i.—4

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(4.) AVinter from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m., with one hour for dinner. Summer from 7 a.m. till 5 p.m., with one hour for dinner; thus the whole of the working hours are employed, in addition 'to which school is held in winter from 5 till 6.30 p.m.; in summer from 6 till 7.30 p.m. (5.) (a.) About ss. 6d. per diem in winter, 6s. 6d. in summer. Some of these men are honestly worth Bs. per diem, as from long practice they have become skilled labourers; it is impossible they can work harder than they do, as they must keep pace with the machine, (b.) The longsentenced hard-labour prisoners are worth about the same; but some of the short-sentenced prisoners, forming about on an average one-sixth of the whole, are not worth more than, say, 3s. per diem in winter, and 3s. 6d. in summer. Thus, in a gang of 48 prisoners, there would be—in summer, 40 at 6s. 6d.=£l3; 8 at 3s. 6d.=£l Ss.; total £14 Bs., being an average of 6s. per man per diem ; in winter, an average of about 55.; on the entire year, taking one man with another, about ss. 6d. per diem, (c.) None. (6.) There is no extra work, prisoners work in associated gangs, and cannot be set a given task. No payment is made, but if a prisoner is found to be destitute, assistance is given him, in accordance with ""Prisons Act, 1873." (S.) Punished by reduction of rations and close confinement, solitary if possible. Some years ago eight prisoners in a body refused to work. They were placed in cells, and told they should remain there until they asked to be allowed to go to work, however long the period might be. At the end of five days the confinement had become so irksome that every man had asked to go to work, some after as short a period as twenty-four hours. They never refused again. (9.) Cannot answer the question. (10.) None. (11.) No. (12.) There is about three acres of land unoccupied, but it is very rough and hilly, and could not be made available for a farm. 6. What Differences other than in Labour made between Penal-servitude and Hard-labour Men t They are kept separate in the Gaol. No other difference. 7. Special Provisions, if any, for Juvenile Offenders and Females, and Lunatic Prisoners t There are none. Same regulations apply to all as far as practicable. 8. Food and Indulgences. (1.) See Regulations for the Public Prisons of the Colony, under " The Prisons Act, 1873,'' as to dietary, New Zealand Gazette, No. 22, 1876. (2.) Reduction for punishment. No increase can be given. There is no power to do so, except in case of sickness—nor is it necessary, the ration being quite sufficient. (3.) No. (4.) Yes ; one stick per week is given to each prisoner by authority of the Visiting Justices. They are allowred to smoke in the Gaol yards for a quarter of an hour twice a day (morning and evening). Pipes are given to them and collected at the expiration of that time. (5.) Tobacco. Irons. Deprivation of tobacco, and the privilege of seeing their friends; also solitary confinement, if it could be carried into effect. (6.) Yes ; it materially lessens the punishment. (7.) No; there is no extra work here. 9. Medical and Hygeian. (1.) The Wellington Gaol is most favourably placed on high land, and at a considerable distance from other buildings. Its construction is old fashioned and patchy, and suffers from the usual effect of additions —viz., deficient light and ventilation. The sewerage is good. (2.) The health of the prisoners is very good. (3.) The deaths during the last five years were—in 1873, 3—2 males and 1 female; 1874, nil; 1875, nil; 1876,1 male ; 1877,1 male. (4.) No endemic or epidemic disease has appeared in the Gaol. (5) and (6). The rations are sufficient, and prisoners generally improve in physique during detention. (7.) Hospital arrangements—there are none. (8.) The Medical Officer has performed the duties at the Wellington Gaol, in conjunction with Hospital work, for about fifteen years, but without legal authority. 10. Religious and other Instruction offered. (1.) Average for five years ending December, 1877 : Church of England, 263; Presbyterians, 56 ; Wesleyans, 18 ; Independents, 1; Baptists, 5 ; Roman Catholics, 156; no religion, 2 ; Lutherans, 15 ; others, 13. (2.) Church of England: The Yen. Archdeacon Stock, first Sunday in every month, and occasionally visits prisoners. The Rev. Charles D. de Castro performs Divine service every Sunday morning, and occasionally visits prisoners. The Rev. T. Porritt plays the organ on Sundays, and occasionally performs Divine service. Roman Catholic: Rev. Father Kerrigan performs Divine service generally every Sunday afternoon, and frequently visits prisoners, to whom he sometimes administers the sacrament. (3.) (a.) No means of knowing what they report themselves, (b.) It relieves the monotony of Sunday. Many prisoners would not attend unless they were compelled to do so. (4.) Divine service is performed in the hall and corridor. The penal-servitude men are seated by themselves near the minister ; the hard-labour men immediately behind them, but separated from them