H—2o

Borstal Receptions : A total of 118 male and 18 female Borstal detainees were received direct from the Courts, while 4 were transferred to Borstal from the Burwood Girls' Home. Two males and 1 female were transferred by Ministerial order from prison to Borstal. Courts-martial: Nineteen courts-martial prisoners were received during the year. GENERAL HEALTH OF PRISONERS The general health of prisoners has been good. There were 82 males and 6 females admitted to the public hospitals or prison infirmaries during the year. The daily average on the sick-list throughout all institutions was 19*07, which is just below 2 per cent, of the daily average number in custody. In the majority of instances the sickness was due to the poor physical condition of prisoners on admission. There is a low incidence of sickness amongst prisoners generally, and this can be ascribed to the orderly routine and the well-balanced and wholesome diet. It is a notable fact that prisoners almost invariably leave prison in much better physical condition than when they enter. INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL Hereunder is set out a comparative statement showing the gross cash expenditure from the departmental vote and the cash credits or receipts which have resulted from the industrial and other activities of the Department: —

It will be noted that the cash credits to the Department increased by some £15,000 from £97,726 in 1946-47 to £112,956 in 1947-48. There was a slight contraction of credits under some heads, but this was more than offset by an increase of £13,000 under " Farms and Gardens," £4,800 under " Quarries," and £1,600 under " Road-construction." The increased expenditure of almost £40,000 from vote, " Prisons " is due to larger expenditure on salaries and rising costs of many lines. The lifting of subsidies from meat and other lines purchased for the feeding and upkeep of those under the care of the Department has meant that more expenditure, not fully controllable by the administration, has been necessary. The salaries bill has increased by some £16,000, due to the general application of the £25 per annum increase as from Ist October, 1947, and also to some improvement in the general staffing position. At the majority of institutions staff is now on a more normal basis, but is still short, more particularly at Auckland and Wellington. The increased staff has enabled expenditure on overtime to be reduced from £14,000 in 1946-47 to £lO,OOO in 1947-48. However, the application of penal rates for weekend duty as from Ist April, 1948, will cause expenditure under this head to be considerably increased in 1948-49.

7

Year. Gross Expenditure. Credits. Net Expenditure. Total. Per Head. Total. Per Head. Total. Per Head. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1938-39 .. 152,903 117-89 64,910 75-92 87,183 101-97 1939-40 .. 155,333 170-16 74,348 81-97 80,985 88-19 1940-41 .. 162,426 179-47 77,908 86-08 84,518 93-39 1941-42 .. 158,704 163-44 80,514 82-92 78,190 80-52 1942-43 .. 166,982 161-34 99,336 95-98 67,646 65-36 1943-44 .. 173,089 159-97 99,956 92-38 73,133 67-59 1944-45 179,627 174-92 100,451 97-82 79,176 77-10 1945-46 .. 195,648 186-58 98,560 93-99 97,088 92-59 1946-47 .. 212,746 201-59 97,726 92-60 115,020 108-99 1947-48 .. 252,541 226-17 112,956 101-16 139,585 125-01