H—2o

There were 117 males and 7 females received into prison as second offenders during: the year. The conduct generally of the prisoners have been good. There were 4 escapes during the year. One prisoner was being escorted to the Auckland Public Hospital for treatment when he made good his escape, and was later arrested by the police. Three prisoners escaped from the prison quarry, all three being captured by Prison officers in the space of forty-five minutes. Two female prisonersescaped from custody while inmates at the Auckland Public Hospital. The health of the prisoners generally has been very good and there has not been any general epidemics. x The daily average sick has been 6-79 males and I*o9 females. There were 15 males and 4 females admitted to the Auckland Public Hospital' during the year. Of the male admissions to hospital, 1 inmate received surgical treatment on two occasions for the deliberate swallowing of foreign bodies. In this case there were two major operations for the removal of the articles swallowed, and the individual concerned has made a good recovery and is at present convalescing at the prison. During the year 12 males and 3 females were admitted to prison with gonorrhoea and 4 males and 1 female with syphilis, and this shows a marked decline in the prevalence of this social disease. There were 4 males and 2 females transferred to the mental hospital, and I strongly commend the Mental Hospital medical staff for the very valuable assistance given by making a large number of examinations during the year for the information of the Courts and as a guide to the institutional treatment. The prison quarry has not been working at full capacity for the greater part of the year, due to the acute shortage of staff, but the other industrial activities within the prison have been fully maintained. The boot-factory has worked at full capacity producing military, Prison, and Mental Hospital footwear and leather satchels for the Post and Telegraph Department. In addition, a large number of repairs have been carried out for the various mental hospitals and Education Department, as well as satchels, remittance-bags, &c., for the Post and Telegraph Department. The tailoring-factory has maintained its usual satisfactory output, embracing the manufacture of large quantities of Mental Hospital clothing, as well as requirements for our own prison institutions. Tin smithing has also been carried on, supplying other prison institutions with their requirements. In the carpenters' shop a number of cabinets for the Registrar-General's Departmentwere manufactured, while maintenance for the local Courts have been carried out and renovations to this institution have been attended to. The laundering section has laundered a large number of blankets for the Army and Air Departments. The manufacture of tobacco has been satisfactorily maintained, and all institutional requirements have been met by due date. A large portion of the leaf used was grown at Waikeria Borstal farm. The cultivation of the prison garden has resulted in the production of a large amount of vegetables used in this institution. The food supplied to the inmates of this institution has been of excellent quality and, as on previous occasions, the meat and milk has been supplied from the Waikeria Borstal Institution. All bread consumed has been made in the institutional bakehouse, and would compare more than favourably with any baked outside.

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