H.—2o,

During the season one team was entered in the local Rugby competitions, and several inmates participated in the matches. The team was successful in winning the seven-a-side tournament and also the Senior B knock-out competition and Brown Cup. The team were runners-up in the championship, a most satisfactory season, bearing in mind that in previous seasons Waikeria has played junior grade. I have to thank the officials of the Waipa Rugby Football Union for the assistance given to the team and to the institution staff throughout the season. Cricket matches were played during the summer season, the Waikeria team being successful in winning the Loomb Cup. The season was very successful and enjoyable, the competitive games being appreciated by the inmates who participated. The evening educational classes were conducted throughout the year. The work given throughout the year has continued to be of a practical nature, while those who wished were allowed to take work in those subjects in which they were directly interested. As much individual attention as possible has been given to those inmates taking individual courses such as book-keeping, mechanical drawing, poster drawing, and signwriting. The work given to other inmates was selected from various sources, the maximum use being made of material from different English educational journals. One evening each week was devoted to a lecture or talk on some topical event, and to make the lectures more interesting the Schoolmaster arranged for a regular supply of film strips from the Auckland Education Board. This phase of school activities was greatly appreciated by the members of the class, and assisted towards maintaining interest in the general and more routine work of the school. The inmate who was following up his studies with the Auckland University College completed his degree examinations during the year. The usual programme of work was carried out in connection with the maintenance of departmental buildings. During the year extensions were made to the cell-house veranda and the laundry kit-room. The conversion of the " Camp " buildings into three flats assisted to alleviate the housing problem, and a further two cottages are in the course of construction. The new sewerage system and water-supply for the institution and the staff cottages has been practically completed. During the year the milking-shed at No. 2 dairy was reconstructed and fitted with milkingmachines, skim-milk pump, and pasteurizer, and all dairies are now complete in this respect. The stock of farm implements and machinery has been maintained in good order, and has been augmented by the addition of a hay-baler, tedder, and mower, and a rotary hoe for use in the orchard and garden. Farming operations have been carried out successfully during the year, the revenue amounting to approximately £17,664, exclusive of the value of a large quantity of produce consumed at the institution for ration purposes and on the farm itself. Practically all branches of farming are carried out, including cattle-raising and dairying ; sheep, horse, and pig raising; vegetable, fruit, honey, and tobacco culture ; and ordinary crop-production. Dairying continues to occupy a prominent place in the farm activities, and during the 1938-39 season an average of 466 cows were milked, the average butter-fat production per cow being 284 lb. The total milk yield was 3,010,660 lb.; cream yield, 281,555 lb. ; and butterfat supplied to factory, 110,176 lb. The average cream and milk tests were 39-39 per cent, and 4-49 per cent, respectively. Of the total cream supplied to the factory, 86-59 per cent, was graded finest quality. Herd-testing, carried out by inmates, was continued during the year. All supplies of beef and mutton both for this institution and that of Auckland Prison were obtained from the farm. The quality of the meat produced received favourable comment from visitors to the institution. In the sheep industry the result of shearing operations was a return of 106 bales of wool, shorn from 4,209 sheep. The whole clip realized £1,506. A total of 1,830 lambs were sold to the freezingworks, realizing £1,742. Satisfactory progress continues to be made in the pig industry, and 550 pigs were disposed of during the year. A comparison of returns with those of the previous season shows a slight decrease in the net production of pig-flesh, but this has been accounted for by the fact that it was necessary early in the year to dispose of a number of old sows, which were replaced by maiden sows. The garden provides a useful and healthy avenue for the employment of inmates fitted for light labour, and is valuable in meeting the requirements of the institution for fresh vegetables. Tobacco-culture was again carried out in conjunction with the gardening operations, a yield of 2,255 lb. of air-cured leaf being secured from an area of 4 acres. Orchard returns showed an improvement over the previous season, 2,466 cases of apples being sold during the year, giving a revenue of approximately £520. The new apple-grading machine which was installed in the packing-shed has proved a great convenience. Point Halswell Borstal Institution. (Superintendent, Miss A. E. Sewell.) On the Ist January, 1939, there were 12 girls in the Borstal Section of this institution ; a further 15 were admitted and 12 discharged, leaving 15 girls in the institution on 31st December. Of the 12 discharged, 10 were released on probationary license and 2 were transferred to the care of the Mental Hospitals Department —one to Porirua and the other to Templeton Farm. In the Reformatory Section we began the year with 8 inmates; 33 were admitted and 35 discharged, leaving 6 women in custody on the 31st December.

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