony, I regret to report, is, with few exceptions, of the most degraded class, and long past all possible chance of reformation ; but the younger portion should, I think, if possible, be sent to a reformatory direct, without, as far as practicable, suffering imprisonment, as it is quite impossible to prevent the contaminating influences of the older females in prison seriously interfering with them, it having been found injudicious to place females under separate or isolated treatment for any length of time. 16. In my last year's report it was stated that I considered the system of endeavouring to educate prisoners to be a mistake; but, as a wrong interpretation has several times been placed on that statement, I take this opportunity of explaining that I referred to the system (if it can be so designated) carried out in most prisons in New Zealand, of daily, for an hour or eighty minutes, assembling in association, in one of the prison halls, those prisoners who voluntarily desire to attend for the purpose of being taught by one of their own number, the attendance not being confined to the uneducated, but to those who have themselves asked the gaoler's permission to be present, no matter how good or bad their education may be, and who arc indiscriminately associated, regardless of their crimes or prison characters. It was this mistaken mode of association to which allusion was made in my last report. A proper system of cellular instruction would doubtless be attended with beneficial results ; and in some of the smaller prisons (where every prisoner occupies a separate cell J considerable progress has been made by prisoners in educating themselves, books and, as far as practicable, instruction by a toarder being afforded them. This is the system I would advocate being carried out as soon as accommodation will admit —a system which will allow of prisoners making good advances in education without the contaminating influences of indiscriminate association. Considerable personal experience of the working of this cellular system of education was gained by me when at Millbank in 1874. Millbank is a close prison to which convicts are sent to undergo the first nine months of their sentences, preparatory to being drafted to the Public "Works prisons, and in which they are never in association except in chapel. It was found that many, who endeavoured to do so, taught themselves the rudimentary portion of education even in nine months in their cells —a result unattainable by the associated system of teaching, which is too often made a cloak for nefarious schemes. Many of these criminals were afterwards under me at Portland, Dartmoor, and Wormwood Scrubs Prisons, and they invariably agreed in their statements of dating their education in crime and debauchery from the time of their arrival at a public works prison. Many of the better class of these men made repeated applications to be allowed to return to Millbank and finish their sentences in close confinement, and, when questioned on the subject, have frankly admitted that escapes, outbreaks, assaults, and such-like prison crimes are invariably concocted at school, or when at exercise, and not when in associated labour, where a man's thoughts are fully occupied in performing, under immediate supervision, the task allotted to him, instead of in planning mischief. 17. A. progressive-stage system of classification, which includes a gratuity scale, has been introduced, and is now on trial at Lyttelton Prison. This gives all prisoners (with more than three months' sentence) an opportunity of earning, as a reward for good conduct and industry, a right to periodical visits and letters, and in addition grants them a small sum of money on their discharge, when they may be without the immediate means of making an honest living. 1 trust the day may not be far distant when there will be established at all the larger towns of the colony societies for the aid of discharged prisoners, which would hold out a helping hand to such of them as are desirous of retrieving their lost characters and living honestly for the future, not by actually giving them cash, but by affording I hem the means of procuring tools, clothes, &c, or by finding them suitable employment, and taking an interest in their future well-doing, or in some cases perhaps by augmenting the gratuities above referred to. The Dunedin Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society, under the management of its indefatigable secretary and agent, has been instrumental in helping, and I believe saving, many whose cause it has taken in hand. My experience is that, no matter how hard may be the actual sentence a prisoner has to undergo, a far harder task is before him in retrieving his lost character, without some friend to assist and advise him when such sentence expires. 18. The prisons are at present utilized extensively for the detention of supposed lunatics, pending the decision of two medical officers on their eases, and also of persons suffering from delirium tremens ; and I deem it my duty to state I consider prisons totally unfitted for the location of such cases. The staff is altogether too limited to admitof supposed lunatics being properly watched, and there are no means of preventing them disturbing the requisite quiet and discipline of the prisons, should they be disposed to do so ; whilst, as regards inebriates, there is an absence of appliances for giving them proper treatment -—no dispensary, no orderlies or nurses, no cooking allowed at night, no lights after hours in cells, whereas in a hospital they have the advantage of all these requirements. A serious case of delirium tremens was recently admitted to one of the prisons, and the patient was ordered stimulants and beef tea, &c, at intervals during the night. This necessitated cooking all night, and, as only prisoners were available for nurses' work, there was no guarantee (hat the stimulants and medical comforts prescribed for the patient were ever given to him. In a hospital this would of course be very different, but in the case under reference the local hospital authorities distinctly refused to admit the prisoner, even on a District Judge's order. I have quoted the above because the Prison Surgeon, in reporting it, adds that

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the question respecting lunatics and inebriates being placed in prisons or hospitals ought to be settled once and for all, for to his certain knowledge it has been, for the last ten years, a case of each institution refusing to take them in. 19. The gaolers have, as a rule, performed their duties satisfactorily, but some of them, having for a number of years past managed their respective prisons according to their own views and experience, subject to the supervision of the Visiting Justices, cannot, at their advanced age, be expected to bring themselves to work out a reorganization which, perhaps, may be to some extent deemed by them unnecessary, with the same zeal and energy that younger men would do, who would not have had the previous experience of almost uncontrolled sway over the prisons of which they had charge; and I feel, therefore, compelled to repeat what I stated in my last year's report, viz., that, in my opinion, some of the gaolers, by reason of age and infirmities, should now be superannuated. The important duty incumbent on gaolers of ascertaining, by personal inspection of the outside working parties, whether due effect is given to the mark system (on which a prisoner's remission depends), is frequently neglected, and the time which ought to be profitably spent by periodical visits to the works is too sedulously devoted to inside duties of less importance. I am convinced that, while internal duties need in no way be neglected, this inspection of the working parties should be regularly and systematically performed. 20. The subordinate officers have performed their duties, as a rule, with diligence and fidelity. It will be seen by the annexed return, marked B, that only at Lyttelton Prison has there been any increase of reports against officers during the past year; and this maybe credited to the large number of temporary warders who were employed during the time the Maori prisoners from the West Coast of the North Island were detained in this prison. These officers—feeling, I presume, that their appointments were only temporary —did not attach the same importance to good behaviour as those permanently appointed do; and, again, the discipline carried out at this prison has been more strict in reference to the officers during the past twelve months than heretofore. At Dunedin there have been no reports against officers during the year, whereas sixteen are recorded for the previous twelve months. This satisfactory state of things I mainly attribute to the issue of the circular which directs that the particulars of all reports against officers adjudicated upon by the Visiting Justices are to be forwarded for your information. The discipline staff appointed during the year 1881, as well as many of the candidates whose names are noted for employment, are, I believe, calculated to make good custodians of prisoners; and they, to some extent, appear to realize the grave responsibility vested in warders, and the great power for good or evil which their influence may exert over prisoners. The new pay scale and general promotion system promise to be attended with better results than even I was sanguine enough to expect. 21. It is a pleasure to be able to report that, generally, the best possible feeling exists between myself and the Visiting Justices, and I feel called upon to state here that many of them have carried out their gratuitous labours with energy and efficiency, and have afforded me valuable assistanco and support. There have, of course, been differences of opinion, but a good understanding has ultimately been arrived at. I am, however, still of opinion that a clearly-defined set of regulations should be issued stating my duties and responsibilities in reference to the Visiting Justices, in order that we may be the better able to co-operate and support one another in the performance of our several functions, and so establish and maintain discipline and good order in the various prisons. My aim has been, and shall continue to be, to work harmoniously with these gentlemen, whose labours and valuable assistance I most readily acknowledge. With few exceptions, the reports called for by clause 37, " Prisons Act, 1873," have not been furnished. 22. Divine service has been held at the prisons every Sunday, as directed by the regulations, and in most instances has been conducted by a clergyman, with the exception of one prison, where, I regret to say, no clergyman has officiated for nearly twelve months. 23. There has been very little sickness in any of the prisons, as will be seen from return marked C. At Addington there were two cases of typhoid fever in the female division, but both cases recovered, and, as they were isolated at the commencement of the attacks, the further spread of the disease was prevented. The Medical Officer having reported that the disease w ras communicated in the milk supplied, the contract for that article was immediately cancelled. 24. As a matter of precaution, and in accordance with the provisions of clause 138, " Public Health Act, 1876," all prisoners, as well as prison officers and their families, who in the opinion of the various prison surgeons required it, were re-vaccinated in September last. 25. The supplies of rations, fuel, clothing, and necessaries, tendered for issue, have, with few exceptions, been good. It will be seen by return marked D that no tobacco is issued at Auckland and Wanganui prisons, and I am glad to report that the use of it is now being discontinued at Lyttelton, I believe it to be beyond argument that, to make imprisonment deterrent, the prison rations must be at least shorn of all luxuries. The total cost of tobacco used in prisons during the year was £437 18s. lid. 26. There were three escapes during the year —viz., at Dunedin and New Plymouth from the works, and one at Wanganui by breaking out of prison. In each case the offenders were captured after a short absence. 27. One case of suicide occurred —at Lyttelton, where a Chinaman hung himself to his cell window. This prisoner had previously attempted self-destruction, but was prevented from carrying it into effect, 28. There have been nine deaths (not including the case of suicide) —seven males and two females. In each case a coroner's inquest was held, and a verdict returned of death from natural causes. 29. Prom the annexed returns marked B, D, it will be seen that in the year 1881 a total of 5,360 prisoners passed through the various prisons (large and small), viz., 4,386 males and 974 females, who are classified as follow: Criminals, 4,098 males, 951 females; debtors, 157 males and 5 females; lunatics, 131 males and 18 females. In the larger prisons there was a daily total average of 726*03, viz., 631'66 males and 94'37 females, at a gross total annual cost, per prisoner, of £43 2s. Id., made up

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as follows : Cost of discipline staff, £27 3s. lOd. ; rations, fuel, clothing, and medicines, &c, £13 19s. 6d. ;, and bedding, furniture, incidental expenses, &c, £1 18s. 9d. In order therefore that prisons should be self-supporting, each prisoner must earn about 3s. 4d. per diem, supposing that there were five working-days in each week, or say 260 working-days, in the year; but, as those awaiting trial,, lunatics, debtors, and many females earn nothing, it is impossible to arrive at any accurate sum which would make all prisoners earn their expenses. A further reference to Eeturn D, however, shows that the sum of £4,391 17s. 4d. was received during the year' for prison labour, road-metal, &c.: this reduces the average cost of each prisoner to £37 Is. Id. I believe this average will be looked upon as satisfactory, and tend to convince those sceptical in the matter that, whilst due regard is paid to economy in the prisons, the inmates are not in all cases allowed to carry out their well-known theory, that " We never yet worked for a living, and nothing shall make us do so." 30. It may be interesting to refer to Returns P and G- for the number of prisoners reconvicted once r twice, thrice, or oftener during the last five years ; to Eeturn I for the ages of those received in prisons during the past twelve months, and the causes of their detention ; and to Eeturn H for the degrees of their education. 31. In considering the sum already quoted as credited for labour performed by prisoners during the past year, the fact must not be lost sight of that no credit is taken for such works as at Sticking Point, Lyttelton; Maitland Street and Botanical Gardens at Dunedin; road-making at Nelson and Wanganui; levelling Hospital and Government grounds at Hokitika; levelling Asylum, Hospital, and College grounds at Wellington; and the various prison buildings and works, such as, at Lyttelton, completion of north wing, 84 cells in concrete, chapel, bath-rooms, and padded cell; making prisoners' clothing for that and other prisons; and the uniforms for all the officers in the prison service; at New Plymouth, the completion of new wing of 20 cells, in concrete, and building the boundary-wall in stone ; at Wellington and Invercargill, making padded cells, and concreting yards in former place ; together with the ordinary repairs at all prisons, and washing, shirt-making, and stocking-knitting by the female prisoners generally. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Justice, Wellington. A. Hume, Captain, Inspector of Prisons.

TABLE A. Visits of the Inspector of Prisons to the Twelve Larger Prisons during 1881.

TABLE B. Record of Offences committed by Officers for Five Years ending 31st December, 1881.

iddington Auckland Dunedin Eokitika Invercargill ... jyttelton Napier STelson Sew Plymouth Cimara fVanganui iiVellington Jan. I Feb. 2 Jan. i Feb. 12 Mar. 3 Mar. s Feb. 28 Mar. 3 Mar. 8 Mar. 24 Mar. 21 April 21 April 23 April 19 May 30 April 26 April 30 July 7 July 7 June 6 Sept. 30 Sept. 29 Oct. 13 Oct. 4 Oct. 17 Oct. 7 Oct. 13 Nov. 24 Oct. 9. 1 Nov. 22 Dec. 7 Dec. 10 Feb.23 May 27 May 28 Oct. 20 Oct. 28 Oct. 2 ... I Jan. 6 April 24 Jan. 9 Jan. 13 Mar. 16 Mar. 31 May 10 June 17 June 9 July 8 Aug. 8 Aug. 31 Oct. 31 Sept. 23 Nov. 15 Dec. 14 Dec. 31

Strength and Conduct of Staff. o "& a T_l _ i i 3 n cS a o '5*) »h oi o _ rH p" o h3 o a p. a G_ a EH !- a a wo § a o a 'a a' o 1877 — Daily average strength of staff ... Late for duty Drunkenness Other offences 5 1 23 2 5 32'5 7*23 3 14 5 4 3 4 3 10 i 1878— Daily average strength of staff ... Late for duty Drunkenness Other offences ... ... 6 23 26 4 6-53 3 15 1 5 4 3 4 4 1 IO 1 3 2 4 1 3 1879Daily average strength of staff ... Late for duty Drunkenness Other offences 7 2 23 20-3 6 3 17 5 S 3'3 4 5*5 11 1 1 3 1 2 2 2 4 880— Daily average strength of staff ... Late for duty Drunkenness Other offences 8 23 17-42 6-15 3 30 3 1 S 5 4 4 6 12 3 1 16 3 I 14 1881— JDaily average strength of staff ... Late for duty Drunkenness Other offences 8 23 19-58 5*9 6 4 28 10 5 5 4-89 4 S 14 3 19 1

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TABLE C. RETURN of the Number of Prisoners in the Larger Prisons, and of their Disposal, during the Year ended 31st December, 1881.

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State of the Prisons. Addington. Auckland. Dunedin. Hokitika. Invercargill. Lyttelton. Napier. Nelson. N. Plymouth 1 Timaru. Wanganui. Wellington. Total. In confinment at the commencement of the year ... Beceived during the year M. P. 57 '9 5°4 150 561 169 M. P. 128 19 745 229 873 248 M. P. 98 20 517 285 6l5 3°5 M. P. 14 5 35 28 M. P. 16 ... 170 20 l86 20 M. P. 115 236 3 M. P. 38 3 '78 15 216 18 M. P. 12 I 29 I M. P. II ... 9° 5 I M. P. 21 J I7« 8 192 8 M. P. 26 4 l8l 32 207 36 M. P. I 73 6 298 68 M. P. 609 77 3,154 844 3.7 63 921 Total ... 49 33 35 1 3 41 2 101 5 37' 74 DlSCHAESED. Debtors Acquitted and discharged after remand... Transferred to lunatic asylums Discharged on remission of sentence Discharged at expiration of sentence Transferred to other prisons or to police Committed suicide Died (not including suicide) ... Pardoned ... 59 2 44 " 5 ••■ 26 16 16 ... 94 6 3 62 16 559 206 27 ... 60 16 I I 1 4 1 6 ... 32 4 8 3 5 ... i°5 9 9 ... 39 ••• 3 •■• 51 95 I 37 2 1 4 ... 19 ... I 3 ••• 4 ■•• 19 2 3 6 ... 10 1 2 '5 2 39 2 5 29 ... 5 ■■• 14 ... no 8 7 6 1 23 2 7 2 5 115 22 42 7 9 1 57 8 1 1 42 6 180 47 16 ... 140 4 414 49 35 7 296 51 2,090 708 178 10 41 9 39i 239 7 1 29 28 ... ... 24 1 i°3 '3' 3 1 345 130 58 - 3 ••• 1 3 ••• 1 1 1 3 ••• 1 i 1 1 7 2 3 I Total disposed of during the year Total in confinement at end of year 53 8 159 23 10 737 228 136 20 J 873 248 524 266 9i 39 615 3°5 41 3° 8 3 166 16 20 4 186 20 I 229 3 122 iS4 15 62 3 216 18 — 30 2 11 1 —! 72 5 29 ... ! ■-— 170 8 22 198 34 9 2 207 36 3°5 64 66 10 3,164 830 599 9' 3.7 63 921 Total ... 561 169 78 31 49 33 54 6 — 35' 3 41 2 101 5 192 8 37i 74 Greatest number in prison at any one time during year Least number in prison at any one time during year Daily average number of prisoners during year ... 21 11 42-66 19-18 '57 20 125 l8 136 21 16 1 "5 34 89 30 97'9 32-55 6 3 11*12 4'2 27 3 10 2 18*64 2-09 140 1 113 126*36 'oi 61 8 40 ... 53-58 2*22 15 2 11 123 1-23 32 3 11 22'68 -79 23 2 13 165 -19 39 6 7 ••■ I 19-66 i*66 84 13 63 6 74-25 9" 2 5 631-66 94*37 46 11 Cases of sickness admitted to hospital (not including cases of slight indisposition) Daily average on sick list Greatest number at any one time 4 3 3'94 "46 " 3 3 1 5 « 12 7 1-71 -6 5 2 0-46 o'i8 3 2 2 -08 -oi 3 1 5 2-18 ... 6 ... I 1*12 "II 6 2 •04 ... 3 ■■• •16 ... 2 •16 -03 6 1 4 ■•• •6 *o8' 2 , I 13-29 2-47 Note. —This return is exclusive of Maoris, of whom there were during the year 79 at Dunedin, 39 at Hokitika, and 214 at Lyttelton. 1 Maori died at Dunedin, and 1 at Lyttelton, from natural causes.

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TABLE D. RETURN showing the Expenditure under the different Heads of Service in the larger Prisons for the Year ending 31st December, 1881.

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Totals. Addington. Auckland. Dunedin. Hokitika. Invercargill. Lyttelton. Napier. Nelson. New Plymouth. Timaru. Wanganui. Wellington. Daily average number of ) M. persons ) E. 631-66 94-37 726*0,3 42*66 1918 136 21 97-9 32-55 11*12 4'2 18-64 2*09 126-36 •01 126-37 S3-58 2'22 ~55-8 12-3 1-23 I3-53 22-68 -79 23-47 16-5 19 19-67 i-66 74-25 9-25 8-V5 Total ... 61-84 157 I 21*33 i3°-45 I 15-32 | 16-69 HEADS OF SEBVICE. Cost op Stapf. Salaries and allowances in lieu of quarters, &c. Officers' uniforms Total cost of staff... £ s. d. 19,408 5 10 £ s. d. 1,108 12 4 £ s. d. 3,193 4 1 £ s. d. 3,867 6 9 £ s. d. 1,034 13 10 £ s. d. 825 8 o £ s. d. 3,358 19 6 £ s. d. 995 5 o £ s. d. 746 18 6 £ s. d. 716 1 2 £ s. d. 593 ° 1 £ s. d. 74i 11 3 £ s. d. 2,226 19 4 333 o o 19,741 5 10 27 3 10 36 4 ° 1,144 16 4 18 10 3 9120 3,284 6 1 *2I o 6 .3,888 7 20 12 6 i,o55 6 4 68 17 8 1260 837 14 o 78 9 o 3,437 8 6 20 10 o 1,015 15 ° 18 4 ~ 1260 759 4 6 56 2 3; 16 80 732 9 2 31 42 15 2 o 608 8 i' 2 8 o 743 19 3 *6 12 o 2,233 ■ 1 4 26 15 o Annual cost per prisoner 20 18 5 29 l6 2 40 8 2 2740 36 9 34 17 Maintenance op Peisonees. Bations Tobacco Medicines and medical comforts ... Soap, scouring and cleaning articles Clothing Fuel and light ... Total maintenance 6,068 7 7 437 18 11 545 7 ° 157 17 3 1,612 15 5 1,32,3 12 2 1 o, 145 18 4 13 19 6 251 10 8 207 9 6 247 4 10 46 o o 655 19 3 500 16 o 3° 19 3 61 13 3 18 9 3 35 4 4 159 4 9 806 6 10 13 o 9 15 19 o 23 i8 1 17 9 6 1000 25 19 8 i>346 3 5 106 19 5 34 19 ° 204 1 6 184 10 9 1,876 14 1 11 19 1 800 18 17 o 15 5 ° 835 7 ° 76 2 6 80 17 6 25 14 10 200 3 4 126 3 8 1,344 8 10 10 6 1 148 17 n 8 16 o 16 4 4 n 16 6 25 4 10 58 2 6 269 2 1 17 11 4 245 18 5 22 8 3 50 18 7 t 87 8 7 8 7 7 6 494 1 4 23 16 8 9H 5 8 •S3 9 9 88 7 5 45 '7 6 434 7 11 224 12 n 1,861 1 2 521 10 o 28 3 2 13 5 2 6 15 8 !35 15 1 68 o 6 773 9 7 194 2 o 16 10 oi 30 o o t 348 9 1 33 o o 3i 1 3 t 151 o 10 20 9 o 584 O 2 184 14 9 16 10 o 13 7 3 t 171 3 4 ... 23 19 o 211 6 74 7 2 69 17 8 341 18 8 657 o o 52 o o 28 13 10 n 13 o 243 16 10 262 l6 2 1,255 19 10 15 o 10 59 4 7 38 6 6 13 18 6 1713 o 258 5 o 2150 44 1.3 9 280 IO 9 Annual cost per prisoner 1414 6 24 17 8 14 6 o 16 12 o n 70 16 16 13 17 3, 19 1 9j 8 o oi 16 o Bedding Furniture and fittings Conveyance of prisoners ... Bates, &c. Incidental expenses, including gratuities to destitute prisoners on discharge Total ... Annual cost per prisoner Gross total expenses 247 4 10 1602 10 15 11 161 10 1 24 o o 30 18 o 2 18 6 6 7 9 ... 55 19 1 27 18 5 6 15 4 75 16 5 61 12 1 ... 74 13 2 39 16 o 7100 35 o 6 34 19 o - I 219 6 ... 3 10 8 11 10 o 996 2170 4 10 o 31 12 10 106 6 8 1,408 4 3 1 18 9 31,295 8 5 43 2 1 93 6 3 1102 2,044 9 5 33 1 2 289 6 10 1 16 10 5,45o 7 ° 243 4 2 1 17 3 6 5 5 4 4 5 2 34 1.3 9 1 13 5 212 1 8 1 i3 7 5,5'Q 11 4 43 12 1 82 6 6 1 9 6 1,871 H I 33 10 10 42 19 o 336 45 4 6 1 18 6 3 10 8 042 892 9 6 78 9 4 3 13 7 1,164 7 3 217 16 Gross annual cost per prisoner 5,476 o 3J 1,389 13 9\ 1,366 9 1 65 -8 3 1,060 8 6 "t 8 7 6 1,361 13 loj 2 12 2 3,707 7 5 44 8 o 34.14 41 19 6 90 14 2 58 o 4 53 54 11 Deduct. Cash paid into Treasury, being receipts for prison labour, sale old stores, &c. Net cost 4,39 l '7 4 33i 4 " 1,946 6 o 3l8 17 11 275 17 10 1,142 5 5 261 9 3 64 II " o 5i 5 o 26,903 11 1 37 ! 1 i,7i.3 4 6 27 14 1 3,5°4 1 ° 22 6 4 5,i57 2 4 39 IO 8 1.389 13 9 90 14 2 1,090 11 3 4,368 5 II 1,610 1 10 1,060 8 6 7S 7 6 1,361 13 10 ~58 04 827 18 6 49 12 I 1,164 7 3 54 11 7 3fii(> 2 5 43 15 8 Net annual cost per prisoner 28 17 1 52 12 2 34 11 4 * Part of uniform delivered in 1880. t Included under rations. The items under the head of maintenance vary considerably in proportion to the contract prices for goods supplied to the different prisons, was borne by the Defence Department. This return does not include co.t of Maori West Coast prisoners, which

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TABLE E. Total Number of Prisoners in Custody, 1st January, 1881, and Received during the Year.

TABLE F. Number of Previously-Convicted Prisoners, for Five Years 1877-81.

TABLE G. Number of Previously Convicted Prisoners received in 1881.

TABLE H. Education of Prisoners received during the Year 1881.

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Gaols. Criminals. Debtors. Lunatics. Total. M. 486 856 584 48 .64 317 211 40 92 175 190 349 586 E. 164 248 303 33 15 3 17 2 5 8 32 73 48 M. 60 E. 2 M. •5 p. 3 M. 56. 873 615 49 186 351 216 41 101 192 207 37i 623 F. 169 248 3°5 33 20 3 18 2 5 8 36 74 53 iddington iuckland Dunedin zfokitika Invercargill jyltelton Napier Selson few Plymouth [imaru (Vanganui iVellington tfinor Gaols I? 28 I 6 4 1 7 5 7 9 12 I I I 3 "16 34 1 2 5 2 12 10 13 25 3 5 Total,.. 4,098 18 4,386 974 9SI iS7 5 i.V

Year. Once. Twice. Thrice or Oftener. 1877 ... 1878 ... i8 7 9 ••• 1880 ... . 1881 ... M. 434 426 430 339 411 1>. ! M. 51 223 58 201 69 236 67 195 58 235 E. 45 52 SO 40 55 M. E. 499 425 450 454 663 477 656 425 599 44o I

Gaols. Once. Twice. Thrico or Oftener. Addington Auckland Dunedin Hokitika Invercargill Lyttelton Napier Nelson New Plymouth ... Timaru Wanganui Wellington Minor Gaols M. _. 77 i7 59 3 70 13 5 3 12 1 M. E. 32 6 '16 3 31 12 2 M. E. 124 96 270 203 63 78 5 16 15 7 21 3 12 5 2 10 1 12 18 ... 13 3 2 3 10 1 6 3 16 7 95 20 1 23 23 6 38 9 72 6 12 3 10 2 33 27 29 2 Total 411 58 235 55 599 44o

Gaols. Unable to Read. Read only. Read and Write. Superior. Total. iddington Auckland Dunedin Hokitika invercargill Lyttelton Napier kelson few Plymouth rirnaru M. E. 44 30 120 58 33 61 5 21 8 9 14 4 2 M. E. 25 3i 20 21 9 4 1 11 7 2 10 1 2 5 1 7 11 1 M. F. 426 89 605 ISO 474 220 33 12 131 9 2 13 2 162 II 22 59 4 139 4 125 21 257 42 481 37 3,127 601 M. E. ' 9 1 1 n 1 4 M. 504 745 5i7 35 170 236 178 29 90 171 181 298 610 _. 150 229 285 28 20 3 IS 1 5 8 32 68 53 22 1 2 iVanganui Wellington Minor Gaols 19 3 39 9 30 14 78 8 10 2 6 12 33 8 146 94 2 7 ••• 5 18 Total 43i 201 60 1 3,764 897

H.—6.

TABLE I. Ages of Prisoners received during the Year 1881, and Causes of their Detention.

By Authority: Geokoe Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.

8

S o "& q n_ a «4 *" i g S 3 o P W 3 i © h S "r-f a o j3 r-q o I 5 _ to 1 £ to O O o .s a o to "3 Under I o years — Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 10 to 15 years — Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 15 to 20 years— Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 20 to 25 years — Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 25 to 30 years —■ Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 30 to 40 years— Felony Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 40 to 50 years — Felony Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 50 to 60 years— Felony Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy Over 60 years — Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy 1 3 1 11 5 14 1 32 12 19 5 18 9 33 10 8 22 5 1 38 29 1 32 29 18 1 31 57 50 3 1 10 6 2 31 1 7 1 "9 2 10 i43 3 1 2 1 9 4 3 3 4 5 7 1 6 2 11 2 2 3 iS 7 18 1 16 n 20 "s 2 6 2 2 21 4 3 8 4 9 ! 3 1 3 2 3 1 1 9 2 2 11 1 2 9 5 1 6 1 10 2 7 10 1 3 3 3 1 3 9 1 S 8 4 16 5 1 2 8 5 7 2 7 17 31 2 13 36 3 4 12 2 7 7 13 3 7 29 27 43 8 33 15 55 3 14 4 23 52 13 28 IOO 53 73 6 177 96 278 24 152 113 386 44 4 9 1 38 24 107 28 45 7i 128 4 14 5 205 13 2 "8 11 3 40 11 24 13 , 22 17 . 16 7 33 3 4 3 11 18 5 24 6 20 4 33 10 28 2 7o 8 35 29 140 11 256 174 825 "4 n 3 4i 30 102 27 37 42 138 2 S 9 129 7 2 36 1 12 7 26 6 12 10 19 3 7 6 17 n 7 2 15 3 25 4 9 5 36 6 14 2 47 1 19 7 90 14 174 132 675 13 9 7 52 5 18 2 46 7 1 S 1 18 1 7 3 1 4 2 4 1 9 1 6 S6 S9 305 39 29 78 S "6 1 8 2 3 4 4 4 10 15 27 9 34 3 3 7 17 27 1 1 1 1 3 3 4 1 21 23 96 3 9 1 3 20 3 3 2 1 7 2 1 4 5 II 1 3 1 Summary — Felony ... Misdemeanour Minor offences Debt or lunacy i53 88 336 77 238 279 441 16 43 22 704 33 S 43 22 98 27 70 48 87 34 66 24 97 6 13 17 8 52 26 69 11 83 16 60 16 116 IOI 6 236 23 133 99 39i 40 1,002 667 2,689 303 57 1 9 21 Total... ... 654 974 802 63 190 239 193 30 95 179 213 366 663 4,661