H—2o

There were 3 escapes during the year. One prisoner who was a patient at the Auckland Public Hospital made good his escape; he was later recaptured at Spirits Bay, North Auckland, and returned to prison. The other 2 escaped from the train while being escorted from Paparua to Auckland Prison. One was recaptured the following day and the other was returned, to prison on Ist July, 1947. The health of the prisoners generally has been very good ; there has not been any general epidemics. There were 2 deaths during the year. One prisoner was employed on the quarry-face, when he slipped and met with an accident; he was admitted to the Auckland Public Hospital, and died the same day. The other was an old man of seventy, held on remand. The daily average sick has been 6*83 males and o*3l females. In the cases of male and female sickness there is a small increase over last year. There were 13 males and 2 females admitted to the Auckland Public Hospital during the year. Of the male admissions to hospital, 2 received treatment for the swallowing of foreign bodies. Other admissions were —1 T.B. of spine; 1 osteo-arthritis, left hip; 1 rheumatic fever; 1 weakness following hunger striking ; 1 D.T's ; 1 chronic otitis media, left ear ; 1 abcess, right ischio-rectal area; 1 acute lobar pneumonia; 1 multiple injuries; 1 perforated duodenal ulcer. Of the female prisoners removed to hospital 1 suffered from T. 8., right wrist, and 1 required currette treatment. Of the above admissions, 1 male still remains in the public hospital and no females. During the year 8 males and 5 females were admitted to prison with gonorrhoea and 4 males with syphilis, and this again shows a marked decline in the case of males and a slight increase in the case of females of this social disease. There were 6 males transferred to the mental hospital, 1 being transferred back to prison after a lapse of four and a half months. I wish to commend the mental hospital medical staff for the very valuable assistance given by making examinations during the year for the information of the Courts and as a guide to the institutional treatment. They have always been very willing to assist. I am pleased to state that the prison quarry has again been working since August last, with much satisfaction both to inmates and the Department. This factor has kept the prisoners more settled in themselves. The boot-factory continues to work at full capacity manufacturing 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 Prison, Mental Hospital, and Education Departments, as well as satchels, &c., for the Post and Telegraph Department, despite the fact that material has been very difficult to purchase. The Tailoring Department has maintained its usual output, embracing the manufacture of large quantities of mental-hospital clothing, as well as requirements for our prison institutions. For other Government Departments 750 office chair cushions were made, and 2,313 pairs of socks were manufactured, also 380 pairs refooted. In the repair branch of the shop 19,930 mail and parcel bags were dealt with. Tinsmithing has also been carried on supplying other prison institutions with their requirements. In the carpenter's shop a number of cabinets for the Registrar's Department were manufactured, while maintenance work for the local Courts has been carried out, and renovations to this institution have been attended to. During the year a single-officers' mess-room has been erected and fitted out electrically, and the officers who live in quarters are supplied with meals ; also the officers who bring their lunch are catered for. A single-officer's cottage has also been erected, and the furniture and fittings have been manufactured in the shop. One married-officer's cottage is well on the way to completion, and we hope to have another six commenced at an early date, subject to an early supply of material.

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