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1919. NEW ZEALAND.

PRISONS DEPARTMENT: PRISONS BOARD (ANNUAL REPORT OF) FOR 1918.

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

t>m,— Wellington, 29th July, 1919. 1 have the honour to forward herewith the report of the Prisons Board for the year 1918. I have, &C, The Hon. the Minister of Justice, Wellington. Robert Stout, President. The Hoard has to report that during the year 1918 it dealt with 289 eases at meetings held at Wellington, Kaingaroa, Waikeria, and Auckland. .Further meetings would have been held at Auckland, Christohuroh, and Invercargill, but owing to the influenza epidemic which was prevalent during the latter part of the year it was found necessary to postpone them until early in 1919. The following table sets oat the dates of the meetings and the number of cases considered at each.: —

Table A.

The total number of cases considered was 380, of which 87 were habitual criminals and 201 persons undergoing reformative detention. Under the provisions of section 14 of the Statute Law Amendment Act, 1917, the cases of 92 prisoners who were serving sentences of hard labour were also considered by the Board. The total number of distinct individuals dealt with during the year was 289, made up as follows : Habitual criminals, 59; prisoners undergoing reformative detention, 151 ; hard-labour prisoners, 79.

Cases considered of Date. Place of Meeting. Habitual Criminals and Offenders. Persons undergoing Reformative Detention. Hard-labour Prisoners. Totals. February 1.2 March 4 May 10 August 2 December 5 Wellington .. Kaingaroa Waikeria Auckland Wellington . . 50 9 13 15 7 3 52 28 37 31 43 29 a 2 20 1] 14 8 36 11 54 98 57 58 06 Totals 87 201 92 380