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Rangipo Prison (Officer in Charge : Mr. E. J. Craig) I beg to submit my annual report for the year ended 31st December, 1948. At the commencement of the year there were 43 males in custody. During the year 39 prisoners were received, 11 were transferred to other prisons, and 37 were discharged, leaving 34 prisoners in custody at the end of the year. The medical officer, Dr. L. E. Jordan, visited the prison regularly during the year, and the general health of the prisoners was very good. One prisoner was admitted to hospital for a minor operation and later discharged. There were no serious cases of illness amongst the prisoners. Dental work for the prisoners was attended to in the early part of the year by Mr. R. B. Davies, of Raetihi, and latterly by Mr. R. Beresford, of Taumarunui. I have to record my appreciation of the conscientious manner in which these gentlemen attended to the health of the prisoners throughout the year. The spiritual welfare of the prisoners was looked after by Messrs. H. L. Forlong, K. A. Mountjoy, C. J. Forlong, R. D. Houghton, and Sister Edith, who held services at the prison during the year. Thanks are again due to the Christchurch branch of the Howard League for Penal Reform for the excellent cake supplied to the men at Christmas-time, to the ChristmasLetters to Prisoners Society, 5 Tudor Road, Upper Norwood, London, for Christmasletters sent to all the prisoners, and to the Church of Christ (Scientist) for the very excellent reading-material supplied to the men during the year. The principal work during the year on the farm consisted of the maintenance of the permanent pastures, draining, and fencing. It must, however, be recorded with regret that some of the outlying paddocks have deteriorated and scrub and fern have got away. Posts and battens for the subdivision of paddocks were obtained from the bush, and several chains of new fences were erected. Crops sown included 110 acres of swedes and turnips for winter feed. Sheep and cattle all wintered well, and lambing losses were lighter than usual. A good wool-crop was taken, and 39 bales were sold. A very fair crop of hay was harvested. Sales of lambs and store cattle during the year realized good prices. Permanent pastures were all harrowed and top-dressed during the year. The war against the rabbit pest was prosecuted energetically during the year, trapping and poisoning being the chief means of extermination used. Beef and mutton for rations were killed on the farm, and a good variety of vegetables, both green and root crops, was supplied for rations from the prison gardens. My thanks are due to the staff, who carried out their duties in a satisfactory manner. Waikune Prison (Roadmaking Camp), Erua (Officer in Charge : Mr. J. G. Quill) I have the honour to submit my annual report for the vear ended 31st December, 1948! At the commencement of the year there were in custody 67 prisoners, and 98 were received during the year. During the year the discharges were 10 on remission and 57 on probationary licence, and 24 prisoners were transferred to other institutions ; also, 2 prisoners died. The number of prisoners in custody at the end of the year was 63. The greatest number of prisoners in detention at any time was 90 and the least 55, the daily average being 68-27. Fourteen prisoners escaped from Waikune during the year, and of these 5 were prisoners in transit to Rangipo and Hautu. Apart from one instance where a prisoner appears to have escaped because of domestic worries, all other escapes seem to have been committed in a spirit of deliberate wantonness. In each case it was not long before the offenders were apprehended and returned to custody.

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