I—H. 20,

H.—2o

1907. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, PRISONS BRANCH (REPORT ON), FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st DECEMBER, 1906: ALSO OPERATION OF "THE FIRST OFFENDERS' PROBATION ACT, 1886" (REPORT ON), FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st DECEMBER, 1906.

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

The Inspbctoe op Peisons to the Hon. the Minister op Justice.

Sic, — Department of Justice, Prisons Branch, Ist May, 1907. I have the honour to present this my twenty-sixth annual report On the prisons of the colony, together with the twenty-first annual report on the working of " The First Offenders' Probation Act, 1886," both of which I again venture to think will be considered satisfactory when all the surrounding circumstances are taken into account. I have, as usual, periodically visited the various prisons on the dates stated in the attached table marked I, have carefully listened to any complaints and requests made to me by either the officers or prisoners and given careful consideration to all such, and am able to report that, while no complaints of any moment have come before me, I have on all occasions found the various establishments kept scrupulously clean, the sanitary arrangements properly attended to, and a good state of discipline maintained without undue severity. 1. Extracts from the annual reports of Gaolers are, as usual, attached to this document, and a perusal of them shows that the general demand is for more warders' cottages. During the past year warders' cottages have been built at Auckland (two), New Plymouth, Lyttelton, and Napier. It has been already pointed out that it is essential that married officers should live as near as practicable to the prisons in which they are serving, so that their services can be available in the event of any unforeseen circumstances arising during the night, such as fire, mutiny, escapes, &c. In the respect of sites, Dunedin is by far the most isolated, as there are no available sites nearer than half a mile from the building. It is hoped warders' cottages will be erected during the present year at Auckland, New Plymouth, Napier, Wanganui, and Wellington, good sites being available at those places. The Wellington Gaoler comments on no prisoners' aid society being established there, but it is believed that steps are now being taken to start one. No doubt prisoners' aid societies do much good when properly and systematically managed, but competent managers for such are born and not made, and any such body must be entirely dependent for success on the manager. It does not cost much to maintain such a society. The drainage at New Plymouth, which the Gaoler very rightly remarks is urgently required, is now actually in hand ; and the annual protest from the Auckland Gaoler against delirium tremens cases being sent to prisons for treatment is well worthy of not only consideration, but action, and an end put to the unfortunates being medically treated in such places as prisons. The reports of the officers in charge of the tree-planting prisons are interesting reading, and give a fair idea of the work being done at those places. 2. From particulars given in Table X it will be seen that the First Offenders' Probation Act continues to work in a satisfactory manner, and Probation Officers deserve commendation for the painstaking study they give to those whom they consider worthy of being brought under its conditions. 3. The usual custom of tenders for supplies being addressed to and considered by the Visiting Justices has been adhered to, and their recommendations have invariably been adopted. Owing to the scarcity of potatoes at one time of the year the contractors were permitted in some cases to substitute in lieu of potatoes beans, rice, split peas, and the change was appreciated by the prisoners. There were no complaints either from the prisoners or the contractors. Supplies for tree-planting prisons, owing to their'isolated positions, are obtained locally as heretofore. 4. There were 10 escapes last year, against 13 in 1905—viz., 1 from Hokitika, 1 from Napier, 1 from New Plymouth, 2 from Wellington, 1 from Hanmer, and 4 from Waiotapu. It speaks well for the supervision of prisoners generally that there have not been more escapes, especially at the tree-planting prisons. All escapees were speedily recaptured and punished.