H.—2o.

police at Hawera, where he is employed at his trade—that of a blacksmith. In the latter case I strongly recommended probation, and certainly have no cause to regret having done so. I shall always recommend probation where I have reason to believe there is a fair chance of reformation, particularly in the case of young people. Fourteen males were received on remand, and subsequently discharged at the several Stipendiary Magistrates' Courts. Four male lunatics were received and handed over to the police on remand to the Asylum. One debtor was received, and discharged on the expiration of his sentence of fourteen days' imprisonment. Five awaiting-trial prisoners were acquitted at the Supreme Court during the year. Ten hard-labour prisoners were received on transfer from Wanganui Prison. One of these was transferred here on account of his health, he having spent some time in the Wanganui Hospital after his committal to prison. His health seemed to improve here, and he was subsequently discharged in fairly good health. Two were received on transfer from' Lyttelton Prison, one to answer a further charge of forgery preferred against him at Hawera, and for which he got three years' hard labour, and another for the benefit of his health. The change so far has had the desired effect, and the man is now (the Prison Surgeon says) in a good state of health. During the year four females were received. Two of these were remanded as lunatics, and subsequently handed over to the police on remand to the lunatic asylum. Two were sentenced to short terms of hard labour ; but neither of these were of the ordinary gaol-bird type, and will probably never trouble the Prison again. lam pleased to say that the lady Visitor to the Prison is most assiduous in her attentions to the female prisoners during their imprisonment, and her kindness and assistance to them on their release is deeply appreciated by the unfortunate women. Fourteen hard-labour prisoners (males) by good conduct and industry earned their remissions and accompanying gratuities, and were" discharged. Thirty-one males and two females were discharged on expiration of sentence, and three first offenders transferred to Waiotapu Prison. One probationer finished his term of probation satisfactorily, and was accordingly released. There was one admission to the district Hospital during the year—that of a Maori who was serving a sentence of three years' hard labour for assault, and was transferred here from Wanganui Prison. He was under the Prison Surgeon's care for some little time when the Surgeon recommended his removal to the district Hospital, where the unfortunate fellow died a few weeks later from tuberculosis of the bowels. The general health of the prisoners (with the exception of the Maori referred to) has been good throughout the year. It affords me much pleasure to report that the conduct and industry of the prisoners as a whole has been good. There were but five reports against prisoners which I considered necessary to remand for the Visiting Justices' investigation ; two of these were for idleness and insolence to the officer on the works. The first prisoner was dismissed with a caution ; the other prisoner, for idleness and insolence and illicit writing on closet-paper, was sentenced to three days' bread and water on each charge—six days in all. A prisoner, for disobedience of lawful orders, in refusing to empty the W.C. when it was his turn to do so, was sentenced to twenty-four hours' bread and water. 'Another, for refusing to go to work when returned as fit by the Prison Surgeon, was sentenced to forfeit three days' remission marks; and for making false charges against a prison officer another was sentenced to forfeit fourteen days' marks. There were several reports of a less serious nature, with which I dealt myself, considering good advice, or in some cases a sharp reprimanding, was all that was necessary. There were two "slight accidents to prisoners on the works, but not attended with any very serious results. One was that of a prisoner who was assisting to drill a large stone, which toppled over, jamming his foot and bruising it considerably, which incapacitated him from labour for several weeks. The other was a prisoner who fell off the scaffold and sprained his ankle, and was laid up for some days. A small party of prisoners were employed clearing gorse, fennel, &c, off portions of Marsland Hill for the Scenery Preservation Society, and also levelling and metalling the Police Court grounds, the Prison supplying the metal. The prisoners have been mainly employed cutting and preparing stone for and building the boundary-wall to the Prison, which is now complete so far as the building is concerned, and the greater portion of the outside of the wall pointed and plastered. There still remains a good deal to be done to the interior of the Prison—dividing-walls for the yards to be built, &c. ; the original walls of the Prison itself to be heightened ; yards to be concreted, &c. It is proposed to construct the division-walls of concrete, as there is very little building-stone left. The stone for a considerable portion of the last part of the boundary-wall had to be got from the quarry, entailing a considerable amount of extra labour in hewing and hauling up. The instructing warder constructed a winch, which answered all right for the time, but is too slow. I should like some quicker method of working the gravel, of which there is a large quantity, and for which I am constantly receiving applications, but so far have not been able to supply, as I have neither the men nor the time to spare —they are all required to push on the building operations. One very necessary and beneficial improvement carried out during the year was the trapping of the drains throughout the Prison, although the old system of drainage still remains, owing to the local Borough Council not having as yet decided upon what system they will adopt. It would be waste of time and material to lay the drains through the Prison until it is known what depth the main leading from the Prison will be. The Prison kitchen, chapel, and front corridor have been painted with a dado of 4 ft., and 2 in. border. The single officers' quarters was also done in like manner, and is a decided improvement. Before long I hope to see the whole gaol painted throughout, as I believe the glaring whiteness of the lime to be detrimental to the eyesight. The rations through the year have been good. There has not been a single complaint from the prisoners about the rations, either as to quality or quantity. While on the question of

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