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environment, he would, in a very large number of cases, have to serve what is virtually a life sentence had one to wait till doubts of a possible relapse ceased to exist. After such a man has served a reasonable sentence, is reported to have shown definite signs of improvement, and has impressed the Board with his desire to go straight, the Board feels that an opportunity should be given him by conditional release, and has so acted. Habitual Criminals and Offenders. Hereunder is epitomized the history of the habitual criminals and offenders since the establishment of the Board in February, 1911 : — In 1911. In 1912. Total number under sentence ... ... ... ... 57 72 Total number released on license ... ... ... ... 15 24 State on 31st December, 1912, of those released on license : — In 1911. In 1912. Total. Returned to prison ... ... ... ... 8 5 13 Whereabouts unknown ... ... ... ... 1 6 7 Satisfactory reports from Probation Officers ... ... 6 13 19 Totals ... ... ... ... 15 24 39 Analysing this return it will be seen that one-third of the thirty-nine released broke the terms of probation and were returned to prison, and that almost one-half are reported to be earning an honest livelihood. The condition of the remaining seven is doubtful; after conducting themselves well for varying periods they failed to report themselves to their Probation Officers, and their whereabouts are unknown. With one exception the crimes for which they were convicted were associated with drink, and not one of them is a native of this country. The presumption, therefore, is that they have returned to their homes, or, at any rate, have left the Dominion. In some of the number this has been ascertained to be the case, and the remainder, if in New Zealand, must be conducting themselves fairly well, because they could not long continue in hiding if giving way to drink. Twelve probationary licenses were cancelled during the year, while in the case of one prisoner on license the reports were sufficiently good for the Board at its last meeting to recommend his discharge being made absolute. One prisoner, shortly after entering upon the indeterminate part of his sentence, died in a general hospital whither he had been removed for treatment. In dealing with persons undergoing reformative detention the Board endeavours, unless the step is distinctly contra-indicated, to permit a portion of the sentence to be served on license, regarding, as it does, the measure of conditional release as the final stage of treatment before the discharge becomes absolute. The same factors which the Act requires the judicial authority to weigh before imposing a sentence of reformative detention are, with necessary modifications, considered by the Board in coming to a decision as to when this stage shall be entered upon. Prisoners undergoing Reformative Detention. Hereunder is epitomized the history of prisoners undergoing reformative detention since the establishment of the Board :— In 1911. In 1912. Total number under reformative detention ... ... .. 98 190 Total number released without license ... ... ... 1 7 Total number released on license ... ... ... ... 5 34 State on 31st December, 1912, of those released on license :— In 1911. In 1912. Total. Returned to prison ... ... ... 3 3 Whereabouts unknown ... ... ... 4 4 Completed probation satisfactorily ... ... ... 2 7 9 Term not yet complete; satisfactory reports from Probation' Officers ... ... ... ... 3 19 22 Died ... ... ... ... ... 1 1 Totals ... ... ... ... 5 34 39 Curiously enough the total number released on license is the same as in the case of the habituals—namely, thirty-nine. Of these, three broke the terms of probation and were returned to prison; twenty-two are reported to be earning an honest living, and a similar report was received respecting nine others who passed out of the jurisdiction of the Board. In these nine cases the period between the date of release and the date of the of the original sentence was the period that was spent on probation. One died, and the whereabouts of four are doubtful. One of these absconded, and is supposed to have left the country. His license was cancelled, as also were those of the three who were returned to prison. In the annual report of the Board last year it was pointed out that, generally speaking, the prison buildings were ill adapted for classification. With added experience it becomes clearer that the setting apart of a division of a prison for the segregation of persons under reformative detention will not suffice, because it is evident that some reformative prisoners are as liable to corrupt their fellows as those from whom they would be kept apart in the special division. Praise was bestowed on the building in Auckland, and the Board has reason to believe that in the