H.—2o

2

Expenditure. The growth in the expenditure between 1906 and 1911, as shown by the above table, is accounted for by the fact that until the year 1910 the expenditure on tree-planting camps and on police and minor gaols was not included in the expenditure tables. Taking into account the increased cost of management, transport, rations, &c, caused by the establishment of the tree-planting camps, the rise in the cost per head is comparatively small. If the practice adopted in earlier years is followed, and the expenditure on police and minor gaols (£2,274) for 1912 deducted from the grand total (£46,134), the cost per head would be reduced to £48 18s. 3d. As a set-off against the expenditure there is a gradual increase in the credits, the total amount received by the Department during the year ended the 31st December last being £5,431. When this is deducted from the total expenditure it lowers the net cost per head to £44 6s. 6d. Although £5,431 may be regarded as a substantial return from certain branches of prison-work, it by no means represents the total value of the prison labour engaged in various directions. In treeplanting alone, for which no credit is transferred, the value of the work done during the year is assessed at £3,256. The reclamation-work being carried on at Invercargill is of considerable value, and will result in the Department obtaining a very substantial asset in a few years' time. The development of the Waikeria property is also adding materially to its value ; while the additions being made to different prisons, and much of the other work that is being done, enable the Department to effect a large saving in the general expenditure. A very large amount of prison labour has been utilized in connection with defence-works, and the maintenance and supervision of the prisoners so employed entails a considerable expenditure, for which the Department receives no financial credit. All these matters must be taken into consideration when dealing with the question of the cost of prisons. In fact, if the Prisons Department received an adequate financial credit from the other Departments for which it provides labour, the annual charges against the Prisons Department for the maintenance and supervision of prisoners would be reduced by many thousands of pounds, and the burden of cost would be properly debited to the votes of the Departments for which the work was done. Prison Population. The following table shows at five-yearly intervals the number of persons in prison per 10,000 of the general population : —

No. 2.

This table, like the first, shows the fluctuation of the prison population. It is difficult to arrive at any definite conclusion as to the underlying causes governing the increase or decrease of offences as shown by the total number of prisoners in the gaols during different periods. During the year under review (1912) the daily average in prison was 5463 greater than in 1911, while the figures for 1912 were the same as those for 1910. It will be noted on reference to Table Aof the statistics that there has been a substantial decrease in the number of committals for serious crimes, judged by the length of the sentences imposed, compared not only with 1911, but with previous years. The table below gives the figures back to 1906 : —

No. 3.

From this table it will be seen that, judged by the standard of the length of the sentences imposed, there has been a steady decrease in the number of serious crimes (including in the category sentences of as little as three months, and reformative detention), and that the increase in the daily

Year. Estimated Population Persons actually on 3] et December. ,j n , rlson ° n 31st December. Number of Persons in Prison per 10,000 of Population. 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901 1906 1911 500,910 589,386 634.058 714,162 787.656 908.726 1.125.406 690 625 534 550 713 891 873 13-77 10-60 8-42 7-70 9-05 9-80 8-51

Prisoners received during the Year sentenced to 1906. I 1907. ! 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. One year's hard labour and upwards, and habitual criminals Three months' hard labour and under one 411 741 390 739 434 651 412 * 291 604 214 501 157 442 740 year Criminals for reformative detention only .. 68 53 Total number received for sentences of three months and over 1.152 1,129 1,085 1.152 895 783 652