11

H.—2o.

Other Works. At Auckland the building of a stone wall along the Grammar School boundary facing the Prison has 1 n completed. The making and repairing of boots for officers and prisoners and lor the Mental Hospitals Department litis been proceeded with during the year. Tin- making of concrete blocks, dressing of building-stone, quarrying and crushing metal for roadmaking purposes, is the principal industry. In view of the fact that there is a practically unlimited demand for road-metal, it has been decided to go into the question of a thorough reorganization of the quarrying and crushing methods at present in use. With this object in view the Public Works Department has been approached, and the Engineers are now preparing a thoroughly up-to-date scheme that should enable the Department to increase its output very considerably when it is brought into operation. The cash received, chiefly from local bodies, for the metal-output for the year amounted to £1,697. At New Plymouth the prisoners were employed in the Prison quarry, the product of which is sold to the Borough Council. The revenue derived from this source, amounted to £7.17. At Kaingaroa the prisoners were employed by the Forestry Department tree-planting, &c. The revenue from this source, amounted to £2,914. The work of constructing a road from Waimarino to Tokaanu has been continued during the year. Owing to the abnormal rainfall obtaining in this district work on this road has to be carried out under great difficulties. Nevertheless fair progress, taking the prevailing conditions into consideration, has been made. For several, months of the year the Postal Department's mail-service contractor has been carrying mails and passengers over the whole length of the road front Waimarino to Tokaanu by motor-car thrice, weekly. Three private firms are, also running cars between the points referred to, and the Internal Affairs Department's motor-lorries make daily trips during the, fishing season, carrying the proceeds of the Lake Taupo fisheries. The traffic on the road is rapidly increasing. Not only has it partly supplanted the, old Waiouru Road as a tourist route, but it is being largely used by settlers in the Rotorua-Taupo districts, who are able to obtain more convenient access to their holdings from the Waimarino Railway-station than from Rotorua and Auckland. In view of the shortage of coal in Wellington, use has been made of the cam [is at Waimarino, where there are ample supplies of felled timber, to augment the firewood-supply in the capital city. A number of truck-loads have been railed to Wellington and distributed to consumers through the agencies of the State Coal and State Firewood Department. Apart from the returns received from the sale of the large quantity of firewood and kindling-wood supplied from Waimarino during the past three or four months, the total amount received from the Public Works Department for road-construction work for the financial, year ended 31st March last was £1,609. At Waikeria considerable progress has been made, during the year. The work of forming and metalling the road connecting the Reformatory with the main road leading to Te, Awamutu has been completed. This road, which is about five miles in length, passes right through the centre of the Reformatory and Mental Hospital farms, providing ready means of access to both properties. Farming in all its branches is the staple industry at this institution. The illustrations appearing in this year's report give a general indication of the variety of the work that is being carried on. At Waikeria, as at Invercargill, the policy of the Department is to employ the inmates at a class of work that is not only reproductive so far as the State is concerned, but will enable those employed to fight the battle of life successfully on their release. The, experimental stage hits long been passed, and the Department's efforts in this direction have borne good fruit. During the past season the officer in charge at Waikeria has undertaken by departmental instruction the growing and curing of tobacco, and has met with some success in his initial efforts. It is too soon yet to offer any opinion as to whether the Waikeria soil is suitable for tobacco-culture, but a further trial will be made during the coming season. During the past year the number of prisoners at Point Halswell Prison was considerably reduced, and with the exception of looking after the trees planted a few years ago, and carrying out several small works at Shelly Bay for the; Public Works Department, very little has been done. The raising of pigs and growing feed for them has been started on a small scale, with gratifying financial results. The milk-supply for the Wellington prisons has also been obtained front the Point Halswell Prison. Brickmaking at Mount Cook Prison has now ceased, the stocks on hand being sufficient for the purpose of completing all existing contracts. The work of levelling and otherwise preparing the Mount Cook site for other purposes is now being proceeded with. The cutting into suitable lengths of firewood received from Waimarino, and the preparation of kindling-wood for the various Government buildings, is also being carried out here. The revenue derived front the sale of bricks for the year amounted to £1,410. Work at the Terrace Prison consisted of gardening, boot-repairing, and the manufacturing in the Prison workshop of all officers' uniforms anil prisoners' clothing. Much valuable and useful work is being successfully carried out at Paparua Prison, near Christchurch. The manufacture of building-blocks and concrete roofing-tiles for use in the erection of prison buildings, as well as the making of concrete fencing-posts for the farm, is, apart from farming operations, flu- principal industry carried on. Tin- manufacture of concrete flags has also been recently started, and a considerable revenue from the sale of concrete products is now being obtained. The work of reading and fencing the Prison property, and the gradual improvement of the whole area, is being proceeded with as rapidly as circumstances permit. Pig-raising is receiving a permanent place here, and the establishing of an up-to-date poultry-farm is being undertaken. A small area is also being planted with fruit-trees. The whole of the boots required for the use of both officers and