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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

PRISONS (REPORT ON) FOR THE YEAR 1939-40.

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

The Hon. the Minister of Justice to His Excellency the Governor-General. Wellington, 12th June, 1940. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report on the prisons and Borstals of the Dominion for the year 1939-40. I have, &c., H. G. B. Mason, Minister of Justice.

The Controller-General of Prisons to the Hon. the Minister of Justice. I have the honour to present the annual report of the Prisons Department for the financial year ended 31st March, 1940, showing also the criminal statistics for the calendar year ending 31st December, 1939. On account of the shortage of paper and the need for economy the report is considerably abridged, and the customary institutional reports, except those, relating to Borstal, have been omitted. The reports show that steady progress has been made in the reclamative work of the Department, and the comparatively low percentage of relapses has been maintained. Of the total reformative detention, hard labour, and Borstal cases released after consideration by the Prisons Board, only 22 per cent, have again been recommitted. Prison Statistics. The daily average number of prisoners in custody was 30 up on the previous year, and the number of persons received into prison showed an increase of 261. The ratio of distinct persons to each 10,000 of the general population is 15-38, which is 1-5 higher than the previous year, though it is just half the figure for 1914. The following table, showing the nature of the offences committed, reveals that the increase in the number of persons received into prison, was due mainly to a substantial increase under the heading " Miscellaneous Offences," which comprise offences against good order and in the main are more or less of a venial character. It is interesting to note in Table C appended hereto that the commitments of distinct persons for drunkenness totalled 416 in 1939, as compared with 222 for the previous year. Drunkenness also is a contributory factor in many other offences—for example, no fewer than 18 persons were summarily imprisoned for being drunk in charge of motor-vehicles.

Nature of Offences.

I—H. 20.

Nature of Offences. v Offences against Offences against Miscellaneous T , , oar ' the Person. Property. Offences. 0 a ' 1939.. .. .. 238 777 1,490 2,505 1938.. .. .. 197 740 1,287 2,224 1—H. 20.