1.-4;

71

(3.) Aggregate, £1,169 19s. 10s. (a.) Average per head per annum, £11 Bs. 6d. (b.) Average per diem, 7id. (4.) Two. (5.) No. (6.) By Medical Officer and Visiting Justice frequently. By Gaoler (or, in his absence, the Chief Warder) daily. (7.) Estimated value of labour at this prison for the year 1877 was as follows, viz., £5,470 14s. 7d., which, divided by number of hard-labour and penal-servitude prisoners during the year, gives value of labour for each prisoner as 4s. 7-id. per diem. £ s. d. Note.—Prisoner' earnings ... ... ... ... ... 5,470 14 7 Expenditure:— Salaries ... ... ... ... £2,336 10 6 Rations ... ... ... ... 1,169 19 10 Contingencies ... ... ... 1,045 16 10 4,552 7 2 To credit of prison after all disbursements ... .... ... £918 7 5 Or per prisoner per annum ... ... ... ... ... 817 2 The expenditure incurred by fifteen prisoners of an average daily during the year is charged against the value of labour, though as non-effectives they added nothing to the earnings. (8.) £1,045 16s. lOd. in aggregate, or £10 4s. 3d. per annum, or 6|d. per diem. 13. Pardons, Remissions, Petitions, and Recommendations. To 31st December, 1877. (1.) Francis AValstab, obtaining money by false pretences, two charges, apparently first, two years on each charge (concurrent) ; three months and seven days. Alex. McKenzie, bestiality, apparently first, ten years' penal servitude; three years and six months. Richard Wood, larceny, apparently first, two years' hard labour; four months and twelve days. James Tucker, horse-stealing and escape from legal custody, apparently first, four years' penal servitude and one month's hard labour ; one year and two days. Edwin Bowen Scott, obtaining goods by false pretences, apparently first, one year's hard labour ; four months. (2.) (a!) On whose petition. By whom recommended, F. W. ... Not known ... Not known. A. McK. ... Prisoner's ... Gaoler and Visiting Justice, R. W. ... ... Surgeon, Gaoler, and Visiting Justice. J. T. ... Prisoner's ... Surgeon, Gaoler, and Visiting Justice. E. B. S. ... Prisoner's ... Gaoler and Visiting Justice. (b.) Tho grounds urged. (c.) Amount granted. F. W. ... Not known... ... ... Three months and seven days. A. McK. ... Youth and good conduct ... Three years and six months. R. AY. ... Accident on prison works ... Four months and twelve days. J. T. ... Epileptic fits ... One year and two days. E. B. S. ... Money arrived at Bank from England to his credit a few days after he issued the cheque which was dishonored ... Four months. (3.) Nil. 14. Special Suggestions. It is recommended that a defined system of promotion and transfer of prison warders be adopted and a scale of increase of pay for length of service. The system of transfer to be for promotion or degradation, according to conduct, zeal, or the contrary.

ll.—lmprovement of Old Prisons. (1.) («.) When prison is completed, all prisoners will have cellular accommodation, and classified according to prison conduct and length of sentence, at the same time not ignoring youth and apparently first-convicted prisoners, (b.) It would be necessary to construct a new division (not on new plan) to meet this requirement, (c.) Is already provided for (see plan). (2.) Yes. (3.) Yes. (4.) To have three classes it would be necessary to purchase more land adjoining the prison. The next section is not marketable for about eighteen months, in consequence of a minor having an interest in it. (a) and (b). Cannot be answered at present. (5.) Old prison nearly removed, and new prison approaching completion. (6.) Yes, to any extent, if proper supervision and direction are afforded.