PRISONS (REPORT ON) FOR THE YEAR 1923-24.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1924 Session I, H-20

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1924. NEW ZEALAND.

PRISONS (REPORT ON) FOR THE YEAR 1923-24.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Hon. the Minister in Charge of the Prisons Department to His Excellency the Governor-General. My Lord,— Wellington, 13th August, 1924. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Prisons Department for the year 1923-24. I have, &c, C. J. Parr, Minister in Charge of Prisons Department.

The Controller-General of Prisons to the Hon. the Minister in Charge of Prisons Department. • SlB, —: Prisons Department, Wellington, 31st July, 1924. I have the honour to present the forty-third annual report of the Prisons Department, covering the financial year 1923-24, together with the report of the Inspector of Prisons, extracts from the reports of the controlling officers of the different prisons and prison institutions, and the criminal statistics for the calendar year ended 31st December, 1923. Prison Population : Comparative Figures. The criminal statistics for the year ended 31st December, 1923, show that 4,685 distinct persons were received into the prisons of the Dominion, as against 4,659 for the previous year, an increase of 116, or 2-5 per cent. The numbers for 1922 were less than those for 1921 by 426, so that the variation over the past three years has been slight. The daily average number of prisoners in custody increased from 1,113-45 in 1922 to 1,127-47 in 1923, or 1-2 per cent., so that for statistical purposes it may be said that the gross figures for the two years were practically the same. An analysis of Table Al annexed indicates that the slight increase in receptions is chiefly accounted for by the greater number of short-sentenced prisoners, there being 1,893 committals for terms of three months and under in 1923, compared with 1,620 in 1922. The number of youthful offenders between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five received into the prisons and prison institutions during the year was 293, a decrease of 47 on the 'figures for the previous year. This number does not, however, include Maoris, 37 of whom between the ages mentioned were received, compared with 29 in 1922. It must be recorded, however, that Maoris of all ages received into prison numbered 114 in 1923, against 139 in 1922. The increase in crime among the younger Maoris is regrettable, but it is hoped that the decrease shown in the number of commitments among the older men indicates a diminution in the number of reconvictions of those who have previously served sentences. Possibly the majority of the younger men have learnt their lesson after serving one sentence. While dealing with the question of our criminal statistics, as shown by the tables accompanying this report, I desire to publish for the first time the results, as indicated by the number of inmates reconvicted, of the working of our two reformatories for men- viz., the Waikeria Reformatory, near Te Awamutu, and the Borstal Institution, at Invercargill. We have only been able to keep detailed records of individual cases since the beginning of .1916, but, as the information now covers a period of eight years, it may be considered a reasonably fair index of the position. It must be remembered, however, that the two institutions are distinct in character, Waikeria being a reformatory farm for men of all ages drafted from the general prisons, and " the Borstal " being a special institution for young men and boys whose maximum age in 1916 was twenty-five (afterwards reduced to twenty-three). The Waikeria returns show that of 306 men sentenced to terms of reformative detention only who were received into the reformatory between the 6th May, 1916, and the 31st December, 1923, 13, or 4-25 per cent., have been reconvicted ; of 124 men who were given a hard-labour sentence followed by a term of reformative detention during the same period, 10 men, or 8-07 per cent., have again offended ;

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while of 345 with definite hard-labour sentences who were received at Waikeria, 7 men, or 2-03 per cent., have been reconvicted. If the three classes of offenders are grouped it is found that of the total of 775 men who passed through the Waikeria institution between the 6th May, 1916, and the end of last year, 30, or 3-87 per cent., have been reconvicted. The Invercargill figures show that between the Ist January, 1916, and the 31st December, 1923, there passed through the Borstal Institution 739 youths and young men who received terms of reformative detention only. Of these, 47, or 6-36 per cent., have been reconvicted. Of those sentenced to combined terms of hard labour and reformative detention 95 were received, and 11, or 11-58 per cent., were reconvicted. The best results were obtained from the inmates who received definite hard-labour sentences, the number received being 258, and the reconvictions only 5, or 1-94 per cent. A summary of all the figures for Invercargill from the Ist January, 1916, gives a total of 1,092 youths and young men who passed through the institution, the total reconvictions being 63, or 5-77 per Cent. From the foregoing it will be seen that the results obtained from both reformatories are exceedingly satisfactory. The comparatively better showing made by the Waikeria institution is explained by the fact that the worst offenders are not sent there, while at Invercargill the only restriction is the age-limit, which is now twenty-three. Youths who have been drafted to Invercargill but are afterwards found to be incorrigible or to exercise a baneful influence over the other inmates are transferred to the general prisons, but, as they have " passed through " the " Borstal," their names appear on the records of that institution, and if they are reconvicted after eventual release, as almost inevitably happens, they are classed among the; " Borstal " failures. Among the tables appearing in the general statistics, but not annexed to this report, is one showing the number of persons sentenced in the Supreme Court for sexual offences. From this it appears that offences of this nature are steadily increasing, the total number being 48 in 1920, 67 in 1921, 73 in 1922, and 81 in 1923. Our own returns of sexual offenders committed from all Courts actually in custody on the 10th May, 1924, give the somewhat disturbing total of 206, or 17-273 per cent, of the total prison population, while if males only are considered it is found that 18-706 per cent, of all male prisoners are sexual offenders. The cases vary from the milder class to definite offences involvinggross sexual perversion and interference with children of both sexes. Single offences of this class may in some, cases be attributed to temporary mental aberration or irresistible impulse occurring only once in the lifetime of the individual concerned ; but, unfortunately, we have quite a number of men in the prisons at the present time who have been guilty of repeated offences of the same class extending over a number of years. There are, in fact, men recently resentenced for sexual offences while on probation after serving terms from ten to twenty years for offences of the same class. The persistence through life of this form of abnormality has been proved beyond question, and it has been made perfectly clear that the unfortunates who are so cursed must be dealt with in some different way from those who offend against the law in other directions. Men of this class are not criminals in the ordinary sense of the term, but in their own interest and in that of the community they cannot be allowed at large unless some change can be effected in their mental, condition. The fluctuations in the prison population of the Dominion from 1891 to 1923 (inclusive) are shown in the table below :—

Daily Average, 1891 to 1923.

Expenditure and Receipts. The total expenditure of the Department for the last financial year was £131,609, as against £123,360 for the preceding year, an increase of £8,249, or 6-68 per cent. This increase was chiefly due to the greater amount of work done, and material, plant, and implements used and purchased in connection with our various works, industries, farms, &c. A larger number of prisoners had also to be provided for. While our expenditure grew to the extent shown, our receipts also increased in greater ratio, the cash returns for the year amounting to £53,178, as compared with £46,000 for 1922-23, a difference of £7,118, or 15-45 per cent. The net cost of the Department for the year was therefore £78,431, against £77,301 for 1922-23. The receipts on this occasion constituted a record for the Department, and when it is remembered that in addition to our cash receipts we are able to show a definite return of £23,486 as the actual value of prison labour employed on buildings and other public works in connection with the prisons for which no transfer credits were received, and a further return of £11,974 for farm and gardening work, it will be recognized that the Department is successfully working out its policy of the development of the public estate and of the individual. The figures quoted amount in the gross to £88,638, without taking into account a further £15,311 which is estimated to be the value of the labour employed in the various intramural industries, domestic work, &0., that

Daily Average of Prisoners in Dominion Prisons. Daily A\ Don -erage of Prisoners in linion Prisons. Year. Year. Males. Females. Totals. Males. Females. Totals. 1891 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 459-22 799-08 855-28 826-69 916-09 931-33 859-99 58-39 64-18 64-07 66-55 63-72 76-79 82-78 517-61 863-26 919-35 893-24 979-81 1,008-12 942-77 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 817-27 896-98 936-28 872-59 992-04 1,052-54 1,074-34 j 96-99 914-26 84-97 981-95 6806 1,004-34 67-10 939-69 73-56 1,065-60 60-91 1,113-45 53-13 1,127-47

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provide for the making of boots, clothing, &c, for the inmates and the staffs, and the cooking, baking) cleaning, &c, that have to be carried out in connection with the management of the various institutions. From our returns we find that the daily average; number of able-bodied prisoners throughout the year was 908-4. When considering the increased expenditure of the Department during recent years it must not be forgotten that the amelioration of the conditions of prison life involves increased charges. The payment of wages to the dependants of prisoners has resulted, for instance, in additional expenditure to the extent of about £3,500 per annum. Other changes and improvements, together with the establishment of a probation branch to control the large number of probationers now placed under the Department's care, account for another £3,000 ; while the development of our various properties, necessitating the employment of prisoners and officers in remote districts, adds materially to our annual expenditure. The increase in the value of the public estate that this expenditure brings about cannot be represented in figures or in the balance-sheets that are now published, but, as has been pointed out in previous reports, the State's assets are being built up substantially each year, and when at a later stage a comparison is made between the values of the various properties when first acquired and the values after their development has been completed there will bo a fuller understanding of the national importance of the work upon which the Department is engaged. For the reasons stated it is quite impossible to make a fair comparison of the cost per head of maintaining prisoners in New Zealand and the cost under the prison systems of other countries. Payments to prisoners' dependants and of wages to prisoners on the scale we provide are practically unknown elsewhere, while the nature of our work is entirely different from that of other systems. Neither are other administrations usually charged with the cost of a Probation Branch. If, however, it comparison is made between the value per head of prison labour in New Zealand and in other countries it will be found that we have established a substantial lead.

Average Cost per Head of Prisoners' Rations from 1910 to the 31st March, 1924.

Table 1.—Cash received and Amounts credited to the Prisons Vote for the Year ended 31st March, 1924.

v«„„ Number of Cost per v ,, "f.. Number of Cost per Year. Prisoners H( J Year. Expenditure p risoner8 Hea £ on Kations. on Rations. . £ £ £ £ 1910 .. 9,322 90173 10-33 1917-18.. 15,522 94M1 16-64 1911 .. 8,494 863-26 9'83 1918-19 .. 16,473 1,003-43 16-41 1912 .. 9,405 919-35 10-23 1919-20 .. 17,294 965-07 17-93 1913 .. 9,754 893-24 10-91 1920-21 .. 18,766 965-03 19-44 1914 .. 11,555 979-81 11-79 1921-22.. 17,962 1,075-34 16-70 1915 .. 15,099 1,008-12 1497 1922-23.. 16,803 1,103-95 15-22 1916-17.. 15,092 920-15 16-41 1923-24.. 17,441 1,145-46 15-23 Cash Receipts and Credits. £ £ 1912 .. .. .. 5,451 1918-19.. .. .. 21,654 1913 .. .. .. 7,382 1919-20 .. 31,177 1914 .. .. .. 9,162 1920-21.. ..' .. 39,136 1915 .. .. .. 11,982 1921-22.. .. .. 49,866 1916-17 .. .. 9,867 1922-23.. 46,060 1917-18 .. .. 15,083 1923-24.. .. .. 53,178

Metal, Gravel, Broken Concrete, *c. Farmand Dairyproduce. i C +a GO I f h M I Prison Labour Concrete Timber Tailoring, employed Blocks and Boots, and for other and Fire- Mail-bag DepartTilcs. wood. Repairs, menls and Local Bodies. Prison Unart. Officers works em P'oy«d I Sundries. Totals. I ' on Public g Buildings, h 8 £ £ I £ £ £ £ £ £ Addington Auckland Hautu lnvercargill . . Napier New Plyinou th Paparua Point Halswell Waikeria Waikune Wellington .. Wi Tako .. Minor gaols .. Miscellaneous 15,558 383 1.227 14 3,363 136 1,922 227 4.124 1,164 1,367 183 518 164 .. . . i 367 .. 140 .. 3,261 91 30 245 27 551 245 £ £ £ £ £ 18 32 123 323 19,501 144 144 1,162 4 153 6,121 8 391 26 1,416 1,062 .. I 349 5,251 136 .. | 97 643 622 6,629 3,454 .. .. 426 5,558 221 14 386 3,121 289 ... , 203 2,568 81 1,654 149 149 i i062 136 183 518 .. 1.365 1.580 21 42 11 17 11 1,478 1,678 104 15 .. 763 23 522 104 1,678 15 23 3,454 221 289 I 1,573 Totals .. 20,321 9,849 3,245 2451,495 1,495 825 1,961 3,266 2,768 825 1,961 3,454 3,454 2,870 1)1 2,985 53,178 2,870

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Table 2.-Total Value of Prison Labour employed on Roads, Buildings, Reclamation-wall Building, and other Public Works for which no Financial Credit has been received for the Year ended 31st March, 1924.

Table 3.—Value of Prison Labour employed on Prison Works and Industries for which Cash Credits are not obtained, for the Year ended 31st March, 1924.

Summary. £ Cash and financial credits for the year 1923-24 .. .. .. 53,178 Estimated value of prison labour employed on public works for which neither cash nor financial credit was received .. .. .. 23,486 Estimated value of prison labour employed on farms, industries, domestic work, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27,285 103,949 Less salaries' of officers employed on public buildings .. .. .. 2,870 Total value of prison labour, 1923-24 .. .. . .£101,079 Development during the Year. The reports of the controlling officers show that progress has been well maintained since my last annual report was written. The Waikeria property has been brought a stage nearer its final development. The system of planting shelter-belts has been continued, the whole of the trees planted out having been provided from the nursery on the farm. Drastic culling in the dairy herd has resulted in the returns of butterfat per cow showing a substantial increase over last year's figures. Nearly the whole of the area originally reserved is now in splendid condition, and as each year passes the property is becoming more valuable, and is an object-lesson to those who originally scoffed at the idea of breaking in country and afterwards farming it with prison labour. Our latest undertaking, the land-development camrj at Hautu, near Tokaanu, is jjrogressing very satisfactorily, and a marked impression has already been made on the first section of the block of 10,000 acres we intend to prepare for settlement. The reports of the Agricultural Department's officers on the work that has already been done, the quality of the pumice land we have taken up, and the future of the property are most encouraging. Their advice to my Department regarding manures, grasses, and methods of cultivation has also been most valuable, and has contributed greatly to the success of our operations. From the report of the Superintendent of our .Paparua Prison Farm at Templeton it will be seen that the pace set in previous years has not relaxed. By far the greater part of the ancient Waimakariri River bed that formed the bulk of the original prison reserve has now been brought under cultivation, a dairy herd has been establish!*!, and, generally speaking, we are now getting results that compensate us for the large amount of labour expended on this property. The Invercargill Borstal Institution reclamation is rapidly assuming the appearance of a wellestablished farm, and is also justifying the large expenditure of labour that has taken place there. The report of the Superintendent on the institution generally, and of the Farm-manager on the general development of the property, show in detail the advance that has been made since last year.

Prison. Buildings HrravuHnn and Walls Construction Erection ttt&e Maintenance "%g£ A of Concrete of „?X P ssa" an,i Blocks or Koads. °v£!?,!?J? y Machinery. Bricks). Urounds. . Sundries. Totals. Auckland lnvercargill Paparua Wellington Wi Tako Other prisons and institutions £ 1,308 2,048 2,906 668 1,781 1,188 9,899 £ 3,903 822 129 186 370 5,410 £ 146 909 £ 2,129 £ 429 329 £ 71 190 £ 1,954 9,508 3,728 J, 713 4,479 2,104 850 19 95 919 81 140 264 66 1,434 106 Totals 2,019 3,129 1,162 1,867 23,486

Prison. Bootmaklng for Officers and Prisoners. Tailoring (including repairs to Clothing, ice.). Domestic EmGardening ployment (Includand Farming. ing Laundry Work). Totals. Addington Auckland Hautu lnvercargill Napier.. New Plymouth .. Paparua Point Halswell .. Waikeria Waikune Wellington Wi Tako Minor gaols £ 611 22 340 22 95 206 £ 35 570 18 Kill 15 14.'1 84 372 52 61 141 35 28 £ £ J16 260 312 2,416 2,525 420 2,546 1.896 41 372 521 468 1,917 1,472 349 387 1,948 1,461 88 521 612 1,392 936 493 63 210 £ 260 2,416 420 1 .896 372 468 1,472 387 1,461 521 1,392 493 210 £ 411 3,909 2,985 4,912 450 1,227 3,679 1,108 3,548 722 2,560 1,464 310 £ 411 3,909 2,985 4,912 450 1,227 3,679 1,108 3,548 722 2,560 1,464 310 87 52 415 9 Totals 1,859 1,684 11,974 11,768 11,768 27,285 27,285

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Our road-construction, road-maintenance, and sawmilling work, all directed from our Waikune Camp, near Erua, on the Main Trunk line, midway between Auckland and Wellington, has been carried on without cessation except so far as the sawmilling was concerned, some delay in that branch being occasioned by the loss of the mill by fire and the time taken in rebuilding the mill, installing new plant, &o. Our operations from the Waikune Camp now include roadmaking, accommodation-hut building, and other work for the Tongariro National Park Board. We are doing what we can to assist in providing access to this great national asset, and some of the members of the Board have been good enough to say that we have enabled an earlier start to be made than would have been possible if we had not been able to supply the necessary labour and skilled supervision in the initial stages. There is still much work to be done, but by cheerful co-operation between the Department and the Board I have little doubt that good results will be obtained within a reasonable time. Although. Mount Eden is a strictly penal prison where all our worst offenders are confined, we have continued to obtain very satisfactory financial returns within the past twelve -months from the working of our metal-crushing plant. Much work has also been carried out there in property improvement, house-building, the making of concrete blocks and concrete tiles, and in other directions. Evening schools, lectures, and general instruction have been carried on as in past years, while recreation to a reasonable extent has been provided in all the main institutions. The main development so far as new buildings are concerned has been the completion of preliminaries to enable a new trial and remand prison to be built on the Defence Reserve, Watt's Peninsula, to take the place of the Terrace Prison, Wellington. The latter prison has been obsolete for some years past, and fully ten years ago the site upon which it stands was promised to the Wellington Education Board for school purposes. An infant school has already been built on a part of the reserve adjoining the prison itself, and upon its erection and subsequent occupation by children it became obvious that the prison could not be allowed to remain permanently on the fine site it occupies, to the possible detriment of the present scholars and of others for whose accommodation the remainder of the site is very badly required. The Prisons Department is now faced with the task not only of building a new prison, but also of demolishing the Terrace Prison buildings, reducing the level of the site, and filling in a very deep gully at the back of the property to provide room for buildings, playgrounds, and all the appurtenances of a large educational establishment. Among other works carried on in the neighbourhood of Wellington have been excavations for tennis-courts on the Technical School property —formerly the Mount Cook Prison Reserve— and the erection of additional buildings at Point Hals well to provide accommodation for a Borstal institution for girls. A two-story administration block in brick, with small infirmary, lecture-room, offices, kitchen, &c, is now almost completed, while a series of cubicles, in wood, with workrooms, bathrooms, and all the necessary appurtenances of such an institution, is well advanced. Wanganui Refuge. While erecting new prisons, reformatory institutions, and other buildings for the able-bodied male and female prisoners of the State, the Department has had to make more adequate provision for the "derelicts" who are committed to its charge. This has been done by drafting all old men, or those who are prematurely old and unfit, to Wanganui, where we have a building that has for many years been used as a police-gaol for holding short-sentence local offenders. It was formerly a fully constituted prison, but its use for general commitments has been discontinued for many years. The whole place is being renovated and made suitable for its present use. For a time we used a part of the New Plymouth Prison for this purpose, but it was found that an entirely separate institution was preferable, and, in addition, Wanganui is more centrally situated to receive drafts from other centres. Many of the old men are more derelict than criminal, while others have been sentenced for a class of sexual offence peculiar to age. By housing them in one institution we are able to treat them more in accord with their age and infirmities than is possible in the general prisons, where discipline must be maintained and dietary and other rules must be on uniform lines. Wanganui is now more a refuge, or old men's home, than a prison. Separation op the " Criminal Insane " prom the " Criminal " Class. While from tho foregoing paragraphs it will be seen that the material side of our work has received close attention and that the State's interest has been well conserved, we have endeavoured, as far as possible, to keep in view the moral training of the men and women committed to our charge. Useful work and responsibility engender self-respect, and under our present system both the intelligence and self-reliance of the individual prisoner are given an opportunity to develop that was almost entirely wanting under former conditions. Evening school and classes of various descriptions provide further for the mental improvement of the educable. We have, however, arrived at a stage where further advance is difficult without some more scientific method of differentiating between individuals. In other words, in order to keep pace with the times we require something better than mass treatment. After close observation of individual cases, and taking into consideration the number of motiveless crimes that are committed and recommitted, I have come to the conclusion that many of those who offend against the laws, sometimes repeatedly, are not strictly responsible for their acts : in other words, they really belong to the class of the " criminal insane." In view of this conclusion it becomes obvious that a means should bo provided by which an adequate and proper classification or separation could be made between the real criminal or calculated offender against the law and the mentally irresponsible. Mr. L. Forbes Winslow, M.8., LL.D. (Cantab.), D.C.L. (Oxon.), &c, in his recent work, " The Insanity of Passion and Crime," has stated, " The fine line that separates insanity from reason is still finer when drawn out between crime and insanity " ; and, later in the same chapter, " Criminal insanity turns upon the commission of crime by one who can be proved to be not merely non compos mentis, but, moreover, to have a diseased brain, or one whose nervous system has incapacitated its

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owner from the power of self-control. But not only should this amount of cerebral disease be proved as existing at the time of the perpetration of the deed, be it what it may, but as also existing some time previous to its perpetration. It is not probable that direful disease of this kind should begin to break out all of a sudden. It may have been overlooked or disregarded, or its existence might have been recognized and foreseen, but its growth and progress must have betrayed itself occasionally by obvious signs beforehand, possibly unrecognized. Only let it once be proved that no such disease, had ever at any time declared itself, and it then follows, as a matter of course, that the culprit is not a madman, but most assuredly a criminal. After the existence of cerebral disease, the next plea is that of ignorance. But this plea is soon dismissed. No one ought to be allowed to be so ignorant as to be excused from the penalties of his crime on that account. If he is, then those with whom he is associated, connected, or concerned, or by whom he is supported and maintained, must be made responsible for his good behaviour. But ignorance at the present day is an absurdity. It cannot be imagined as possible ; it ought not to be allowed, if true ; and it should not be accepted as an excuse for crime, if it exists. The question then turns upon criminal insanity, the helpless and hopeless result of organic disease of the brain." To arrive at any useful classification or separation of the responsible criminal from the irresponsible offender or the " criminal insane " we require the services of highly trained and experienced psychologists and psychiatrists. Scientific men of this class should be available not only to examine and classify a large number of prisoners already serving sentences, but also to make a careful examination of offenders before sentence is passed by the Courts. This applies particularly, but by no means entirely, to sexual offenders, whose cases cause the Judges much perplexity. It is not the patently feeble-minded offender who presents the problem either before the Courts or after sentence, but the border-line case in which the reason for the offence, which is often motiveless, or is repeated many times, requires explanation. Although the necessity for a psychological examination in many cases is here stressed in order that a reasonable degree of justice may be done, I do not wish to convey the meaning that men whose offences are found to be due to some mental abnormality or .mental lack should, be set at liberty. The necessity for their temporary or permanent segregation is probably as urgent, or even more so, than that of the ordinary law-breaker ; but if their cases were once properly diagnosed it might be possible to give them some more reasonable and helpful treatment than can be provided for under the ordinary prison routine. Little can be done, however, until or unless we are given the means to effect the separation or classification I have referred to by the appointment of men witli the necessary scientific training to carry out the work. There is little doubt that there is ample scope for the services of trained psychologists and. psychiatrists in connection with the mental hospitals, the prisons, and the Department entrusted with the care of feeble-minded and deficient children. Payment of Wages to Prisoners for Support of Dependants. The system established at the beginning of 1921. under which prisoners with necessitous dependants are paid a scale rate of wages for their support has been continued with satisfactory results. Considerable relief has been afforded in many deserving cases, and the hardships from which the wives and families of prisoners suffer have been reduced. As with all beneficial measures of this kind, the payments to dependants are now looked upon as a " right " and not as an act of grace, and it often happens that the Department is rewarded for its benevolence —that is, for the substitution of something where there was previously nothing—by complaints as to the " inadequacy " of the payments. Vigorous protests are also received from relatives of prisoners who wish to live on the prisoner's " pay " although fully able to support themselves. The Department is necessarily careful in its administration of the wage-payment regulations, and will not pay out unless there is positive proof that assistance is really necessary. The total expenditure under this head for the year was £5,372, which, added to the amount expended previously, gives a gross exjienditure of £15,831 since the new regulations came into force on the Ist January, 1921. Health of Prisoners. The general health statistics show that the daily average number of inmates on the sick-list was 22:19. As pointed out in former years, the major part of the sickness among prisoners is due to causes arising prior to their committal to prison. Prisoners who are received in a comparatively healthy condition are very rarely on the sick-list, and invariably such inmates improve in health during their incarceration. Prisoners Detention Act, 1915. There was one male prisoner dealt with under the provisions of the Prisoners Detention Act during the jjast year. The total number who have been detained under the jjrovisions of the Act since it was first passed is now thirty-one. Departmental and Staff Matters. There have been no retirements during the year. Generally speaking, the controlling officers and the staffs have worked well, and have everywhere shown good results in regard to the quantity and value of the work carried out under their supervision. This is all the more creditable when it is remembered that of all the members of the General Division under the control of the Public Service Commissioner prison officers work the longest hours. During my recent unofficial visit to the Australian States I found that while the pay of the Australian and New Zealand officers was much on the same level, the Australians had the advantage so far as hours were concerned, that is, if we take into account the total number of hours worked for the whole year. In this connection I trust that the representations I have made on the subject will receive recognition, as it is becoming increasingly apparent that if we art! to have efficient service in the Department and are to carry out

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successfully the schemes of improvement we have in hand the whole position should be reviewed and means provided for us to make employment in our service a more attractive proposition than it is at present. Under the older system prison warders were only required to be custodians or guards. We have now advanced far beyond that stage. Our officers are expected to assist us in the work of rehabilitation ; and, consequently, different types of men are required from those who worked under the former regime. With improved conditions we should be able to obtain a better class of recruits than is available at present. This would inevitably add to the efficiency of the Department, and would, therefore, be of economic advantage to the State. C. E. Matthews, Controller-General of Prisons. Inspector of Prisons and Director of Works to the. Controller-General of Prisons. Sir, — Prisons Department, Wellington, 11th June, 1924. I have the honour to submit my report for the year 1923-24 dealing with the work of inspection of the prisons and institutions under the control of the Prisons Department. A further report is also supplied dealing with the various works ami industries carried on during the year by prison labour. As in past years, my time has been fully occupied in the work of inspecting the various prisons and institutions above referred to, also in directing works and undertakings now being carried out by the Prisons Department. I have devoted as much time as possible, under the circumstances, to supervising and assisting in the development of the system which you have instituted in connection with the Borstal Institution at Invercargill. In view of the fact that you have again placed me in the position of Superintendent, it is necessary that I should continue to exercise, as far as possible, a controlling influence over the forces at work in that institution. As you are aware, the discontinuance of the older policy of building large prisons in or near the centre of cities or towns, thereby making it practically impossible to properly utilize the labour of the inmates, either to the advantage of the State or with profit to the men themselves, has added to the difficulties of the work of inspection, but there cannot be any doubt as to the wisdom of the, change. Prisoners have, to a large extent, been removed from the public gaze, and it has been found possible to employ them upon work that, while being most useful to the State, has at the same time a most beneficial effect upon the men themselves. At the present time, thanks to this more intelligent and humane system, men and women, instead of being unfitted to take up outside work on their .release, are turned out capable workers. If the present system had resulted in nothing more than the removing of the degrading spectacle of men being marched daily through the streets of some of our largest cities and towns dressed in prison garb and guarded by officers armed with rifle, baton, and bayonet, then for that reason alone the changes instituted have been well worth while. In this connection 1 should like to refer to the vastly different attitude of the prisoners themselves. Formerly, owing to the unsatisfying nature of the work upon which the men and women comprising our prison population were employed, very little interest was taken in the work itself. This is all now changed, as with few exceptions the, prisoners themselves take a keen interest in their work, and do their best to make it a success. Taken altogether, while the work of inspection has by reason of the altered conditions become more arduous, still one has the feeling that he is assisting in the bringing-about of a saner and more satisfying state of affairs. Works and Industries : Progress during the Year. In my capacity as Director of Works I have frequently visited the various institutions, farms, and camps where work is being carried on. Taken altogether, the results obtained continue to be satisfactory. In a number of cases especially so. The greatest difficulty which the Department is at present experiencing is that of obtaining the services of suitable officers. Latterly the position, owing to our losing the. services of quite a number of our best instructors and senior officers, on retirement on superannuation of a number of the older men, and, in the case of the younger members, on account of their being able to obtain better positions at a higher rate of pay outside the Government service, has become somewhat unsatisfactory, and as during the next two or three years some of the controlling officers will have reached the age-limit the difficulty will be still further increased. From the reports of the controlling officers you will learn what is being done at the various institutions. Such reports, coupled with the fact that you yourself are in close touch with the whole of the work that is at present being carried out, and when to this is added, the results of your own personal visits to all of the institutions mentioned, it is hardly necessary for me to repeat what has already been placed before you. M. Hawkins, Inspector of Prisons and Director of Prison Works.

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PRISONS AND PRISON INSTITUTIONS: EPITOME OF REPORTS OF CONTROLLING OFFICERS. Auckland Prison. At the commencement of the year there were 318 male prisoners and 16 female prisoners in custody. During the year 1,452 males and 90 females were received, and 1,417 males and 93 females discharged or otherwise disposed of, leaving in custody at the 31st December, 1923, 353 males and 13 females. Two male prisoners died in the prison during the year, tho customary inquest being held in each case. The daily average on the sick muster was—males 15, females nil. The large number of males is again accounted for by the presence of a goodly sprinkling of " derelicts," who, while too old to be of any use, are in need of constant medical attention. With the exception of a few days' sickness, inmates of the female division were free from illness throughout the year. The Esperanto School continues under the immediate control of a prisoner, and the year's work has shown marked success. All papers are forwarded to a prominent Esperantist in Wellington for correction, and the Department's continued thanks are due to that gentleman for his unfailing interest. One hundred and thirty breaches of regulations were dealt with by Visiting Justices during the year, a considerable number of minor breaches being dealt with by the Superintendent and cautions administered. Two additional cottages, intended for occupation by officers, are being constructed at Clive Road, and, judging by the rapidity of progress, should be completed at no distant date. Tho new female division, completed on modern lines with cubicles for the inmates, and furnished in accordance with your direction, has been in occupation for some months. A much-felt need in the shape of an infirmary was also added to this division. Another innovation has been the erection of a store for the custody of the prisoners' private effects, a features being the inclusion of a drying-room and fumigator. I have much pleasure in stating that the prisoners employed on these additions have shown interest in their work, and this fact, together with capable supervision, accounts for the excellent results obtained. The garden continues to be a great asset to the institution, the supply being well maintained and the vegetables being of an excellent quality. I. am pleased to be able to report that, with the exception of potatoes, no outside purchases have been found necessary throughout the whole year. The bootmaking industry continues active. In accordance with your direction, modern machinery has been installed with very satisfactory results. The only drawback appears to be that the Departments receiving supply do not appear to appreciate the quality of the work and materials, ami are consistently desirous of obtaining cheap rates. In order to cope with growing demands in the tailoring branch it has been found necessary to install greatly increased machine power, with the result that there has been a great impetus in the output. This increase will become more marked as the men become experienced. It might be mentioned that one of the Official Visitors has rendered valuable service by giving the Department the benefit of his expert knowledge on many occasions. Arrangements have been made for the undertaking of further Government work in the near future. When the mail-bag industry Was commenced it was understood that the repairs would be on a limited scale. Events, however, showed that the industry was to become a large one, and to meet the added requirements it was found necessary to equip this department of labour with extra suitable machines. At the present time the whole of the Dominion repairs are being carried out with satisfaction, and in the near future 1 understand that it is intended to commence manufacture of the bags in addition to the repair work. All stone for building operations continues to be produced from the prison stone-yard. Similarly, excellent tiles (roof and ridging) and concrete blocks are being turned out for use in the same direction. Quarrying, which is the main prison industry, produced revenue to the extent of £15,558, an increase of about £1,000 on the previous year's figures. The installation of new and modern plant has been fully justified, and a further increase in revenue may be anticipated during the current year. Entertainments continue to be held periodically in the evenings, and also on most of the prison holidays. The programmes, which aro arranged by Mr. J. Stewart (Official Visitor) and others, are always noteworthy for the high standard of entertainment provided for the prisoners, who deeply appreciate the organization of such functions on their behalf. The several organizations responsible for the excellent Christmas gifts to prisoners (cake, fruit, &c.) are deserving of commendation for the spirit of self-sacrifice evidenced, and the gifts were highly appreciated by the inmates. schoolmaster's report on work in prison school. I beg to submit for the year ended the 31st March, 1924, the following report on the work of the school, H.M. Prison, Mount Eden : — Interest, that most potent factor in education, has, by various devices, been maintained throughout the past year, with the result that the several students have voluntarily focused their attention on the different problems set before them and have thus profited materially by the instruction. At

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the outset it was apparent from even a casual observation that the standard of arithmetic was much above that of English, the former subject, where something concrete results from studious effort, being much more popular with the men than the latter, which includes exercises of a more or less abstract nature. Oral teaching on the rudiments of grammar, together with a variety of exercises, has to some extent repaired the deficiency in English, so that towards the close of the year a marked improvement was evident not only in grammar, but also in the composition and the speech of the men. Some idea of the efficiency attained may be derived from the fact that four candidates presented for " proficiency " in S6 at the school, H.M. Prison, Mount Eden, towards the end of September, were brilliantly successful, the Inspector having expressed himself as delighted with the high standard of work submitted to him. On several, evenings during the year a departure from the usual routine was made in order to conduct debates, in which the majority of the men, actively participating, displayed keenness in discussion and enthusiasm to a marked degree. These debates have undoubtedly produced beneficial results, for, besides being an excellent mental discipline in the matter of preparation and logical arrangement, of facts, &c, they have provided splendid training in oral expression—a much neglected portion of the; school curriculum of the present day. To further stimulate interest and relieve the monotony of routine, competitions in spelling were occasionally (twice) arranged, and a spirit of emulation thus aroused, so that by these means much good work has been accomplished. A great deal of the success of the past year has been due to the valuable co-operation of the Superintendent and his officers, and to the assistant schoolmaster, who has been untiring in his zeal for the advancement of the school generally. In conclusion, sir, I desire to express here my sincere thanks for the encouragement you have at all times given me, and for the courtesy which has been extended to me throughout my term of office as schoolmaster. Hautu Prison Land-development Camp, Tokaanu. The health of the prisoners has been good, there being a total absence of sickness during the period. The general conduct of the prisoners has been good. One prisoner escaped during the year and was recaptured two days later. The industry of the prisoners has been exceptionally good, the majority of the men taking a keen interest in the farm-work. The vegetable-garden established late last season was a complete success, the quantity of vegetables grown being more than sufficient for use as prison rations, the balance being used to feed horses and bullocks. A number of bullocks were fattened on the surplus carrots and swedes grown in the prison garden. The following is a summary of the work carried out during the year : 250 acres cleared and stumped and burned off ; 150 acres ploughed, disked, and tine-harrowed, 80 acres of which were sown in oats, and the balance, 70 acres, sown in grass and clover; 4 acres planted in potatoes ; 40 acres of swamp cleared of flax and rushes, and surface-sown in grass and clover; 10,000 trees, consisting of 4,000 Oregon pine and 6,000 Pinus insignis, were planted in various parts of the farm ; 10,000 Pinus insignis and 1,000 gum-trees were lined out for planting during the autumn ; 257 chains of fencing erected, consisting of three posts to the chain and five, six, and seven wires ; 500 posts and twenty strainers carted from the bush to the camp ; 20 chains of road regraded ready for metalling, and 35 chains metalled. A bakehouse was erected, and we are now baking our supplies of bread. A slaughterhouse was also erected, and we are now killing our supplies of meat. The buildings completed during the year are : Stable, loose-box, harness-room, chaff-house, implementshed, blacksmith's shop, and a small cottage for a prison officer. The residence now being erected for the Officer in Charge is nearing completion. In addition to the above the following buildings were also erected : Addition to cell-house to accommodate, six prisoners, storeroom, office, and clothing-store. Invercargill Borstal Institution. I beg to submit my report on this institution for the year ended 31st December, 1923. I am pleased to be able to state that the health of the inmates on the whole has been excellent. Although the influenza epidemic accounted for a large number of cases of sickness in June and July there were no serious results. There were five admissions to the public hospital during the year, in addition to one case who was still in the hospital from the previous year. One inmate died in the institution from Graves' disease after his return from the public hospital. The daily average number of inmates in custody was 179-28. The conduct of the inmates has improved wonderfully, the total number of offences dealt with showing a decrease of approximately 30 per cent. Two inmates made, their escape from the institution and were successful in reaching Stewart Island. One surrendered himself after a few days, but the other remained at large for about a fortnight, when he was recaptured by a party of police and institution officers. One other inmate escaped from a working-party, and was retaken the following day a short distance from town. In all cases further terms of imprisonment were imposed. In addition to those inmates who were given facilities to study in their rooms, instruction in tailoring, building, carpentering, plumbing, concrete-block making, blacksmithing, &c, was given by competent tradesmen on the staff. A marked feature of these classes is the eagerness displayed by the inmates to avail themselves of the opportunity to improve their knowledge along these lines.

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The association class, which consists of those inmates who have earned recognition on account of good conduct and industry, continues to justify its existence, the extra privileges enjoyed by the class being an admirable incentive to good behaviour and industry. Open-air games in season, such as football and cricket, were enjoyed by the class on the institution recreation-ground on Saturday afternoons. Entertainments were provided at intervals by local musical societies, assisted by the institution band, and were very much appreciated by the inmates. An open-air display by the inmates of gymnastics and physical drill, also a Maori halm by the Maori inmates, was given on the recreationground, to which the public were admitted, the Recreation Fund benefiting to the extent of about £50. Frequent gramophone concerts were also given by members of the staff, and were much appreciated. The institution band, under the.able tuition of Mr. Thomas Lithgow, still makes good-progress, and. the learners' class promises well. Physical drill and gymnastic classes are being maintained under Mr. Page, physical instructor, and the physical development of tho classes is very noticeable. The lectures by Dr. Garfield Crawford on the functions and management of the human body have been listened to with great interest, and are much appreciated by the inmate^. The following is a detailed statement of the work undertaken or completed at, the institution during the year : — A baker's oven was installed, and has been in operation for some months, with the result that the expenditure on bread for rations has been cut down by about half, the cost per pound being on an average l-2d., as against 2-9d. per pound when supplied by local bakers. The work of stone-pitching Stead Street has been completed. The formation and gravelling of Dunn's Block Road has also been completed, also the formation of Dunn's Block Cross-road. The stone-pitching of all farm roads has been finished. A new road has been formed from the end of the bridge to the road behind, the pigsties, and is now being gravelled. All telephone and electric-light poles have been set along this road, and the old poles taken out. The road has also been fenced on both sides. Concrete paths have been put down between the inner and outer walls leading to the exerciseyards. The main yard between the church and the new kitchen block and as far as the outer gate has been put down in concrete, also around the church to the north-wing steps. This is a great improvement. All the boundary-walls have been completed, and a fives-court has been erected at the south end of the recreation-ground. The whole building has been painted inside and outside. Book-shelves have been placed in the cubicles. A strip of the road in front of the institution has been filled in with soil and laid down in grass and shrubs, which gives the front a much better appearance. Firewood-cutting has been carried on, and wood to the value of about £240 has been sold, for cash. Work on the rifle range is not yet completed, but is being pushed on rapidly. The farm-garden extension has been filled, in and levelled. A new drive has been formed and gravelled. Manuka breakwinds have been put all round, and likewise on cross-sections. This ground is now ready for use. Trees have been planted where required. The building and fitting-up of trie dredge has now been completed, and dredging operations were started in September. The dredge is now doing good work. Besides pumping over mud, there is a good bed of gravel, beneath, which is being pumped over the wall in large quantities for use on the roads. There has been a large quantity of timber cut at the sawmill, the timber for the cow-shed being cut there. The sawmill is a great asset, as we frequently require timber for boxing for concrete and repairing trucks, &c. The block-shed has been removed from the institution ground to the farm area, whore block and tile making is carried out. The lighters have brought up 2,000 yards of gravel and 1,728 yards of stone, besides towing up rafts of timber and loading firewood from Bushy Point. Borstal Institution Farm. Farming operations have been further extended. The drought experienced during the milking season, however, had the effect of lessening the yearly revenue from butterfat. During October and in the early part of November the milk-supply from each cow per day averaged 3| gallons, but as the dry weather continued the supply fell away to such an extent that towards the end of February some of the best cows were nearly dry. The want of green feed in summer has never before been felt on the Borstal Farm, but in order to have proper nourishing feed available in the, event of a. drought in future a succession of green crops must be arranged for. A reasonable profit was made in the fattening of store cattle. Fat bullocks reared on the property realized up to £13 per head, which, considering the beef-market, may be considered very satisfactory. A new stable and barn have been erected, and a large shed for housing dairy cattle during the winter months is in course of erection. The oat crop, although shorter in straw, was more satisfactory than in former years. In wet seasons the richness of the soil tends to make the oats run to straw, which gets tangled and damaged by winds. The hay crop was lighter than in previous years, but six stacks were harvested in first-class condition. The potato crop was very satisfactory and free from blight, tho dry season being favourable to their growth. From the revenue viewpoint sheep-raising proved the most

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satisfactory during the past year. Lambs were sold at an average price of £1 lis. 4d. each, and wool realized a very favourable price. Good progress has been made with the farm-roading scheme. Borstal Institution School; Report of Senior Schoolmaster. —l have the honour to reportlon the work of the Borstal Institution educational classes for year ended 31st March, 1924. On first coming into the school pupils are graded according to the standards passed arid if they are not too backward they are retained in those classes, the standard being taken from reading and arithmetic. A fair proportion get into Standards. II and 111, and they have apparently made little effort to improve themselves after leaving school, the result being that they are very backward. It is pleasing to record that the majority of these pupils show a desire to learn, and that the work of higher standards is done at the end of the year by the brighter ones. We have also a number of Maori scholars, many of whom were unable to read or to write when they entered. In many cases the first lesson in English has been received in this school; and these Natives are surprisingly keen and make rapid progress in acquiring ability to read. Special attention is given to English in the case of Maoris, who are naturally good in writing and in ordinary calculations. Backward pupils receive more attention, and no inmate leaves the institution without being able to read and write fairly well. When a student shows that he has mastered the work of a standard he is at once promoted. In the upper standards much of the general arithmetic and English is done collectively, lower standards thus having the aid of example from those of higher grade. The ideal kept before the teachers is to interest the inmates, and monotonous work is rigidly avoided. When pupils show a desire to study special subjects they arc aided if permission has been accorded to them by the Superintendent. Discipline is maintained without effort, and no breach calling for punishment has been recorded in the classes during 1924. Napier Prison. An average of thirteen male prisoners was held in custody at this prison, the majority of whom were serving short sentences. All the able-bodied men were employed in the prison quarry, alterations to buildings, and at gardening, whilst repairs to boots and clothing were carried out by the one or two who could not work outside. Alterations and repairs to the main prison building were carried out by prison labour under experienced supervision. The installation in the prison of electric light is a great improvement, and is more economical than the discarded gas system. The revenue from the quarry for the past year amounted to £378. The principal customers are the Napier Borough. Council, who practically take all the metal we can produce. A stone wall has been built along a considerable portion of the prison-reserve frontage to the Marine Parade, and is an improvement both to the prison property and the Parade. The health of the prisoners on the whole has been very good. New Plymouth Prison. The conduct of the prisoners has been exceptionally good considering the class of men that are detained here. There was one attempt to escape, but the would-be escapee was of very weak intellect and was hardly accountable for his actions. The health of the men on the whole has been very good considering we have a number of old men, some of whom are feeble. We are indebted to the ministers of the several denominations, also the Salvation Army, for their help both in conducting Divine service and assisting prisoners on discharge. With the aid of the Official Visitors and others we have had several concerts throughout the year. Iu my opinion concerts have a very good effect on the minds of the inmates, but do not afford the same food for thought as the lectures. The following gentlemen have given lectures throughout the year: The Revs. Blundell, Martin, and Elliott; also Mr. Ridling of the Technical College, Colonel Weston, and Mr. Moss, 8.A., LL.B. The chief industry at this prison is quarrying, knapping stone, screening gravel, and gardening. All the stone and gravel is disposed of to the New Plymouth Borough Council. To expedite the work on the lower level of tho quarry the old system has been altered and a new system put into operation, with the result that the output has very materially increased. A start has been made to strip a further area of ground to get to the level of the gravel. After consulting with the* Supervisor of Prison Works it was agreed that the quarry should bo extended in a westerly direction. This work will be put in hand when the lower level is worked out. Several works were carried out for the New Plymouth Borough Council —viz, the forming-up of Down Street and Fulford Street, keeping Marsland Hill in order and also the adjoining reserve, and alterations and repairs to the Robe Street pound. Paparua Prison. At the beginning of the year there were 147 prisoners in custody ; 441 were received during the year, and 457 were discharged or transferred during that period, leaving a total of 131 prisoners in custody at the end of the year. The greatest number in custody at one time was 146, the least being 111. The daily average for the year was 131'58. The health of the prisoners generally has been very good. There were received the usual number of old derelicts, who increased the average number sick during the year. The largest number on the sick-list at one time was eight. Four prisoners were admitted to the Christchurch Hospital. There were no deaths. There were no escapes. One prisoner made an attempt to cut out of his cell, but was detected and punished for the offence, being afterwards transferred to Auckland.

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The spiritual welfare of the inmates has been attended to by the Rev. A. L. Canter, Major Barnes; Rev. Father O'Hara, and Mr. Paynter of the Plymouth Brethren. Fortnightly concerts have been given by Mrs. W. J. Hunter, Mrs. Holmes, and the Rev. Patterson. Moving pictures have also been screened by arrangement with the Grand Theatre, and arc much appreciated by the inmates. That those privileges have a good effect is evidenced by the continued good behaviour and industry of the men, reports for breaches of the regulations being very infrequent. The honour system, which is largely practised at this prison, has also proved a success, and very few men have abused the privileges granted. No escape of " honour "or other men has occurred. An additional cottage, No. 13, has been completed and occupied by one of the staff. A small amount of finishing-work has been done in the west cell range during the year. The artistic pieces of plastering-work at either end have been completed. The east cell range has been completely roofed with tiles. The inside roofing is of beaverboard, The bottom-landing cells have been almost completed, and have been in use for about half the year. The top-landing cells are now being completed and will soon be ready for use. Imposing gateways have been built at the main entrance on Bealey Road. Huge concrete posts and approach walls have been erected, and the work is almost complete. Exercise-yards are being built between the east and west cell ranges. Work is at present proceeding. The foundations for the administrative block have been completed. This building is being erected in front of the two new wings, and is on the plan of tho office block at Waikeria Reformatory. During the year the various roads about the farm have received attention in the way of general maintenance and are now in fair order. A new dairy has been built on up-to-date lines and is complete except for tho water-supply. The year marked a decided change in policy as regards the main farming factor —from sheepraising to dairying. The dairy herd, totalling 157 head, comprises 79 milking-cows, 32 heifers, 37 calves, and 2 bulls. Dairying is now an established fact here, and will, I trust, grow larger yearly. With the increased area in lucerne the farm will eventually carry two hundred head of cattle. The revenue derived from this source during the year was £704 35., which speaks well for the future success of this industry. It also provides congenial work for a number of the prisoners. Owing to the change in farming policy, the sheep flock was reduced so that the flock ewes would number about five hundred. The revenue derived from this industry was £962 ss. lid. The lambing season was a fair one, and the lambing percentage, 87 per cent., was very good. The stud flock is growing slowly in number, and there are now 31 ewes and 21 lambs. As anticipated, there was an increase of revenue from the pig industry owing to the skim-milk from the dairy. The revenue derived amounted to £370 19s. Id., and there are still 125 head on hand at the commencement of this season. The rise in the market price of wool considerably increased the revenue produced during the year. The average weight of wool per fleece was 9-7 lb., and this sold at a good rate, the tops bringing 24d. per pound. The total derived from wool this year was £456 7s. Id. The revenue produced from gardening amounted to £76 2s. sd. In addition, the garden supplied the prison with vegetables for the whole year, and with potatoes up to Christmas from the commencement of the potato season. The poultry industry, although showing better returns than the previous season, is still unsatisfactory. Acting on your instructions, 1 have had the houses removed to the back of the garden and placed under the direct supervision of the officer in charge of the garden. The results this year should be a little bettor. The crops consisted this year of wheat, oats, peas, tares, mangolds, and potatoes. The season for crops was the worst experienced in Canterbury for twenty years. Hot winds prevailed for months, and continued drought. In spite of this, however, the returns from crops were fairly good, and the, total revenue from this source was £930 Bs. 3d. After reserving the necessary quantity for our own use we sold 762 bushels of wheat, 803 bushels oats, 320 bushels peas, and 40 bushels tares at good prices. Throughout the year an average of eleven men per day have been employed in the manufacture of concrete blocks and flagstones. Work has consisted chiefly in the manufacture of blocks for the new buildings, and we have also been making flagstones for Aldington Saleyards. The amount derived from this industry was £551 9s. lOd. Institutional School. The schoolmaster reports as follows : — I have the honour to report on the work of the school classes at the prison for the past year. The programme of work included English, composition, spelling, arithmetic, geography, and now and then a debate on some topic. A most pleasing feature is that the keenness for the work shown at the beginning has been well maintained. The majority of the men have not had any schooling beyond the Fourth Standard. A few could hardly read or writes. All have displayed a keen interest in the lessons, and the improvement effected has been most marked. lam certain that the introduction of these lessons has brightened the lives of the men, for they work with a will. The attention they give to the lessons is most encouraging to me, and the discipline is splendid. The debates held during the year were a great success. The subjects chosen were always of a nonpolitical character — e.g., British v. American workmanship ; should immigration be encouraged : motor and steam transport. They were given a fortnight to prepare their arguments, and a discussion to mould their ideas would be held previous to the debate. In many cases the subject chosen was

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first given as a composition. In this way an attempt was made to develop the reasoning-powers, and as the work progressed considerable improvement was noticeable. In conclusion, I may state that the work as a whole has tended to develop their mental [towers, and to give them greater confidence in their outlook on life. Waikeria Reformatory. There were 113 inmates in custody on the Ist January, 1923, and 69 were received during the year. Tin; discharges were I I hard-labour and 2 reformative-detention prisoners on expiration of sentence, while 26 hard-labour and 46 reformative-detention prisoners were released on the recommendation of tht! Prisons Board, and 14 were transferred to other prisons, leaving a total of 83 remaining in custody at the 31st December, The daily average, number of inmates in confinement during the year was 98-68. There were three escapes during the year. Inmate R. Boyton left, his work in the garden, but was captured within ten minutes. Inmate Thomas escaped from a party working at the old orchard and was recaptured within two hours. Inmate A. A. C. Scott, who escaped while in charge of a team, succeeded in eluding capture for twelve days. In regard to work, our main energies are, of course, directed to the farm, and here we have -had what I think might be reasonably regarded as a successful and satisfactory year. The administration was modified in February, 1923, in the direction of making each dairy as far as possible self-contained, so that inmates acquired experience not only in milking, but in all operations occurring on a dairy farm, such as harrowing and top-dressing pastures, growing summer and winter feed for the cows, &c. The success of the plan has not only been in the way of teaching inmates more, but has manifested itself in added interest in the work ami increased butterfat returns. The dairy herds have been doing well so far, and I think that results at the end of the season will furnish interesting data on the effect of even one year's culling. The work of inmates on the Mental Hospital property has been continued throughout the year, nd the co-operation between the Departments carries with it mutual advantages. 1 would respectilly urge that this interworking between the Departments be, continued, and even increased if opportunity offers. During the year the work carried out under this arrangement comprised, besides ordinary agricultural rotational work which included the preparation for and sowing and harvesting of 147 acres of oats and .the working of the land for and putting in of 220 acres of swedes, such items as fencing, rabbiting, road-repair, &c. Then there was the autumn sowing to grass of 302 acres of virgin country prepared during the previous winter and summer, and the clearing and ploughing of a further 350 acres of new land for autumn sowing in 1.924. In addition to these activities concrete-block making has been carried on at No. 1 Camp. Work in the garden has gone on smoothly, and, the tomato crop, the largest source of revenue, promises well. Unfortunately, the whole of the plants were cut down by frost last season, and this necessitated replanting, resulting in a loss of the earlier and more profitable .markets. This crop calls for a great deal of attention over the busy time of the year. Where surplus labour is available it supplies a good outlet, for the work is carried on under direct and uninterrupted supervision. Howover, situated as we are, we can employ our inmates on necessary work in connection with the general work and development of the place. Furthermore, our distance from the chief consuming centres places us at a disadvantage in marketing. In these, circumstances it would probably be advisable to reduce this branch to the dimensions of a side line. The school erected by the Education Department for the children is completed, and work will be begun in it after the midsummer holidays. This departure will be advantageous from every point of view. Tho health of the inmates has been very good. One inmate who fell down while white-washing at the dairy was removed to hospital with symptoms suggesting spinal injury, which, however, fortunately proved after a few days to be only a severe concussion. Another inmate who received an injury to a finger while working with the chaffcutter was also treated at Hamilton Hospital. The general conduct, I think, gives cause for satisfaction. The vast majority of offences dealt with have, been minor breaches of discipline. Another year's review of the " honour " system adds further evidence of its success. There are, of course, set-backs and disappointments. These are inevitable, but they do not detract from the advantages which this method of treatment confers on the majority of inmates, who react gratefully to the trust reposed in them. Schoolmaster's Report. -Since my appointment as schoolmaster I have found that I am able to report definite progress, increased interest, better work more cheerfully done, and, above all, tin earnest desire to please and make progress among those who attend the school regularly, in striking contrast to dull apathy and indifference when they started. When we take into consideration the fact that these men have already done a hard day's toil, and in the ordinary course of events would have a couple of hours' quiet reading in their cells, to come to school cheerfully and willingly, and iu some cases to actually apply to come to school (not to mention extra and purely voluntary work done for me in their cells), most certainly shows a better spirit, and a real desire, to take full advantage, of the opportunity thus afforded them. Regarding the effect of the work on the inmates, 1 have observed three things : In the first place, there is marked reluctance on the part of the men to start where they left off at school. If a man says that he is in Standard V, I find on testing him that in all probability he will have to start in Standard 111, or even lower ; his progress from there is hampered because he thinks ho knows the work and for some unexplained reason is being purposely kept back. If I were to start him where he wished he. would work hard, but futilely, as he has no grounding in the back work. In the second

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place, I find it impossible to measure progress on tho same basis as even dull school-children. At first the men are so much slower and obtuse that any progress seems impossible ; but after a month most of them go ahead, and prefer to work things out for themselves rather than be shown their errors. With them the first step forward is the hardest; after that guidance more than actual instruction is what they need. The third thing I have noticed is the query of usefulness. Almost invariably a man asks of what practical use certain instruction may be to him in after-life. As long as I can prove usefulness ho is satisfied, and works with a will —he is keen to get something that will help him afterwards. Wanganui Prison. This prison, which is now used for the purpose of housing old and derelict male offenders, requires a few structural alterations, and these aro being put in hand forthwith. Electric light has been installed and is a great improvement upon the former inferior gas service. All prisoners that are able to work' are fully employed in keeping the grounds tidy and in carrying out a number of works for the local Borough Council. In view of the class of inmates at this prison, it is remarkable the little sickness we have. 'It is only on rare occasions that the old men require medical attention. Waikune Prison Camp, Erua. As in previous years, a considerable amount of road formation and metalling has been carried out by prison labour, under the direction of the Public Works Department. The gang quartered at Makaretu Camp continued with tho task of forming and metalling the Raurimu-Waimarino Road. A great deal of formation work has been carried out, and the road has been metalled a further one .mile and a half. This gang also carried out a certain amount of road-formation work for the Raurimu County Council. The old quarry at Makaretu was worked out during the year, but the Department was fortunate in locating another deposit of metal a short distance from the main road. This pit is estimated to yield an unlimited supply of metal. Tho road has been formed to the new pit, and arrangements are being made to have the crusher transferred to the new site. During the period under review a stone-crusher was installed near Waikune Camp, and a metalpit opened out. Tho men are now becoming more accustomed to the work, and better results are being obtained. Several concrete culverts of large dimensions have also been put down on the section of the road between Erua and Waimarino. The Waimarino-Tokaan u Road maintenance was taken over by the Prisons Department in May, 1923. A gang of men has been continually employed on this work, save for a short period when suitable accommodation was not available. A. considerable portion of the road has been repaired and graded. Repairs have also been effected to bridges on this road. The road is now in first-class condition, and travellers speak very highly of the work carried out by the Prisons Department on this section. Sawmilling. —An up-to-date sawmilling plant, capable of cutting 10,000 superficial feet of timber per day, has now been installed. Opinions are freely expressed by practical sawmillers that the Department has now one of the finest sawmilling plants in the King-country. Quite recently the new plant cut 7,500 superficial feet of timber in a space of seven hours. A considerable amount of work was also undertaken for the Tongariro National Park Board. Two large accommodation-huts were erected, and repairs effected to the mountain-track and footbridges. A start has also been made with the formation of the Bruce Road. The health of the prisoners has been good. During the month of October there was a mild outbreak of influenza, fortunately with no complications. Accidents were very rare. Two men received minor injuries that required medical attention. The conduct of the men undergoing sentence at this prison has been very good. The industry continues to be satisfactory. The " honour " system at Waikune still obtains good results ; more especially in the bush-work and carting to Otuku. Wellington Prisons. There were in custody at the commencement of the year 77 males. During the year 880 males were received, and 841 were discharged. In custody at end of year, 116 males. Of those discharged, 486 were on expiration or remission of sentence, 226 transferred to other prisons or to the police, 11 on recommendation of the Prisons Board, 16 debtors, I died, and 2 were executed. The conduct and industry of prisoners have been exceptionally good. No offences of an aggravated nature occurred,"and the minor offences meriting punishment, and dealt with by the Visiting Justices, numbered 16. Two prisoners charged with, murder, and found guilty, wore sentenced to death by hanging, the execution taking place on the 19th April and the 16th June respectively. The health of prisoners generally has been good, but, as in previous years, many cases of sickness, contracted previous to admission to the prison, had to be sent direct to the Public Hospital for treatment. Five such cases had an aggregate of 508 days in hospital, where one, a Maori suffering from gunshot wounds, died about nine months after admission. Excluding the cases sent to hospital, the number sick three days or over was seven —a very small, percentage when the class of inmate received at this prison is considered. At the Terrace the demolition of the north wing was commenced in June, and early in September the excavation work was proceeded with, the spoil being tipped in the garden at the back of the prison. A tile-making plant having been installed, concrete tiles and ridging are now being manufactured, and a sufficient number to cover the roof of the cell-house and outbuildings on Watt's Peninsula have been

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supplied, and tiles are now being made for the roof of the additions to the reformatory at Point Halswell. At Mount Cook, the mam excavation having been completed, a party is employed in the gully known as Spencer's Lane, levelling out and forming tennis-courts; &c, for the Technical College students. At Point .Halswell extra accommodation has been provided, which enables an increased number of men being employed on the works there. One party is engaged in building the addition to tho reformatory for women. Other parties are employed preparing the site for the new trial and remand prison, erecting shed for concrete-block making, &c. A well has been sunk, and it is expected a supply of good water, sufficient for building requirements, will be obtained. At Seatoun a party is employed in the levelling of the Defence Department's reserve, and a ready sale is obtained for the sand and shingle obtained. An engine and elevator are now installed, and will greatly increase the output and reduce manual labour. Divine services by ministers of the several denominations were held on Sundays during the year, and, by permission of the Controller-General of Prisons, entertainments were provided by the New Zealand Pictures Supply Company, the Salvation Army Band and songstresses, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and tin-. Presbyterian Social Workers' Association, the latter providing, in addition to a concert, substantial refreshments for the inmates. Wi Tako Prison, Trentham. At the beginning of the year there were 51 prisoners in custody, 88 were received during the year, and 90 discharged and transferred, leaving 49 prisoners in custody at the end of the year. The general industry and conduct of the prisoners have been very good. A number of cinema entertainments and high-class concerts have been provided by the Y.M.C.A. These entertainments are keenly looked forward to by the prisoners, and as each man must have a record of exemplary conduct and genuine industry before he is allowed to attend an entertainment it is obvious that these concerts have a splendid influence on the behaviour of the men. There were no escapes or attempted escapes. There, were no cases of serious illness, and the general health of the prisoners has been very good. The spiritual needs of the men have been zealously looked after by the ministers of the various denominations. The principal work of tho year has been the development of the brickworks. In order to provide! greater driving-power for the Bradley and Craven brickmaking-machine, a second boiler has been installed, and both boilers have been connected with the camp water service. The drying-sheds have been overhauled and reconditioned. The wooden roof has been replaced by malthoid. A new system of plank roads is now in use, and should greatly facilitate the, transferring of the green bricks. A considerable amount of excavation and drainage has been carried out around the kiln. Opportunity was taken of the kiln being closed down during the winter months to have it thoroughly overhauled and relined. In the course of this overhauling it was found that the kiln was showing very little signs of wear, and that it was standing well up to its work. The new tram-line route has been surveyed and plans prepared, and a line to permit the transport of railway-wagons will shortly be laid down. The whole of the. brickworks are now in full working-order, and with experienced men in charge there should be little difficulty in supplying all orders. The weather has had a detrimental effect on the farming operations of the year. An extremely wet winter was followed by a dry summer, with disastrous results to crops. The oat crop, in common with the crops of the local farmers, was practically a failure. However, the mangolds, potatoes, swedes, &c, are doing very well so far and show promise of good returns. The cattle (sixty-two head) on the estate are doing very well, but if the dry weather continues it will make winter conditions very hard, as feed will be very scarce indeed. The eradication of the blackberry is entailing a considerable amount of time and labour. This pest requires constant attention. During the summer months a party of prisoners is kept constantly employed dealing with it. No sooner have they completed the cutting and grubbing than the plants have grown sufficiently to require the whole work being gone over again. Subdivision fences have been erected between the officers' cottages, and a substantial trellis fence has been placed along the frontage. The two paddocks at Heretaunga have been cleared of gorse and laid down in permanent pasture. A septic tank to deal with the sewerage of the prison has been constructed and connected up, and is working satisfactorily. A start was made during the year to plant the hillside facing the railway-line with trees. A portion of the ground was cleared, and 2,800 Pinus radiata were planted on tho hill and 1,200 Douglas fir on the adjacent flat. The planting was done in May, but there was a considerable percentage of deaths amongst the trees planted then. These were replaced in September, and the latter planting has proved fairly successful. It is thought that owing to the abnormally wet winter and the hill being composed of a hard formation the water ran over the surface, lodged in the pits, and killed the young trees. The planting is to be continued in sections until the whole of the hilly part of the reserve is planted. Prison, Institutions for Women. Addinc/lon Reformatory for Women. —At the beginning of the year there were 18 inmates in residence and lin the hospital; 45 were admitted during the year, making a total of 64 ; 33 were discharged on the expiration of their sentence ; 4 were released on the recommendation of the Prisons Board ; 7 admitted on remand ; 4 were discharged ; 2 sent to other institutions, and 1 placed on probation ; 10 transferred to other institutions. Owing to the few inmates at present in custody, their only employment consists of doing all the domestic work of the institution, milking, feeding

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poultry, and attending to the flower and. vegetable gardens, which is all they are capable of getting through. Al! the young offenders are transferred to other institutions, which leaves only shortsentenced and elderly women who are physically unable to do much work. Two evenings a week and every other Sunday afternoon ladies come out from town and sing to the inmates and teach them to sing. The music has quite improved the inmates' general conduct, and they look forward to the entertainments. The Official Visitors and a few chosen ladies have kindly given high teas on holidays, entertained the inmates generally, and in this way have made friends with them. When an inmate is discharged and in a situation, as many as three ladies will take an interest in her and take it in turn to meet her on her afternoon off, and in this way keep her in her situation, which otherwise she would leave. The women appear to appreciate the kindness shown them, and if they do fall again their conduct in the prison is much improved. Only four women have refused help, and have no desire to do better. Official Visitors and friends have kept the institution well supplied with magazines, books, and papers. The religious services are held by the Rev. Canon Bean, Rev. Revell, and the Salvation Army. The, Roman Catholic sisters come every Sunday, and the priest visits once a month, so that all inmates attend a service every Sunday. Point HalsweM Reformatory. There were in custody at the beginning of the year 20 inmates. During the, year 74 were received and 54 discharged or transferred to other institutions. The health of the inmates has been good. All rations and medicines supplied of good quality. We have had in the institution during the past year a baby belonging to one of the inmates. He has been no trouble or bother to us, never having had a day's sickness. He is much loved and will be greatly missed, when his mother takes him away. The usual work goes on- in the garden, the dairy, and the institution. There is much work to be. done, and many improvements still needed, but to any one who only visits us once or twice a year they can see many changes, and they realize better than we do how much has really been done to improve the grounds and garden. There is a new wing in course of erection, containing twenty bedrooms, a large day-room, kitchen, hospital, church, and administrative quarters. The Department provided transport for all clergymen. Official Visitors, and the Visiting Justice, also for all those who entertained th(> inmates to Christmas cheer. During the year the west ward has been gazetted a " State Reformatory Home," with accommodation for fifteen inmates. This division is given over wholly to the girls, and is kept strictly apart from the prison section. Here the girls enjoy a life quite different from that lived by the inmates of the prison. We have made the conditions as pleasant and as bright as possible, and try to make the girls feel it is a " home " they are living in, not an institution. With the opening of the home section a general dining-room was started, and dinner is served to the girls at 5.30 p.m. Two girls are detailed to attend to all the requirements of tho table. As the dining-table is provided with everything necessary in the way of table appointments, the laying of the table, and all the work the dining-room entails, is a training for the girls in that branch of domestic work. The girls are out in tho recreation-room every evening until 8 p.m., and in the evenings we make use of the wireless set until 9 p.m. Three evenings a week we have school, conducted by a member of the staff, and there is a marked improvement in the girls' writing. There was much room for improvement, especially with the girls who came from the industrial school, their writing and spelling being exceptionally bad. One evening a week is devoted to fancy-work and another to plain sewing and mending. Two or three of the girls are very good knitters and crocheters. It is noticeable that perhaps the girl who is very dull and backward at school can copy from a book the most intricate pattern in knitting and crochet. Yet if she were asked to spell a simple word she could not do so. It is a pity that a girl who could earn her living at work of this sort is doomed to domestic work as a means of livelihood (work which perhaps she dislikes) because nobody will come forward to take charge of such a girl on her release and help her to find the work congenial to her. Each girl makes an outfit for herself prior to release. What one cannot do another can, and with help from the staff and one another the girls return to the world with a well-stocked wardrobe. They buy most of the material out of their earnings, and as a member of the staff does tin 1 shopping for them the money is wisely spent. The girls in the home section wear a, different style of dress to those in the reformatory. We have got quite away from the old order of things. At present they are wearing neat checked gingham frocks and white shoes. Most of the girls are employed on outside work in the garden, dairy, or the care of pigs and poultry. On coming in from work the girls change their frocks and get ready for dinner at, 5.30 p.m. To them this is the, event of the day, and it hurts very much when they are, taken from the, dining-room as a punishment. It is not all work with the girls in the evenings, as they have a piano, gramophone, and games to help while away what would be, without these, some, very dull hours. The piano especially has been a godsend. A wireless set has been installed for the benefit of the girls, and great pleasure is derived from the use of it. The whole cost of the outfit was donated by the Women Prisoners' Welfare Group. Before closing my report I would like to express to you the appreciation of the staff and myself for your consideration in providing a motor-car for our use to and from the, city. One needs to live here to realize how much the car means to us.

Table A. PRISON ACCOMMODATION AND PRISONERS. Table showing Accommodation, Number of Prisoners, etc., at the several Prisons of the Dominion during the Year 1923.

h;—2o.

3—H. 20.

17

Name of Prison. In Separate Cells for In s t £L C ?J'!, for One Prisoner. "Trifoner 0 " 6 Number of Persons for whom there is Accommodation. Number of Persons at Beginning of Tear. Number received during Tear. Number discharged or transferred. Number in Prison at End of Tear. Total. T. 19 335 189 13 50 147 20 112 21 47 77 51 31 2 M. 1,450 152 159 99 441 70 31 57 880 88 895 93 F. 46 90 11 4 72 45 2 ! T. M. 46 1,540 1,417 152 165 170 158 103 93 441 457 72 70 99 31 21 57 47 880 841 88 90 940 863 95 93 F. T. 53 : 53 93 1,510 165 11 169 4 97 457 52 52 99 21 47 841 90 45 908 2 95 Addington (Women's Reformatory) Auckland lnvercargill (Borstal Institution) .. Napier New Plymouth Paparua (Templeton) Point Halswell (Women's Reformatory) Waikeria (Reformatory) Hautu (Tokaanu) Waikune (Erua) Wellington Wi Tako (Trentham) Minor prisons *Police lock-ups M. 298 168 7 55 132 F. 32 22 1 3 3 32 102 12 59 10 34 F. 3 5 M. 400 180 66 65 166 F. 32 25 1 8 3 34 M. 319 189 13 50 147 F. 19 16 20 M. 352 176 14 56 131 F. 12 13 T. 12 365 176 14 56 131 40 2 ! 40 ... 102 2 32 60 55 115 "25 38 29 40 28 12 94 21 140 31 72 88 67 209 46 112 21 47 77 51 31 2 83 31 57 116 49 63 2 83 31 57 116 49 63 2 •■ •• Totals .. 1,026 118 458 31 1,484 149 1,059 ; 55 1,114 4,415 j 270 4,685 4,344 260 4,604 1,130 65 1,195 I Sickness. Mama of Prison. Greatest Number in Prison at One Time. Least Number in Prison at One Time. Daily Average Number of Prisoners. (a.) Greatest Number ill at any One Time. (6.) Admissions to Hospital during Tear. ( o o (c.) Number of Distinct Prisoners ill on One or More Occasions, with Number of Occasions, Total Number of Separate Illnesses, Total Number of Days, and Daily Average on Sick-list. a, as * u » <» Number Total Dailv 1 ° <" § sS S3 x§-°i of Number Average S jq.S °.S £3 5.3 § * Separate of on | JH j&HrH *B r- H ® Illnesses Days ill. Sick-list. S .13.5 rv..H ccS^r Number Total Daily of Number Average Separate of on Illnesses Days ill. Sick-list. Addington (Women's Reformatory) Auckland .. lnvercargill (Borstal Institution) .. Napier New Plymouth Paparua (Templeton) Point Halswell (Women's Reformatory) Hautu (Tokaanu) Waikeria (Reformator}) Waikune (Erua) Wellington Wi Tako (Trentham) Minor prisons __ I _ M. F. T. 19 19 400 15 415 201 .. 201 23 4 27 62 1 63 146 .. 146 45 j 45 ! M - ! F - _ 5 284 14 160 6 45 111 18 18 83 73 39 T. 5 298 160 6 45 111 18 M. F. T. 1030 10-30 337-45 14-13 351-58 179-28 .. 179-28 13-55 0-48 : 14-03 54-52 0-12 | 54-64 131-58 .. 131-58 27-63 : ; 27-63 - M. F. T. 1 1 40 2 42 50 50 1 .. 1 5 5 8 .. 8 1 1 M. F. T. 3 3 7 .. 7 6 .. 6 1 i .. 1 " r i ! ! i i 6 1 161 38 7 1 .. 88 24 10 5 .. 2 9 4 34 2 4 6 8 : 548 1-50 262 3,061 8-39 186 2,422 6-60 2 50 0-14 17 99 0-27 50 374 1-02 6 255 0-70 4 .. 4 1 1 37 ..I 37 111 .. Ill 66 .. -66--118 .. 118 56 56 18 83 41 73 39 25-47 . . 25-47 98-68 .. 98-68 51-86 .-.- 51-86 90-80 .. 90-80 46-16 .. 46-16 44-99 0-47 45-46 1,074-34 5313 1,127-47 3 .. 3 15 J .. 15 8: : .. 8 7 ■ .. 7 •2 :: -2 1 .. 1 7 --'.. 7 .. .......... 21 3 .. .... 35 4 1 2 1 12 13 2 6 393 78 22 8 1 27 188 0-50 59 373 1-02 12 598 1-64 17 89 024 6 63 0-17 Totals __l 5 '.'. 5 33 4 37 ' 652 ; 8,120 22-19 .. .. •• .. .. .. .. .... .. I i I ... ! I I 1 i i i i i i ' * Deemed to be prisons under the provisions of section 17 of the Statute Law Amendment Act, 1917.

H.—2o.

Table A1. Table showing Particulars, for each Prison, of Prisoners at Beginning and End of Year, and received and discharged during Year 1923.

18

a 3 .5 '5 3 O a s 3 3 3 a "5 3 r, a a 6"h = u H o fl r* a o - a o CD a •a a" o CD PH "Si ID > 2 a O 3 o Hi "3 OB o a 7-1 ID eS 55 (a.) In prison at beginning of year :— Undergoing — Simple imprisonment .. ... Under three months' hard labour Three months' hard labour and under one year Under one 3'6ar's hard labour and upwards .. Detention as habitual criminals Reformative detention Detention under Prisoners Detention Act, 1915 Sentenced to death ' .. M.l 2 28 56 132 37 49 F. M. F. M. F. M. ■- I 7 ! .. .. 1 .. .. 4 i 4 .. 3 .. 1 1 ! 42 .. 33 .. 15 .. j .. .. 3 .. .. | 3 j 66 .. 8 .. 5 ; F. | .. 1 " I M. . 15 F. - „ I M. — I •• .. 2 25 F. M. ! 5 F. M. ! 20 27 I I I F. M. F. M. F. 3 15 20 .. .. 2 13 F. 2 M. - F. 1 M. 11 21 52 1 54 F. I " M. 2 3 11 3 169 F. .. •• i M. F. 2 .. 10 .. 4 .. 2 j .. -M. 2 *" F. M. F. 9 .. 69 8 139 6 352 11 44 1 386 27 " " F. 8 6 11 27 9 77 145 363 45 413 -■ 10 1 6 I ' •• " •• - I- " 5 20 I ■■ 4 I 11 .. '.'. 18 18 -- I •■ ■• - - - I :, ........ •■ • • ! t .. I " i 15 112 .. 48 .. 21 1 .. ' .. 1 .. .. •• •• ! •• I I •- I .. •• ! Total criminals in prison Por trial or on remand In transitu !— — I i IS 1 139 8 — i — 304 14 21 47 •■ i 7 5 51 62 .. .. 20 15 20 188 1 ] 18 .. 10 .. 1 .. 2 999 53 54 2 1 .. 53 2 1,052 56 1 I •■ •• ." ! - • Total in prison for criminal offences .. Debtors Lunatics .. •• 318 j 1 16 112 .. 49 .. 21 1 .. .. 16 112 .. 50 .. 21 • - ■• i 21 II - .- " — 47 I '• I .. I - I II - 12 1 " I 51 .. .. .. 77 .. .. 20 77 .. .. 20 2 .. .. 2 401 .. .. 15 129 .. .. 7 37 .. .. 1 12 " 20 !••! I •• i I I •• •• — 19 - 147 .. •■ I 189 •• I !— 29 .. 2 .. ■ • .. | 2 I •• ! — i .. 1,054 55 5 .. i ■• 55 1,109 5 Total persons in prison 319 21 47 13 51 20 19 | — 147 189 31 2 — .. 1,059 ' 55 — 55 1,114 •• — — — <b.) Received during the year: — Sentenced to— Simple imprisonment Under three months' hard labour Three months' hard labour and under one year One year's hard labour and upwards Hard labour and reformative detention Simple imprisonment and sent to an industrial school Hard labour and sent to an industrial school.. Hard labour and declared habitual criminal .. Habitual criminal without further sentence shown Death Under conviction for sentence Criminals for reformative detention only Hard labour, also flogged 16 785 193 79 22 .. .... 3 .. .. 60 .. .. 27 2 .. 11 .. .. 9 .. .. 2 1 .. 4 .. .. 3 33 5 2 4 1 . 2 2 15 7 1 24 7 3 110 43 22 4 ■• 1 10 7 2 11 303 64 11 4 1 8 2 i 93 36 3 2 1,778 115 478 27 163 4 44 4 2 3 115 27 4 4 39 1,893 505 167 48 7 2 :: ::■ :: * :: :: •• 7 8 1 4 2 .. 2 .. 55 7 .. 221 26 2 .. 30 2 .... ........ ............. 13 52 2 i i .. 1 .. .. 2 .. .. 77 1 .. 49 3 .. 10 .. .. 24 1 .. 87 1 .. 73 4 .. 1 .. j .. 7 .... ' 88 1 .. 80 4 .. 2 69 .. 19 .. 31 90 70 .. 99 4 31 1 2 •• 4 9 •• 3 2 13 ..• .. .. 68 .. .. 9 •• •■ 5 38 •• 11 •■ 19 41 6 8 •• • 2 62 247 2 ■• 5 _ - .. .. ...... -• •• ! Total new prisoners received.. On remand or for trial 1,171 191 49 24 " •• I 102 ! 50 I 8 i 2 i I I 2 i •- 671 .. .. 34 114 .. .. 18 785 .. .. 52 17 36 7 233 87 •• i 32 20 I 457 284 26. 17 — 93 : — ! 2 12,811 186 -. j 770 55 2,997 825 Total 1,362 36 73 7 152 3 r— 10 2 43 I 320 9 1 1 52 1 741 59 2 43 93 2 3,581 241 131 1 3 .. 3,822 132 3 Debtors .. .. Lunatics •• •• l I " •• Total new persons received On transfer or in transitu 1,398 52 -• 80 19 57 155 4 10 1 -H 2 86 802 .. .. 52 78 .. .. 20 880 .. .. 72 43 3 330 111 441~ •■ — 52 100 802 93 43 2 45 93 2 3,715 242 700 28 3,957 728 •■ ■• Grand totals jl,450 99 I — 57 159 ! 11 88 J46 152 93 I I i 2 4,415 270 4,685 ■- ! ■■ -- •■ 895 i I 1 I * Deemed to be prisons under the provisions of section 17 of the Statute Law Amendment Act, 1917.

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19

Table A1—continued. Table showing Particulars, for each Prison, of Prisoners at Beginning and End of Year, and received and discharged during Year 1923— continued.

4—H. 20.

a S3 © 3 "5 JP 3 3 ID a d H ts © d 55 d oa a o DC fl "3 fl a o CD a O © 2a 33 © d~ d © •© 3 o O 3 * J 1 o re "3 o (e.) Discharged during the year: — On expiration of sentence — Hard labour Reformative detention Simple imprisonment On bail or probation Died .. Executed .. ..' Absconded and not retaken Committed suicide Released on recommendation of Prisons Board — Hard labour .. .. Reformative detention Habitual criminals „ _ • „ _ M. F. M. F. 988 72 11 .. 8 4 2.. 12 47 3 .. .. 2 F. M. 36 3 3 4 F. 2 M. 3 2 F. M. 7 F. M. F. 84 4 F. 4 M. 36 2 1 F. M. 477 6 3 27 1 2 F. JH. F. .. 21 I M. F. M. F. M. .. 33 183 .. 20 .. .. 2 .. 10 .. .. 6 .. 3 4 12 .. 6 .. .. 2 .. 1 I • • .. M. 20 10 3 6 1 F. M. F. M. F. M. F. | 330 7 93 2 2,268 141 2,409 2 37 4 41 4 32 1 33 28 3 .. .. 127 12 139 6 .. 6 2 .. 2 4 .. 4 | " 4 156 3 159 4 215 13 228 23 .. 23 •' 3 i i i .. •• .. •■ I "I ' .. •• 1 • • I 3 - .. •• •• .. , .. j .. .. .. 3 46 .. 6 1 23 .. 85 •• ! I 16 .. 26 .. 25 2 ! 46 .. 18 .. .. .. 8 2 1 2 I 5 l l t ■• 5 j . . I 11 9 1 •• 32 10 5 6 ■• .. 10 6 85 2 i 1 I .. ! i 1 ■- 1... I •• i | ........ I 2 | - Total criminals discharged to freedom Acquitted and after remand Debtors . Lunatics transferred to mental hospitals 1 1,117 81 85 .. 65 8 | .. .. 28 1 I .. .. 5 .. I .. .. r 57 19 8 1 2 2 —" 13 13 .. ■ 31 i ' 87 j 5 50 1 3 .. 1 .. 141 6 17 5 81 I 527 72 16 i—I— i .. 33 .. .18 .. : 52 .. 41 274 .. 133 4 60 .. 1 .. .. 9 .. .. .. .. 2 .. 1 133 1 372 ! 10 93 2 |2,870 174 3,044 72 6 .. .. j 339 39 378 57 121 1 122 1 ! I 11 11 12 1 ■• I •■ 1 i i — — i M ■ 502 j 16 93 2 3,341 215 3,556 361 | 29 .. .. 1,003 45 ' 1,048 863 45 93 2 4,344 260 4,604 Total persons discharged from prison .. Transferred to other prisons or to the police 1,215 90 ; 85 .. 202 3 i 14 .. 85 8 4 13 j .. 8 .. 31 16 •• 81 9 615 226 .. 45 345 ..135 8 112 .. 30 ! 135 30 •- •• .. .. •• •• Grand totals 1,417 \ 93 99 .. 4 44 3 .. .. 59 4 1 .. 145 1 31 .. 29 53 3 50 .. 93 21 | .. 47 158 11 90 841 -. 52 ..53 457 .. 165 4 j •• 165 I •I (d.) In prison at end of year: — Undergoing — Simple imprisonment Under three months' hard labour Three months' hard labour and under one year One j'ear's hard labour and upwards Detention as habitual criminals Reformative detention Detention under Prisoners Detention Act, 1915 Sentenced to death 1 2 40 4 9 11 I .. •• 4 25 5 23 1 9 •• 13 19 - 30 35 18 1 21 •• . 1 3 4 5 1 .. 26 1 7 6 18 .. .. .. .. 38 .. 9 .... 2 i .. .. 6 52 .. 164 ■• I 1 6 1 7 11 .. 2 .. 96 6 ! 102 15 157 14 171 12 355 6 361 1 ! i 43 j 1 44 12 : j 413 35 448 I •• I •• ■ •• 17 •• " •- I .... .......... Total criminals in prison For trial or on remand In transitu Total in prison for criminal offences .. 334 11 82 .. 16 2 .. .. 350 13 82 .. 2 1 .. 352 13 I 83 .. — 56 I I '" M 31 .. .. .. .. .. .... 1 31 .. I 57 " — 57 •• " 11 3 14 II 49 I — 49 105 7 ! 3 I 115 1 .. 40 1 .. 40 •• I ■" ........... .. 12 |ll7 .. 174 .. .. I 14 I .. 2 I ■ 52 ' .. 2 .. 1,070 63 1,133 9 51 2 53 1 4 .. 4 62 .. 2 .. 1.125 65 1,190 1 1 4 .. 4 56 .. 12 131 .. 176 .. 12 131 .. 176 •• I 1,191 Debtors .. .. .. Lunatics .. .. .. .. 31 .. •• .. 40 •• •• •• •■ i •• •• Total persons in prison — 1 1 63 | .. 2 .. |l,130 65 1,195 56 57 I 14 49 •• 116 -- •• 1,191 * Deemed to be prisons under the provisions of section 17 of the Statute Law Amendment Act, 1917.

H.—2o.

Table B. Table showing Details of Expenditure and Allocation of Credits for each Prison or Institution for the Financial Year ended 31st March, 1924.

20

Addington. Auckland. Hautu. lnvercargill. *•#?■ Plymouth. Paparua. Point Halswell. Waikeria. } Waikune. Wellington. Wi Tako. Minor Gaols. General. Total. f Males T-, -, , , ,' Females .. JJai ly average num ber of prisoners <; [ Both sexes 345-18 15-38 27-48 175-88 16-72 0-47 56-73 013 130-91 95-33 53-81 £0-80 46-10 50-19 0-83 1,089-13 56-33 8-34 3118 8-34 1,145-46 360-56 27-48 175-88 17-19 56-86 130-91 31-18 95-33 53-81 90-80 4610 51-02 Daily average number of able-bodied male prisoners (working) 282-40 11780 95-00 - 25-60 170-20 12-10 42-10 4730 69-80 46-00 908-30 I 1 I Prisons and Institutional Upkeep. Salaries and allowances (including uniforms) .. Clothing, bedding, &c. Fuel, light, and water Medicines, medical comforts, and hospital charges Rations Tobacco Tools and materials, and expenses of works incidental to prison upkeep Gratuities to prisoners on discharge Prisoners' industry earnings Travelling-expenses Printing, stationery, postage, and telephone charges Miscellaneous Overheadexpenditure, &c, distributed amongst prisoners on basis of prison populations £ 524 2 138 54 £ 12,628 327 1,033 202 £ 1,103 34 13 £ 8,425 759 766 112 £ 769 5 126 23 £ 2,064 32 169 26 £ 4,829 117 579 77 £ 1,553 76 320 27 £ 5,453 165 404 87 £ 2,165 132 21 18 £ 6,447 158 308 197 £ 2,076 41 126 55 £ 2,104 24 463 73 £ £ 50,140 1,872 4,466 951 70 11 4,069 459 82 775 81 178 2,020 211 240 246 15 8 682 58 43 1,274 168 142 396 91 1,319 198 82 1,483 201 124 991 114 150 694 82 107 2,290 46 11 16,309 1,637 1,269 2 7 31 21 52 326 692 234 19 105 26 2 309 939 168 4 ' 28 14 2 44 87 32 8 81 344 106 59 92 34 1 143 389 123 12 218 61 13 25 487 81 2 80 51 9 '228 66 3 98 1,025 3,720 1,017 7 79 457 3,563 62 246 413 1,737 11 167 30 551 201 1,290 58 305 149 ( 945 103 521 696 896 29 459 45 511 2,261 11,270 Gross expenditure Less credits in aid 947 18 24,124 323 2,642 68 16,101 1,315 1,416 8 3,820 26 9,216 1,411 3,014 233 9,458 622 5,059 426 10,563 607 3,802 492 5,870 81 3 96,035 5,630 Net expenditure .. 929 23,801 2,574 14,786 1,408 3,794 7,805 2,781 8,836 4,633 9.956 3,310 5,789 3 90,405 Other Administrative Expenditure. Administration of Offenders Probation and Crimes Amendment Acts Payments to prisoners' dependants 1,025 1,025 5,372 5,372 Gross expenditure .. Less orediti in aid .. .. 6,397 149 6,397 149 - • 6,248 6,248

21

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General Prison Industries, Farms, Camps, and Works. Salaries and allowances Tools, materials, and expenses connected with quarries and works Brickmaking-expenses Expenses connected with prison farms Forage Materials for bootmaking, tailoring, &c. Fuel, power, &c. Prison camps, expenses connected with lnvercargill: construction of rifle range lnvercargill : development of lands (estuary).. Miscellaneous 1,519 5,320 • • ! 1,290 52 "61 1,068 50 1,255 379 1,549 54 526 9 114 •• 6,037 7,200 17 2,521 6 7 2,106 249 2 2,321 ••I 1,634 290 226 108 1,634 7,511 674 5,546 76 311 143 27 18 323 5.546 76 9 I 255 143 27 56 - 18 Gross expenditure Credits for produce sold and services rendered .. Excess of receipts over expenditure Excess of expenses over receipts 12,802 19,178 272 76 4,039 4,806 68 1,390 3,224 3,840 251 410 3,576 6,007 1,984 5,132 54 2,514 2,685 2,076 I 222 1,573 29,177 47,399 " U 383 6,376 1,351 18,222 14 196 767 383 1,322 616 159 2,431 3,148 2,460 609 -• -- •■ Total expenditure on all items .. Total credits from all sources .. 947 32 36,926 19,501 2,914 144 20,140 6,121 1,416 391 3,888 1,416 12,440 5,251 3,265 643 13,034 6,629 7,043 5,558 10.617 3,121 6,487 2,568 6,092 1,654 6,400 149 131,609 53,178 ! Net total expenditure 915 17,425 2,770 14,019 1,025 2,472 7,189 2,622 6,405 1,485 I 7,496 3,919 4,438 6,251 78,431

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Table C. Table showing the Offences and Degree of Education of Distinct Convicted Prisoners (excluding Maoris) received during the Year 1923.

Table D. Table showing the Actual Number of Distinct Convicted Prisoners (exclusive of Maoris) received into Gaol during the Year 1923, classified according to Principal Offences, Birthplace, and Age.

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Offences. Sups Educi irior Able to r< ition. wril >ad and 16, Able t( on! >read iy. Uuabl rea le to id. Toti ils. Offences against the person — Convicted on indictment .. Convicted summarily M. F. M. 91 88 F. 5 3 M. F. M. 1 F. M. 93 88 F. 5 3 Offences against property— Theft and deceit Mischief 2 635 33 26 3 2 1 639 3.1 27 4 1 Miscellaneous offences— Vagrancy* Drunkenness Others 188 387 682 39 27 18 4 2 2 192 390 685 39 27 19 1 i Totals 3 2,101 121 2 1 2,120 124 * • II *In. -hiding lining, com lorting with rogues, mpon ;c.

Offei nccs ai Pers against tl rson. he Offences against Property, Misccllai leous. Convk on Indictn i cent. Summf convic arily ited. Theft and Mischief Deceit. Miscmei lief. if. Vagrancy.* ncy.* Drunkei mnes3.t Otlw Offenc ir 3es. Totals. .Birthplaces— England and Wales .. Scotland Ireland . . New Zealand Australia Other British possessions China (Ither countries Not stated M. 22 2 4 57 2 3 F. 2 2 1 M. 22 7 8 36 5 3 F. 3 M. F. M. ] 129 2 8 . 23 .. 2 . 25 3 384 16 : 19 53 4 4 . 9 1... F. •• 4 F. 4 M. F. j 36 6 20 18 1 92 27 13 3 2 2 F. 6 1 27 3 2 M. 96 52 58 131 23 5 F. 2 4 I 19 I M. 155 47 31 350 47 14 F. 2 1 13 2 1 M. F. 468 12 153 4 144 6 1,075 84 147 12 36 5 3 1 5 1 1 13 1 2 11 I .. 24 1 10 24 1 12 80 1 5 Totals 93 5 88 3 639 27 33 33 4 I 192 39 39 390 27 685 19 2,120 124 Ages—• Under 10 years 10 and under 12 years 12 and under 15 years 15 and under 20 years 20 and under 25 years 25 and under 30 years 30 and under 40 years 40 and under 50 years 50 and under 60 years 60 and over Not stated 6 16 14 26 19 8 4 1 2 1 13 21 24 19 5 5 78 7 7 . 132 3 6 98 5 8 . 152 8 5 123 I 5 42 3 2 . 14 7 3 5 8 1 3 7 6 8 5 5 2 2 2 1 1 1 3 8 ; 2 14 3 40 ! 9 50 15 44 ! 3 36 | 3 ! I 192 39 18 21 82 130 88 51 I 9 11 5 1 15 96 108 212 156 74 23 1 1 3 2 3 8 1 1 I 107 11 289 10 284 12 541 33 502 38 263 13 133 6 1 i 2 I 1 1 1 •• I Totals, 1923 .. 93 5 88 3 639 27 33 27 33 l 4 4 390 27 685 19 2,120 124 Totals, 1922 .. 94 2 69 5 690 33 30 33 30 1 1 200 40 349 18 558 21 1,990 120 * Including importunu fine than by imprisonment, offence. ng, cons , so that sortii: it the ig with i i figures rogui i in tl bs, &c. f It must he gaol tables do not t It mi es do in ust b( lot re ,t b t r< e rememberei spresent the f :l that ( full nun) liiinki iber of mness ii s pun is pui lished mi lished fo ore by ir that 1 person

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Table E. PRISONS.—NEW-ZEALAND-BORN PRISONERS RECEIVED, 1923. Table showing the Number of Distinct New-Zealand-born Convicted Prisoners of each Sex (excluding Maoris) received during the Year 1923, classified according to Ages and Offences.

Table E1. PRISONS.—MAORI PRISONERS RECEIVED, 1923. Table showing the Number, Ages, and Offences of Distinct Convicted Maoris (Male and Female) received into the various gaols during the year 1923.

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Offences. U nder 10 ! 10 and 12 and unair H). under 12 undfjr 1B M. F. M. F. M F. IBs undei mil r 20. 20 and under 25. 25 a undo ind r30. 30 and under 40. 40 ai upwai id Ni rds. stat F. M. it ed. Totals. M. F. M. j F. M. i F. M. j F. M. j F. M. F. ._ I 3ffcnccs against the person — Convicted on indictment Convicted summarily Mfenoos against property — Theft and deceit Mischief Vagrancy* Drunkenness Dther offences 6 1 71 0 6 11 7 94 5 7 11 48 1 2 1 10 12 59 6 6 11 60 3 15 2 9 1 103 4 2 1 4 1 7 9 3 15 7 57 2 53 73 125 *2 2 1 13 9 .6 57 2 36 3 384 16 19 4 92 27 131 19 356 13 2 3 16 4 27 19 13 i 3 2 1 2 1 26 7 36 9 111 3 i i | i ii 2 i Totals, 1923 i 95 9 183 6 164 8 300 27 27 332 33 1 1,075 84 84 Totals, 1922 108 9 206 17 135 5 258 23 23 266 26 973 80 80 Totals, 1921 74 6 129 5 116 4 237 28 28 260 27 2 1 818 71 71 Totals, 1920 1 65 9 145 6 125 5 211 28 28 249 25 796 73 73 Totals, 1919 1 67 11 89 6 89 6 251 30 30 190 30 693 83 83 Totals, 1.918 57 5 93 7 111 II 234 31 31 165 27 660 81 81 Totals, 1917 3 62 8 125 11 123 12 280 58 58 247 46 840 135 135 Totals, 1916 59 10 91 7 124 16 274 59 59 245 41 793 133 133 Totals, 1915 57 6 128 9 ' 1 175 31 390 65 65 271 39 1,021 150 150 Totals, 1914 2 75 4 157 6 216 :!l 41.6 58 58 268 47 1,134 146 146 Totals, 1913 I i 126 1 i 81 7 172 10 183 20 391 58 58 200 30 1,028 126 Totals, 1912 1 i 92 4197 7 197 25 354 48 48 176 32 1,017 117 117 Totals, 1911 4 59 3 158 13 189 17 333 41 44 173 30 916 107 107 Totals, 1910 2 75 3 199 9 249 3.-. 331 51 51 182 28 1,038 126 126 Totals, 1909 I I 2 66 4 174 15 236 28 298 53 53 192 28 968 128 128 Totals, 1908 1 5 71 4 190 17 203 24 287 43 43 118 22 875 110 110 Totals, 1907 2 l 79 5 181 23 213 33 256 44 44 113 19 844 125 125 Totals, 1900 2 82 9 189 20 219 26 249 39 39 120 18 861 112 11.2 Totals, 1905 1 76 8 172 25 1.96 27 195 38 38 99 17 739 115 115 Totals, 1904 l I 2 839 172 25 219 19 187 34 34 73 17 • • :i 740 104 104 *'ll loluding ii ;uning, ooj nsortii ig wi' th rogu les, & co. ipon

Olfences. Under 10 and 12 and 10. under 12. under 15. i M. F. M. P. M. F. 15 and under 20. M. F. 20 undi and :r25. 25 undi and 30 and 40 and sr 30. under 40. upwads. F. M. F. M. I F. Tot ials. M. F. M. M. F. Offences against the person — Convicted on indictment .. Summarily convicted Theft and deceit Mischief Vagrancy Drunkenness Other oftcnoes I 2 .. 6 '.'. '5 15 2 8 12 2 4 io 1 3 1 1 2 5 •■ 9 13 46 3 1 9 28 i 1 1 1 i 2 2 1 i '.'. 2 .. 6 i 10 5 5 Totals 11 26 1 35 24 3 13 1 109 5 .. j ..

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Table F. Table showing Distinct Persons (excluding Maoris) imprisoned after Conviction during EACH OF THE LAST Ten YEARS.

Table G. Table showing Distinct Convicted Prisoners (excluding Maoris) received during the Year 1923 and sentenced to Reformative Treatment or declared Habitual Criminals, classified according to Sentences.

I Sentenced to Reformative Treatment for a Period not exceeding Head Sentence. Reformative treatment only .. Declared habitual criminals Under 1 week 1 week and under 1 month 1 month „ 3 months 3 months ,, 6 ,, 6 9 9 „ ,. 12 1 year „ 2 years 2 years ,, 3 „ 3 „ 4 „ 4 „ 5 „ 5 „ „ 7 „ 7 „ ,. 10 ,. 15 „ „ 20 „ Totals 6 Months. 12 Months. 18 Months. 2 Years. 3 Years. 4 Years. 5 Years. 6 Years. 7 Years. 8 Years. 9 Years. 10 Years. I ! ; I ! I i ! i ! I M. F. M. F. I M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. 3 1 39 7 6 2 61 3 67 8 11 1 13 2 .. .. 2 1 .... 5 1 .. .. 4 .. 4 _ " __ '. _ .. .'. .. .. 3 .. 1 .. 5 ! .. 2 .. .. • 3 .. .... 2 .. 1 .. 1 I 1 .. .. 1 1 1 2 .. .. 1 1 .. 2 j 3 1 52 8 | 7 2 75 4 76 I 8 12 I 2 15 3 .. .. 2 1 i , Declared Habitual Totals. Criminals. | : i M. F. M. F. ..202 25 2 2 .. .. i .. .. 1 .. .. : . 1 i .. 14 1 1 .. 12 2 .. 9 .. 6 .. 7 -. | .. 4 1 7 .. 11 .. 4 .. 4 .. 2 .. 2 .. 5 .. 5 ' .. 1 1 .. 1 31 .. 273 29 I I ■ I I I I I I I I I I T I I I I I I I I. 1 I I

Year. Prisoners. I I i Proportion per 10,000 j of Mean Population. ; I J Year. Prisoners Proportion per 10,000 rnsoners. o( Mea _ p opulation I 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 3,386 2,924 2,404 2,399 1,701 31-05 26-60 21-87 21-84 15-42 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1,725 15-18 1,871 15-86 2,020 16-50 2,110 16-85 2,244 17 61

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Table H. Return of Prison Offences and Punishments for the Year ended 31st December, 1923.

Table I. Visits of the Visiting Justices to the Larger Prisons during the Year 1923.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation not given; printing 725, £40.

By Authority : W. A. G Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l924.

Price 9d.~\

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Prison. AgaiiiBt Officers. Offences. Disobedience of Orders, and Idleness. Other Breaches of Regulations. Total Offences. Number of Prisoners punished. Total Number of Prisoners in Custody during the Year. Addington Auckland Hautu lnvercargill Napier New Plymouth .. Paparua Point Halswell .. Waikeria Waikune Wellington Wi Tako 35 2 110 147 1 89 3 16 32 21 46 6 8 27 2 292 1 124 5 41 51 29 91 14 16 39 1 243 1 91 4 24 43 20 56 6 14 22. 46 1,540 31 152 170 103 441 72 70 57 880 88 'i 10 9 8 19 4 2 7 28 2 15 10 26 4 6 5 Totals .. 101 208 396 705 525 3,650 I

Prisons and Visiting Justices. I I *3 i 1 a. <0 tt a i-s I u £ s i »r A o O A s % o i Q o Auckland — J. W. Poynton, S.M... J. H. Bradney F. K. Hunt, S.M. .. W. R. McKean, S.M. J. E. Wilson, S.M. lnvercargill — G. Cruickshank, S.M. R. Officer .. W. A. Ott .. J. C. Smith Napier — J. S. Large J. P. Thomson New Plymouth — F. C. J. Bellringer .. C. H. Burgess A. M. Mowlem, S.M.. . I 2 6 i i 8 2 i 3 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 i 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 23 13 7 12 1 12 1 3 13 4 2 2 2 !! i i 1 1 i 1 1 3 2 8 1 1 l 2 1 3 3 8 i 2 1 1 i Paparua — J; A. A. Caesar W. J. Jenkin W. Wilson, S.M. Point Halswell — E. Arnold .. F. K. Hunt, S.M. . . Waikeria — H. R. Ryder J. B. Teasdale Waikune — J. Cullen .. W anganui — E. N. Liffiton .. Wellington — E. Arnold F. K. Hunt, S.M. .. Wi Tako— E. Arnold 1 1 1 1 .. j .. I 1 3 1 2 1 i 2 2 1 1 1 1 i l l 2 i 1 i 2 1 2 1 J 1 5 9 9 1 19 2 1 3 .. I .. 2 2 1 1 3 3 6 8 1 5 4 4 1 1 4 4 3 41 3 1 1 1 1