H.—2o.

The Visiting Committee, under the Chairmanship of Mr. E. C. Levvey, continues to take an active interest in the welfare of the lads. During the year the Committee arranged an entertainment to be given by the lads in aid of a new wireless for the Institution. Ihe concert was worthwhile in its quality and its proceeds ; we are now in possession of a first-class radio. Acknowledgment must be made of the gifts provided for the lads at the festive season by the Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society, the Invercargill Rotary Club, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the many friends of the Institution. The Invercargill Rotary Club continues its helpful service every Thursday evening when members come along and hold meetings with the Kiwi Club. These visits of outsiders are a source of great pleasure to the members, and are eagerly looked forward to. The number of cows milked on the Institution farm was 120. Owing to a large number of heifers having been brought into the herd, there was a reduction in the average butterfat production, the average per cow being a little under 250 lb. Sixty calves have been reared this season, and with thirty-six heifers to come in during the year it is hoped to build up the herd considerably. A large number of pigs, mostly baconers, have been sold during the year at prices which are considered to be quite satisfactory. Alterations and improvements have been carried out at the piggery, and it is very pleasing to note that there has not been, for a considerable time, any pigs condemned after slaughter. A hundred and fifty tons of hay were harvested in good order during January and February. Of this quantity 133 tons were pressed, 92 tons of this being sold, and the balance used for the stock on the farm. Over 100 acres have been closed up for hay for this season. The turnip crop turned out very satisfactorily and with the hay, again provided ample feed to bring the stock through the winter in very good condition. Unfortunately the oat crops were considerably damaged by heavy wind and hail showers just before they were ready for reaping. A hundred and thirty bags of oats were threshed and 90 tons of oaten sheaves stacked for chafl. Fifty acres have been sown in oats this year and promises to be a very fair crop. The potato crop was a very satisfactory one, the total yield from 17 acres being about 150 tons. It was noticeable that where a certified seed was sown the yield was larger and the tubers cleaner. A much larger area is being sown in certified seed this season, and it is hoped in future to have sufficient certified seed, to plant the whole crop. Approximately 15 tons of potatoes were sold and 25 tons forwarded to northern institutions. The garden again provided more vegetables than were required for Institution use, and the surplus was disposed of on the local market. All smithy work required by the Institution and farm has again been been satisfactorily carried out in the blacksmith's shop at the Institution. This included the shoeing of horses, repairs to implements, plant, and tools, and repair work for the dredge. In the bootmaker's shop the work has been mainly confined to repairs and the making of officers' boots for the South Island institutions. A hundred and five pairs of inmates' boots have, however, been made for northern institutions and 151 pairs for the inmates of the local Institution. The following are some of the principal works carried out during the year : An embankment 5 ft. wide and 4 ft. high was constructed in the vicinity of the south boundary of the freehold property. About 13 chains of wall at No. 2 catchment area was raised 18 in. The deepening of the main drain to the pump-house has been carried on, and 36 chains of this work have been completed. Iwo thousand five hundred maerocarpa trees and 3,000 seedless gorse plants have been planted on the freehold area. Thirty-five chains of new drains were cut on the leasehold property at Otatara, and approximately seven miles of drains were cleaned during the year. Extensive repairs to the main farm bridge liave been carried out. The front walls of the Institution were lowered in height from 9 ft. to 3 ft., and the iron grilles at the front of the Institution were removed and replaced by a concrete wall and steel window sashes. Twenty-five chains of the rifle-range wall have been repaired and fifty groynes erected for the purpose of strengthening the wall. In terms of the agreement with the City Council the following works have been carried out: In pursuance of the drainage and roading work up to a certain value to be carried out for the Council a further 8 chains of drain was dug on Section 6 and a further 9 chains of road was formed, completing the road to the proposed aerodrome. The work of forming the road, Section 11, was further proceeded with and 16 chains of the road was formed. A double row of 4 ft. pipes were put in across the road, and 10 chains of fencing was erected alongside the road. A commencement was made with the work of forming a new road running from Spey Street to Stead Street; 9 chains of the road has been completed, and tins portion has been fenced off in order to protect the formation. The building of the rock wall along the eastern bank of the Waihopai River has been continued, and the work is nearing completion ; 25 chains of the wall has been completed during the year. Twenty-five chains of the western wall has been repaired. In connection with the proposal to stone-face and concrete portions of this wall a start was made with this work late in the year, and 5| chains of the work has been completed. The materials for repairing the wall are being supplied by the Council. The dredge has been kept in operation during the year dredging a channel in the estuary for the City Council. This work should be finished early in the new year. Waikeria Borstal Institution (Te Awamutu). (Superintendent, Mr. D. Dunlop.) On the Ist January, 1933, there were in detention 107 Borstal inmates, and 62 were received during the year ; the discharges were 5 on the expiration of sentences and 71 on probationary licenses, while 5 were transferred to other institutions, thus leaving 88 inmates in custody on the 31st December,

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