H—2o

School classes were conducted twice weekly by Mr. A. W. Kibblewhite from Templeton, and following is his report for the year's activities : The class is continually changing but, notwithstanding this, most of the members are keen to learn and show a great improvement by the end of the year. Arithmetic and mathematics were covered at Form II stage and those with more knowledge were given extra problems. On the whole, practical problems, designed to assist in everyday life, were given to the pupils. In English the aim was to teach the class to speak and write correct English, so grammatical construction was taken and then literary appreciation by means of extracts from good authors and poets. Business and social letters, applications, &c, were illustrated and discussed. The greatest interest was shown in social studies and world affairs, giving comparisons between the ways of life of other peoples, &c. In discussions, pupils were encouraged to give their own views and experiences (if travelled) and tlnis improve confidence in themselves. Newspaper comments on world affairs were discussed. In conclusion, I must thank the prison staff for their co-operation at all times. There has been a good deal of activity during this year in connection with maintenance and repair work on buildings and plant, which has kept the tradesmen officers and their prisoner labourers fully occupied. We also carried out repairs at Addington Keformatory. The new blacksmith's shop is finished and is very useful and convenient. The materials salvaged from the old shop were used to put a roof over the crushing plant and also to build two more fowl-houses. A small saw and buzzer were purchased for the carpenter's shop which is housed in the new building. We have plans to erect two or three more houses for the staff, but we need a carpenter officer and I am afraid it may be difficult to obtain one. In these institutions the essential services such as cooking, cleaning, laundering, and maintenance work do not absorb all prisoners' labour, and, in any case, many of the inmates need and are fitted for outside work only, so the various industries are set up. They not only broaden the range of work available but provide revenue for the Department, and thus reduce the cost of maintaining the prison population. At Paparua the most important industry is the quarry, which absorbs a large portion of the labour available, and for whose products there is a steady demand. It was kept busy during the year and we sold 24,500 yards of metal extracted from it. In October we had to close down the screening plant for repairs and alterations. A new ramp has now been erected and is nearly completed. In the meantime only the crushing plant is working, and the output from the shingle-pit has fallen away considerably. However, when the new screening plant is working it is expected that the output will be increased and the loss of revenue will be soon made up. The blockmaking industry is still dormant on account of the shortage of cement and reinforcing steel and it cannot be revived till these items become available once more. The institution garden supplies ration vegetables for Addington and ourselves, but weather conditions this year have made the task more difficult than tisual, the spring and summer having been abnormally dry even for this district. However, sufficient supplies of a fair variety of vegetables were produced as required and, at times, small quantities have been sold on the Christchurch market. I can report encouraging progress in the poultry section. Egg production rose from 7,500 dozen in 1948 to 10,500 dozen in "1949.* The revenue exceeded £1,380. We fattened more than 600 cockerels for the market and also disposed of our culled hens ; 404 pullets were raised to augment the flock. The hatching operations were very successful and our flock of young birds looks very well. Disease is almost entirely absent. The farm, which was under the direction of Mr. H. J. S. Wilson, has suffered from lack of moisture at the right time and production figures have been disappointing. The hay and oat crops were insufficient for our requirements and we have had to call on the Invercargill Borstal Institution to help out. There is a marked deterioration in the state of the pastures owing to the continuing shortage of moisture. The sheep have done remarkably well in spite of the adverse conditions. The wool-clip filled 46 bales as against 42 last year. The lambing percentage was 107 as compared with 112 in 1948. We fattened and sent to the works almost all the lambs not needed for the flock, but the average weight was slightly lower than usual.

24